Chief Technical Officer in the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Dr Mark Panton, has said there are plans in place to roll out a national animal identification programme.

Panton was speaking at the seventh annual general meeting of the Jamaica Pig Farmers Association, Thursday at the Golf View Hotel, Mandeville, Manchester.

"There are current plans to roll out a national animal-identification programme, starting with cattle and pigs. However, that programme has limitations that would have to be addressed if we plan to meet international standards as dictated in the application of sanitary agreements set out by the World Trade Organisation," he said.

In rationalising the need for a national animal-identification programme, he said, a cut of meat should be traceable to the farm where the animal comes from.