NLIS 2.0 on track for late 2027 go-live

Australia’s next-generation National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) database has entered the build phase, marking a key milestone in the development of NLIS 2.0.

Integrity Systems has spent the past three years working to ensure NLIS 2.0 meets the evolving needs of Australia’s red meat industry and continues to support access to high-value export markets.

“NLIS 2.0 will build on more than 25 years of reliable livestock traceability, delivering a faster, more secure and user-friendly experience across the supply chain,” Jo Quigley, General Manager – Integrity Systems, said.

Transition to NLIS 2.0
Once development of NLIS 2.0 is complete, the system will undergo rigorous testing with more than 100 supply chain stakeholders, including producers, livestock agents, saleyards and processors.

The transition to NLIS 2.0 is planned to begin in late 2027, timed to coincide with the period when livestock movements traditionally begin to slow ahead of Christmas and the New Year.

Integrity Systems will keep users informed as development progresses and provide information, training and support ahead of the transition.

Until then, the current NLIS database will continue to operate as usual, supporting industry’s traceability requirements.

Managing complexity without compromising quality
Ms Quigley said developing NLIS 2.0 had involved significant work to ensure the system could handle the scale and complexity of Australia’s red meat supply chain while delivering a better user experience.

“In 2025 alone, more than 90 million livestock movements were recorded through NLIS. Behind these transactions is a complex set of requirements, including different state and territory rules and transaction types.

“Much of this complexity is managed behind the scenes, but every part of the system needs to work correctly to maintain data integrity and ensure lifetime traceability remains intact.

“When it launches next year, NLIS 2.0 will be fit-for-purpose and deliver simpler, more intuitive workflows that have been tested extensively with industry,” Ms Quigley said.

Developing a system capable of meeting these requirements has taken longer than originally anticipated, shifting the planned rollout from 2026 to late 2027.

Ms Quigley said the additional time would help ensure the upgraded system was thoroughly tested and ready to meet industry's needs.

"We were not prepared to compromise the scope or quality of the system to meet the original timeframe," Ms Quigley said.

“Getting it right is more important than getting there faster, so we’ve taken the time needed to do it properly.”