Press release
The Red Meat Industry Services (RMIS) officially rolled out Phase 2 of the RMIS Traceability Platform last week, bringing South Africa’s red meat industry closer to full livestock traceability that will improve disease response and support market access.
The event attended by the Minister of Agriculture, Mr. John Steenhuisen, along with representatives from organised agriculture and other key stakeholders, showcased the practical functionality of the platform across the value chain. From capturing Global Location Numbers (GLNs) within existing integrated systems, to sharing movement data, generating traceability reports, and enabling disease tracking across the value chain.
To encourage inclusivity, RMIS also introduced the RMIS Movement App – a free, user-friendly tool developed for producers who are not yet using digital livestock management systems.
New in Phase 2
Phase 2 introduces API integration between the RMIS Traceability Platform and several digital livestock management systems used across the value chain. These include:
- Farm-level: Benguelasoft, Logix, AIMS, Datamars
- Auction: FlexiAuction
- Feedlot: Gigalot, Pointr Software
- Abattoir: Matrix Software
For the first time, these systems can securely share animal movement data in a standardised format with producers’ consent and without requiring them to use additional systems for traceability or duplicate capturing of data.
A list of integrated livestock management systems is available on the RMIS website at https://rmis.co.za/services/traceability. The list will be updated as more systems become integrated to help producers see which platforms are traceability-enabled.
Addressing Industry Challenges
With the launch of Phase 2, the RMIS Traceability Platform now offers practical solutions to some of the industry’s most persistent challenges:
- Abattoir-level traceability: Carcasses can now be tracked back to their origin.
- Export compliance: Enhanced data integrity strengthens compliance with export market protocols, supporting South Africa’s market access.
- Improved disease response: The platform helps trace outbreaks more quickly, giving the industry faster insight into where and how diseases are spreading.
Disease Control & Biosecurity Tools Now Built In
The platform now also includes features developed during the recent Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreaks:
- A Public FMD Case Map showing confirmed FMD cases: https://rmis.co.za/disease-incidents
- Automatic WhatsApp alerts for registered users within a 10 km radius of a
reported outbreak.
These tools aim to improve the industry’s ability to respond to outbreaks and manage movement restrictions more effectively.
Introducing the RMIS App
To support inclusivity, RMIS also unveiled the RMIS Movement App, a user-friendly tool designed for producers who are not yet using a digital livestock management system.
The app enables any registered production unit to record animal movements directly from their Global Location Number (GLN). It is focused solely on movement recording, not production data, and forms part of RMIS’s goal to build an inclusive and accessible national traceability network.
The RMIS Movement App will be available for Android users via the Google Play Store and iOS by the end of the year. It will be completely free, ensuring access across all sectors of the red meat value chain.
Aligned with the 2030 Red Meat Vision
The platform is a cornerstone of the Red Meat Industry Strategy 2030, addressing one of the sector’s biggest gaps, the absence of unified traceability. Phase 2 lays the foundation for real-time disease control, reliable export certifications and inclusive participation across all producer levels, helping South Africa’s red meat value chain become more responsive, secure, and future-ready.
Feature photo: Pixabay on Pexels
