Agreement with APHIS National Wildlife Research Center to bring proven depredation-reduction research to CERES TAG's satellite-connected platform

[Kansas City, 7 July 2026] - CERES TAG, a global agricultural technology company, has entered into a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center (NWRC), to develop and commercialise an embedded predator deterrence capability for its satellite-connected smart livestock ear tags.

The exclusive agreement enables CERES TAG to integrate and commercialise the NWRC's FlashTags research, backed by filed intellectual property, with published results demonstrating predation reductions of around 50% at sites previously affected by chronic depredation by coyotes, gray wolves, and grizzly bears.

Wolf depredation is a persistent and economically significant challenge for livestock producers across the United States, particularly those operating extensive grazing systems in the Northern Rocky Mountain and Great Lakes states. Verified losses represent a direct cost to individual producers, and indirect losses from stress and injury, while disrupted animal behaviour and lost productivity compound that impact further. The problem is not limited to North America: wolves also cause considerable economic losses across Europe, while in Australia, wild dogs and dingoes remain a major source of livestock loss and a long-standing operational challenge for sheep and cattle producers.

Existing deterrence methods, including livestock guardian dogs and human supervision may be impractical at scale across extensive grazing operations. CERES TAG's agreement with USDA APHIS addresses this gap by embedding a low-cost, automated deterrence function directly into ear tags already worn by livestock.

Under the CRADA, CERES TAG will deploy the FlashTags deterrence capability as an embedded feature for its existing ear tag platform, available to ranchers as a low-cost add-on, and importantly, requiring no change to existing husbandry practices.

"FlashTags represent years of applied research into practical, non-lethal tools for livestock producers living with predator pressure, so this agreement is about delivering a practical solution to one of the most difficult challenges producers face," said Shane White, National Sales Manager at CERES TAG. "Predator attacks don't just result in financial losses, they bring the uncertainty of not knowing what you'll find when you head out to check your herd. By making an effective deterrent available through technology producers are already using, we're helping reduce livestock losses while giving producers greater confidence and peace of mind."

"For CERES TAG, this partnership reflects our commitment to continuously expanding the value of our satellite-enabled platform," said David Smith, Founder & CEO of CERES TAG. "Partnering FlashTags with CERES TAG gives this technology a path to broad adoption and deployment, We're focused on delivering more than location and behavioural insights. By integrating additional capabilities into the ear tag, we're creating greater return on investment for producers and ensuring the platform continues to solve real-world challenges without adding complexity to their operation."

CERES TAG's smart ear tags provide direct-to-satellite connectivity, on-animal sensing, and behavioural analytics for livestock. The platform is already deployed across dozens of countries and is designed to provide automated, remote monitoring and data across grazing operations.

About CERES TAG

CERES TAG is a technology company with satellite-connected smart ear tags with integrated sensing capabilities. The company's platform provides livestock producers, agribusiness operators, and supply chain stakeholders with real-time animal location, health, and behavioural data across remote and extensive grazing environments.

About USDA APHIS Wildlife Services

USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Wildlife Services provides federal leadership and expertise to resolve wildlife conflicts that affect agriculture, human health and safety, and natural resources. The National Wildlife Research Center (NWRC), based in Fort Collins, Colorado, is the research arm of Wildlife Services and develops science-based methods and tools to address wildlife damage management challenges, including livestock depredation by large predators.

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