National Farmers Union submitted comments on the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's plan for a national animal identification system (NAIS) recently.

NFU said that it is not only in the interest of livestock producers to have a comprehensive and functioning NAIS, but also in our national economic, security, and food safety interests.

"Livestock producers are the stakeholder sector that will likely bear a majority of implementation costs, assume the most financial risk and can least afford to incur additional operating expenses," said Dave Frederickson, NFU president.

NFU believes it is it is important that producers not bear the financial burden of this program that is fundamental to protecting America's economic and homeland security.

"We strongly believe the best way to protect the privacy and security of livestock producers is in a federally maintained and controlled information database," Frederickson said. NFU maintains that all producer information must be protected from disclosure unless it is necessary for animal disease or bio-terrorism trace-back.

Additionally, NFU believes a national animal identification system and mandatory country-of-origin labeling should work in tandem to provide benefits to both producers and consumers. The two programs are undeniably related and coupling the two will provide producers with the opportunity to realize economic benefits, while providing consumers with the ability to make informed food product decisions.

"NFU looks forward to working with the USDA in forming policy that protects our livestock herd from disease outbreaks and bio-terrorism attacks, while also protecting the safety of our food supply and our national security interests," Frederickson said.

Date: 7/21/05