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Animal ID changes explainedUSAIO placed on inactive status By Holly Martin Change has been the key word when discussing animal identification over the last year. During the Cattle Industry Convention in Nashville, Bruce Knight the Undersecretary of Agriculture for marketing and regulatory programs, explained a few of those changes to cattle producers. "The changes are because of the input producers have given. They have given us the best advice on how to make this program meet their needs," Knight said. Knight, speaking during the Issues Forums, said one of the most significant changes is a change from a mandatory program. Because the program is voluntary, Knight says he hopes the program will earn the respect of producers, and in turn they will choose to be involved. "Participating will be an individual business decision," he said. Right now, the focus is getting premises registered. USDA estimates that 25 percent of producers have voluntarily registered. "Now we are focusing on getting a critical mass of producers registered by 2009," he said. Even though changes have been made, Knight stressed the goal of animal ID is still the same--herd health. And the first step to ensuring herd health, Knight said, is for producers to register their premises as a first step. The program is critical, he said, to ensuring the health of U.S. animal agriculture. "The threat is real," Knight said. Confidentiality has been a major concern for livestock producers. "We have specifically built safeguards into NAIS," Knight said. "Private business information is just that--private." Because the information will be kept within the state databases, Knight said producers should feel confident that it won't be used by USDA for anything else but a disease outbreak. Knight says the USDA has also heard the concerns of cattlemen over the cost of the program. He told producers that their goal is to keep the cost to individual producers as low as possible. USDA is also planning to invest $6 million in program partnerships with livestock organizations, Knight said. While USDA continues to move forward with animal ID, an NCBA-led organization has decided to hold off until the industry is ready to move forward. Charles Miller, a stocker producer from Kentucky and chairman of the U.S. Animal Identification Organization said industry support for animal ID has not been forthcoming and indecision about who will control animal movement data has forced USAIO to make changes. USAIO will be placed in inactive status and will not be deployed at this time, Miller said. "We will move ahead as the industry directs," he said. Miller said the group felt that all of the pieces for a successful system were in place, but the climate of the industry did not support moving forward. "We are at a pivotal time in the industry. The livestock industry as a whole must decide, and quickly, who will control animal movement data," Miller said. Knight said he was saddened by USAIO's decision because he feels that competition is key in one of the most important parts of the animal ID program--keeping costs down for individual producers. Holly Martin can be reached by phone at 1-800-452-7171 ext. 1806 or e-mail at hmartin@hpj.com. 0 None None Date: 2/23/07
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