Cal-ILA - News
Please e-mail all News information & updates to:
Nov. 7, 2006
Contact: Sheila Fugina (715) 246-5837
USDA Says NAIS to Remain Voluntary Until at Least 2009
USAHA Committee on Livestock Identification-Report from the 2006 USAHA Meeting
(The US Animal Health Association held its annual meeting Oct. 14-18, 2006, in Minneapolis. The following report covers the highlights from the Livestock Identification Committee.)
Bruce Knight, newly appointed Undersecretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs (USDA), addressed the committee and emphasized that the NAIS (National Animal Identification System) will follow these four guiding principles: The NAIS must avoid unnecessary burden to livestock producers, avoid growth in government, maintain flexibility and keep data in private hands. He announced that to date approximately 320,000 premises have been registered nationwide and that USDA assumes there are between 1.4 and 2.1 million animal holding premises in the US. Knight also stressed that the NAIS is a “voluntary program with a capital V” and that if any states wish to pursue a mandatory ID program, they would do so on their own.
Dr. John Clifford, Deputy Administrator for Veterinary Services, stated that animal health is the focus of the NAIS. The program will enhance US efforts to respond to intentionally or unintentionally introduced animal disease outbreaks more quickly and effectively. The NAIS only works if the states, industry and producers actively shape and use the program, he said.
Because the NAIS is a completely voluntary program, USDA must continue to consider all issues of concern that may cause producers not to participate. Protecting confidentiality of information has been an issue that USDA has taken very seriously. With regard to NAIS information, USDA has taken the position that information should only be used when there is a need to respond to specific disease issues. In keeping with this position, and in response to ongoing concerns about confidentiality, USDA has determined that the distribution records of animal identification devices (tags or microchips) distributed to a premises will be held in private databases or by states, rather than in USDA's AIN Management System.
Four tags have been approved for use in the NAIS. All are RFID tags and all are ISO 11784/85 compliant. As species working groups finalize their recommendations, other methods will be authorized for use with the NAIS. For example, the equine industry recently recommended the use of ISO 11784/11785 compliant injectable transponders. As of October 17, no injectable microchip manufacturers have applied to have their devices certified for “840” country code 15-digit numbers.
Robert Fourdraine, director of the Wisconsin Livestock Identification Consortium, provided a report on the actions of the NAIS Advisory Subcommittee (which reports to Sec. Johanns via the Secretary's Advisory Committee on Foreign Animal and Poultry Diseases). The subcommittee recognizes the importance of the NAIS to protect the US livestock industry and that timely implementation of the NAIS is extremely important. Since implementation of the NAIS seems to be focused on the cattle industry, he said, key recommendations of the Cattle Working Group should be made available as soon as possible.
Other NAIS Advisory Subcommittee recommendations include:
*The subcommittee has reviewed reports of the species working groups. Several reports are still in progress, however, the Cattle, Swine, Sheep and Equine species reports are completed and ready for adoption. They strongly recommended that the USDA adopt the Sheep and Equine Species Working Group recommendations as written. The equine recommendations can be found at: www.equinespeciesworkinggroup.com/
*All producers should have the opportunity to utilize a government-managed animal tracking database system under NAIS for those species that track animal movement.
Dr. Sam Holland, State Veterinarian of South Dakota, provided a presentation on Common Sense Animal Identification. He suggested addressing the question: “What can we implement, in the near term and practically, that will meet immediate needs for animal health?” A complete copy of his suggestions can be found at: www.animalagriculture.org/ (This is a shortened link. You will be taken to the appropriate page when the link is clicked.)
The full text of all USAHA committee reports and resolutions will be posted on the USAHA web site once they have been finalized: www.usaha.org/committees/
Please submit your comments and questions to any of the following CWG members:
Teri Nilson Baird at
Karen Conyngham at
Sheila Fugina at
Dr. Julie Ann Jarvinen at
Marsharee Wilcox at
www.camelidid.org
return to the top of the page
Contact: Sheila Fugina (715) 246-5837
USDA Says NAIS to Remain Voluntary Until at Least 2009
USAHA Committee on Livestock Identification-Report from the 2006 USAHA Meeting
(The US Animal Health Association held its annual meeting Oct. 14-18, 2006, in Minneapolis. The following report covers the highlights from the Livestock Identification Committee.)
Bruce Knight, newly appointed Undersecretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs (USDA), addressed the committee and emphasized that the NAIS (National Animal Identification System) will follow these four guiding principles: The NAIS must avoid unnecessary burden to livestock producers, avoid growth in government, maintain flexibility and keep data in private hands. He announced that to date approximately 320,000 premises have been registered nationwide and that USDA assumes there are between 1.4 and 2.1 million animal holding premises in the US. Knight also stressed that the NAIS is a “voluntary program with a capital V” and that if any states wish to pursue a mandatory ID program, they would do so on their own.
Dr. John Clifford, Deputy Administrator for Veterinary Services, stated that animal health is the focus of the NAIS. The program will enhance US efforts to respond to intentionally or unintentionally introduced animal disease outbreaks more quickly and effectively. The NAIS only works if the states, industry and producers actively shape and use the program, he said.
Because the NAIS is a completely voluntary program, USDA must continue to consider all issues of concern that may cause producers not to participate. Protecting confidentiality of information has been an issue that USDA has taken very seriously. With regard to NAIS information, USDA has taken the position that information should only be used when there is a need to respond to specific disease issues. In keeping with this position, and in response to ongoing concerns about confidentiality, USDA has determined that the distribution records of animal identification devices (tags or microchips) distributed to a premises will be held in private databases or by states, rather than in USDA's AIN Management System.
Four tags have been approved for use in the NAIS. All are RFID tags and all are ISO 11784/85 compliant. As species working groups finalize their recommendations, other methods will be authorized for use with the NAIS. For example, the equine industry recently recommended the use of ISO 11784/11785 compliant injectable transponders. As of October 17, no injectable microchip manufacturers have applied to have their devices certified for “840” country code 15-digit numbers.
Robert Fourdraine, director of the Wisconsin Livestock Identification Consortium, provided a report on the actions of the NAIS Advisory Subcommittee (which reports to Sec. Johanns via the Secretary's Advisory Committee on Foreign Animal and Poultry Diseases). The subcommittee recognizes the importance of the NAIS to protect the US livestock industry and that timely implementation of the NAIS is extremely important. Since implementation of the NAIS seems to be focused on the cattle industry, he said, key recommendations of the Cattle Working Group should be made available as soon as possible.
Other NAIS Advisory Subcommittee recommendations include:
*The subcommittee has reviewed reports of the species working groups. Several reports are still in progress, however, the Cattle, Swine, Sheep and Equine species reports are completed and ready for adoption. They strongly recommended that the USDA adopt the Sheep and Equine Species Working Group recommendations as written. The equine recommendations can be found at: www.equinespeciesworkinggroup.com/
*All producers should have the opportunity to utilize a government-managed animal tracking database system under NAIS for those species that track animal movement.
Dr. Sam Holland, State Veterinarian of South Dakota, provided a presentation on Common Sense Animal Identification. He suggested addressing the question: “What can we implement, in the near term and practically, that will meet immediate needs for animal health?” A complete copy of his suggestions can be found at: www.animalagriculture.org/ (This is a shortened link. You will be taken to the appropriate page when the link is clicked.)
The full text of all USAHA committee reports and resolutions will be posted on the USAHA web site once they have been finalized: www.usaha.org/committees/
Please submit your comments and questions to any of the following CWG members:
Teri Nilson Baird at
Karen Conyngham at
Sheila Fugina at
Dr. Julie Ann Jarvinen at
Marsharee Wilcox at
www.camelidid.org
return to the top of the page