Another NAIS "MANDATE"

[Oldtimer]

I just noticed this article today...Tell me, does this mean what I think it does by reading between the lines? Does this mean that in order to continue Bangs vaccinating all your heifers (like most in Montana do) that you will be required to get a NAIS Premise ID and have these cattle NAIS tagged?

It appears to me to be a backdoor way to mandate some folks to use NAIS...I'm afraid it will - and only hope it doesn't- stop many from using the Bangs vaccination program...

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APHIS testing RFID tags for animal disease programs



FEEDSTUFFS

August 23, 2007



USDA may soon use radio frequency ear tags to replace the conventional ear tags it uses in some animal disease programs. A USDA statement today reported that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is reviewing several proposals for the production and delivery of 1.5 million radio frequency ear tags that are compliant with the National Animal Identification System (NAIS) standards. The ear tags will be used to uniquely identify U.S. livestock that are part of current animal disease programs, in particular within geographic regions where bovine tuberculosis testing and the brucellosis calfhood vaccination program are most active, the APHIS statement reported.

"Using these animal identification number tags with radio frequency ID technology enhances the accuracy of animal identification and increases the program administration efficiencies," said Bruce Knight, undersecretary for USDA's marketing and regulatory programs. "Most importantly, it puts us a step closer to our goal of rapid traceback when an animal disease outbreak occurs."
feedstuffs.com

 

[Oldtimer]

Like several of the fellows at the meeting I was at yesterday said--knowing how the government works-- they will take the lowest bid contract (that slips the most money under the table to the politicians/bureaucrats pockets) and throw that system to us and say you have to use it.....

So much for Johanns "voluntary ID"--just as big a liar as the rest of this Administration has been......


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General News
USDA reviews proposals for national animal ID ear tags

By Ann Bagel Storck on 8/28/2007 for Meatingplace.com


The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is reviewing several proposals for the production and delivery of 1.5 million radio frequency ear tags that are compliant with National Animal Identification System standards.

These ear tags will be used to uniquely identify U.S. livestock that are part of current animal disease programs, particularly within geographic regions where bovine tuberculosis testing and the brucellosis calfhood vaccination programs are most active.

 

[Henwhisperer]

It isn't voluntary at all. That's why USDA threw all that money at the states and organizations like AAA, 4-H, IDairy, Pork Producers, on and on ad nausea.

I'd like to point you to How to Become a Serf in One Easy Step in case you have signed up for premises registration.

 

[Oldtimer]

ANIMAL ID IS FLAWED, REPORT SAYS

A GOVERNMENT Accountability Office report requested by Sen. Tom Harkin D-Iowa and released in August has found weaknesses in the USDA’s plan to implement a national animal identification system.
Harkin asked GAO to examine USDA’s animal ID plan in November 2005 after concerns were raised that USDA wasn’t effectively putting the system into practice and wasn’t informing farmers, ranchers and livestock market operators how much the system will cost them.
Harkin currently is chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture.
In response to concerns about animal disease outbreaks, USDA announced in December 2003 that it would implement a nationwide program---later named the National Animal Identification System, or NAIS---to help livestock producers and animal health officials respond quickly and effectively to disease outbreaks in the U. S.
“Animal diseases are a constant and very real threat to the livestock and poultry industries. An outbreak could wreak havoc for trade and our domestic markets,” says Harkin. “Yet USDA has taken a slow, indecisive and confusing adoption of the Animal ID system.”
“This GAO audit confirms the concerns producers and livestock market operators have had about USDA’s animal ID plan for some time now,” he adds. “That is, USDA has a lot more work to do to get this system on the right track and workable.”“I strongly urge USDA to carry out GAO’s recommendations without delay and make it clear to livestock producers what is expected of them and how USDA envisions this system working.”

NAIS areas of concern---
The GAO report shows that unless corrected, these problems will undermine USDA’s ability to rapidly and effectively trace animals back to their origin when a disease breaks out. GAP identified the following issues of concern:
1. USDA lacks a comprehensive cost estimate or cost-benefit analysis to implement and maintain a national ID system. (In response to GAO’s recommendation to do so, USDA has now entered into a contract to have a cost estimate made.)
2. USDA hasn’t prioritized the implementation of the animal ID system according to economic value of the species or those most at risk for specific animal diseases.
3. USDA hasn’t developed a plan to integrate the animal ID system with preexisting animal disease eradication programs for hogs, cattle, sheep, or goats, thus duplicating effort and cost to U. S. producers.
4. USDA has awarded 169 animal ID cooperative agreements totaling $35 million, but has failed to adequately monitor those agreements or determine if the intended outcomes for which the funds were used, were achieved. USDA hasn’t consistently shared the results of the agreements with state departments of agriculture, industry groups or other stakeholders to allow them to learn from experience under the agreements.
5. The time frame for effective animal disease traceback from where animals have been raised isn’t clearly defined for specific species. Some contagious diseases need to be tracked and identified in a very short amount of time to limit further spread.
6. Tracing animals from their original origin will be problematic given USDA isn’t requiring critical information, such as type of animal species, date of birth, or approximate age of animals to be recorded in the animal ID system. This information is necessary to limit the scope of a disease investigation
7. USDA has no benchmarks to determine if there is sufficient participation to achieve an effective animal ID system. USDA hasn’t independently tested animal ID or tracking devices and this is causing producers, livestock markets and others to not invest is such devices.

The Government Accountability Office report, “USDA Needs to Resolve Several Key Implementation Issues to Achieve Rapid and Effective Disease Traceback” (GAO-07-592) is online at http://www.gao.gov