From Drovers Alert
Animal ID consortium announced
A news release this week announced the formation of the United States Animal Identification Organization, an independent group intended to manage an industry-led animal-identification movement database as prescribed by the National Animal Identification System. The National Cattlemen's Beef Association initiated this effort, and, for the past year, has worked to build an industry consortium. Prior statements from the NCBA stressed that, once formed, the consortium would operate independently of the NCBA and other industry groups. The USAIO held its first board meeting last week and elected a board of directors consisting of chairman Charles Miller, a cow-calf producer from Nicholasville, Ky., Rick Stott, a beef producer from Boise, Idaho, and bison producer Lance Kuck from Bassett, Neb. The release states that the USAIO will expand its board of directors as other industry groups join the consortium. The group has submitted a memorandum of understanding to the USDA to form a strategic partnership and fulfill Secretary Johanns' directive for the industry to develop the database repository. For more information, go to http://www.drovers.com/news_editorial.a ... ed_id=3459
While the NCBA worked hard to launch the effort, they've also stressed that the Animal Identification Organization must survive independently. Industry leaders know that the program will have a greater opportunity for success if it is not tied to an existing organization. — Greg Henderson, Drovers editor
USDA open to networking animal-ID databases
In related animal-ID news, the USDA's chief veterinarian, John Clifford, has indicated the agency will consider linking a network of private and state animal-tracking databases under the National Animal Identification System. Clifford told participants of last week's American Farm Bureau Federation annual meeting in Nashville, Tenn., that such a system would allow the USDA to tap into a portal of various animal-identification and tracking systems run by commodity groups or other organizations and 20 existing state databases. "The concept will allow us to enter into agreements with the different entities responsible for the different databases," Clifford said. For more information, http://www.fb.org/news/nr/nr2006/nr0108m.html
John Clifford also indicated that the USDA might be open to multiple databases that would be networked under that the NAIS. Prior to this, it appeared that the APHIS favored one large tracking database, whether it was operated by industry or government. — G.H.
Animal ID consortium announced
A news release this week announced the formation of the United States Animal Identification Organization, an independent group intended to manage an industry-led animal-identification movement database as prescribed by the National Animal Identification System. The National Cattlemen's Beef Association initiated this effort, and, for the past year, has worked to build an industry consortium. Prior statements from the NCBA stressed that, once formed, the consortium would operate independently of the NCBA and other industry groups. The USAIO held its first board meeting last week and elected a board of directors consisting of chairman Charles Miller, a cow-calf producer from Nicholasville, Ky., Rick Stott, a beef producer from Boise, Idaho, and bison producer Lance Kuck from Bassett, Neb. The release states that the USAIO will expand its board of directors as other industry groups join the consortium. The group has submitted a memorandum of understanding to the USDA to form a strategic partnership and fulfill Secretary Johanns' directive for the industry to develop the database repository. For more information, go to http://www.drovers.com/news_editorial.a ... ed_id=3459
While the NCBA worked hard to launch the effort, they've also stressed that the Animal Identification Organization must survive independently. Industry leaders know that the program will have a greater opportunity for success if it is not tied to an existing organization. — Greg Henderson, Drovers editor
USDA open to networking animal-ID databases
In related animal-ID news, the USDA's chief veterinarian, John Clifford, has indicated the agency will consider linking a network of private and state animal-tracking databases under the National Animal Identification System. Clifford told participants of last week's American Farm Bureau Federation annual meeting in Nashville, Tenn., that such a system would allow the USDA to tap into a portal of various animal-identification and tracking systems run by commodity groups or other organizations and 20 existing state databases. "The concept will allow us to enter into agreements with the different entities responsible for the different databases," Clifford said. For more information, http://www.fb.org/news/nr/nr2006/nr0108m.html
John Clifford also indicated that the USDA might be open to multiple databases that would be networked under that the NAIS. Prior to this, it appeared that the APHIS favored one large tracking database, whether it was operated by industry or government. — G.H.