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Iowa Farmer Today – Thursday – December
7, 2006
Premise registration continues on
plan
By Jeff DeYoung
Editor’s note: On Nov. 22, the Bush
administration pledged not to make a planned National Animal Identification
System mandatory. However, that has not derailed movement toward a voluntary
tracking system. This week, Iowa Farmer Today and Lee Agri-Media take an indepth
look at the status of the 3-year-old effort.
SHELBY -- It’s a late-November afternoon, and the pending sunset is simply a
rumor as clouds cover the western horizon.
Sara Eggerss tends to her small Polled
Hereford herd as a cold front starts to push the unseasonably warm temperatures
away. The Western Iowa producer knows change is coming, and she says it’s smart
to be ready for it.
“It’s here, so you need to be prepared,” Eggerss says.
She could be talking about the weather, but the Shelby County producer is
talking about the proposed National Animal Identification System (NAIS).
The plan was launched by the USDA in the wake of the first report of (mad-cow
disease) on Dec. 23, 2003.
stole Christmas that year brought U.S.
beef exports to a screeching halt. Market prices dropped steeply at first, only
to recover strongly thanks to steadfast consumer confidence in beef and a
proactive response by the U.S. cattle industry.
Now, nearly three years later, the USDA is hoping to have the premises of most
of the U.S. livestock producers registered by January 2008. Heading into early
December, about 24 percent of the premises have been registered.
The USDA is asking producers of all types of species to register their premises
with their respective state ag departments. This entails not only hogs, cattle,
sheep and poultry, but also more non-traditional species, such as elk, bison and
horses, among others.
When a premise is registered, the USDA will have access to that information in
case of a disease emergency. USDA Secretary Mike Johanns insists the government
will not seek producer information unless needed.
Producers also are being asked to voluntarily participate in the NAIS.
More detailed information from registered producers will be gathered in private
databases, such as those kept by state agencies, breed associations or commodity
groups. Concerns over confidentiality prompted the USDA to privatize the system,
Johanns says.
Eggerss registered her premises about a year ago. She recently sold a few bulls
and tagged those through the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association.
She also works at the Shelby Veterinary Clinic, which she says has registered
and encourages its clients to do so.
“A year ago, we sent out premises-identification forms to our cattle producers,
and I think that really helped get them registered,” Eggerss says.
“But, while a lot of them have registered their premises, very few have gone
with the ID tags like I have. They are hesitant to have the government
involved.”
Eggerss says the fact the program is voluntary has helped. Three years ago, the
USDA planned to make the NAIS mandatory, but producer resistance pushed the
agency into a voluntary program.
That was the right decision, says Mike John, a producer from Huntsville, Mo.,
and president of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA).
“If there are end users like foreign trading partners, retailers, etc., who feel
there is value in having a voluntary system, that is the only way producers are
going to see any economic benefit,” he says.
“With technology still in the infancy stage, it’s ridiculous to try and
implement that kind of program where the people paying the cost of it are not
getting any kind of benefit. With a voluntary program, producers are going to
get paid for it.”
But, does the federal government need to be involved in animal identification?
Bill Bullard, CEO of RCALF-USA in Billings, Mont., says rather than starting a
new program, the USDA should make use of current programs, such as
disease-eradication and branding programs.
He says members can support a voluntary animal health trace-back system, but it
must ensure individual data is protected.
“There has been a system in place for years with the brucellosis program,”
Bullard says.
“We have many members who are part of a bovine identification program for
exports. We have 17 states with branding programs.
“We believe USDA should pay more attention to those types of programs.”
John and Bullard also believe state officials should hold premises information.
“We really believe the state premises registration program can stand alone,”
John says.
“You basically have a unique number that is attached to your geographical
location. With this, if there is a problem in your area, the state is going to
be able to contact you quickly if there is a disease issue.
“I understand people are concerned about privacy, but when Google develops a
system where someone can type in your address or phone number and get a map to
your residence within seconds, we have really lost that kind of privacy.”
John says being able to trace an affected animal within 48 hours will be
valuable to all producers.
“The question is, does this help protect me from losses to my operation, and the
answer is yes,” he says. “That makes it valuable to me.”
Eggerss also sees the value, not only for larger producers, but also for smaller
operations.
“I think right now, while people are aware of the program, they just don’t know
a lot about it, so it’s up to the industry to make people better informed,” she
says.
“When I talk to people, I tell them to get started on it. Registering your
premises takes very little time and does not cost you anything.
“I really think that once people understand the premises registration, they will
participate. Beyond that, once they get to the ID stage, I’m not so sure, but we
need to get the information out to people so they can make that decision.”
http://www.iowafarmer.com/articles/2006/12/07/top_stories/01nais01.txt
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