News Release
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Contact: Ben Richey |
ID Panel Reports
Positive Producer Acceptance; Issues Still to be Addressed at Markets
ST.
PAUL, Minn.—Members of the National Institute for Animal Agriculture’s
Animal Identification and Information Systems Committee took time to
listen to a panel representing issues in the “real world” for animal
ID implementation.
Each panelist reported that, to a large extent, producers in their states
seemed very willing to participate in the current voluntary premises
programs. However, the
operators of markets raised concerns about their responsibilities in a
universal ID program. The
panelists, who work with producers and ranchers, consisted of: Electronic
reading of radio frequency identification (RFID) tags is a key element of
the new National Animal Identification System (NAIS), which is currently
being developed in a partnership between industry and state and federal
governments.
According to the panelists, the existing systems needed for reading identification tags electronically cannot be used without “customization” and physical adjustments. Fleming
noted sale of cattle at a rate of 6-10 per minute in their markets,
highlighting the importance of making the system in line with the speed of
commerce. Thrift
graphically illustrated both need for customization of equipment and
market reluctance. “In
Florida most of our markets are used to reading adult animal IDs as a
result of the brucellosis eradication program.
But those same chutes are an entirely different physical situation
for a 400 pound calf.” More
than 400 animal agriculture professionals and officials, from the U.S. and
abroad, attended the 2005 NIAA Annual Meeting, a record attendance for the
second straight year. The
National Institute for Animal Agriculture began operations in January
2000. NIAA's mission is to
provide a forum for building consensus and advancing solutions for animal
agriculture and to provide continuing education and communication linkages
for animal agriculture professionals. The
organization is dedicated to programs that work towards the eradication of
diseases that pose a risk to the health of animals, wildlife and humans;
promote a safe and wholesome food supply for our nation and abroad; and
promote best practices in environmental stewardship, animal health and
well-being.
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