USDA quietly drops controversial cattle ID plan

WASHINGTON, D.C.
February 10, 2010 6:01am

A proposed national animal identification system, which would have tracked animals almost from farm to plate, has been dropped by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which says it has a better idea.

“Some people were in favor of NAIS, but the vast majority of participants were highly critical of the program. Some of the concerns and criticisms raised included confidentiality, liability, cost, privacy, and religion,” the USDA says.

There were also concerns about the national animal identification system being the wrong priority for USDA, that the system would benefit only large-scale producers, and that it was simply not needed because existing animal identification systems are sufficient, the USDA says.

In its place, the government is proposing what it calls the “animal disease traceability framework.”

The USDA says it would only apply to animals moved in interstate commerce; be administered by states and Indian tribes rather than the federal government, use lower-cost technology and would be implemented through federal regulations and a full rulemaking process.

The bush Administration had proposed the earlier system following reports of mad cow disease. More than $120 million was spent on trying to implement it but only 36 percent of producers participated.

“It is no secret that there are concerns about and opposition to NAIS,” the USDA says.

The government says it needs some sort of system to trace incidents of animal disease outbreaks. “Knowing where diseased and at-risk animals are, where they’ve been, and when, is very important to make sure that there can be a rapid response when animal disease events take place,” it says.

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