As part of its ongoing efforts to safeguard U.S. animal health, USDA initiated the implementation of the National Animal Identification System (NAIS) in 2004. NAIS is a cooperative State-Federal-industry partnership to standardize and expand animal identification programs and practices to all livestock species and poultry. NAIS was being developed through the integration of three components—premises identification, animal identification, and animal tracking. The long-term goal of the NAIS was to provide animal health officials with the capability to identify all livestock and premises that have had direct contact with a disease of concern within 48 hours after discovery.
There was and continues to be much debate among producers, owners, and associations (representing many animal species) both in support of and in opposition to NAIS. Those opposed to NAIS historically express concern that the full implementation of NAIS will be too costly for the small farmer and/or hobby farmer, cumbersome to manage for some species, and may provide the opportunity for the government to access taxes on non-commercial animals. Support for NAIS primarily focuses on the importance of disease control and identification for food producing animals.
NAIS was a voluntary program through February 2010. To ensure the participation requirements of NAIS not only provide the results necessary to maintain the health of the national herd but also is a program that is practical for producers and all others involved in production, USDA adopted a phased-in approach to implementation. Although the draft strategic plan references mandatory requirements in 2008 and beyond, to date no actions have been initiated by USDA to develop regulations to require participation in NAIS. APHIS publishes updates to the implementation plan as recommendations are received and evaluated by the NAIS Subcommittee and the Secretary's Advisory Committee on Foreign Animal and Poultry Diseases.
On February 5, 2010, the USDA announced a new, flexible framework for animal disease traceability in the United States.
The framework will provide the basic tenets of an improved animal disease traceability capability in the United States. USDA’s efforts will:
- Only apply to animals moved in interstate commerce;
- Be administered by the States and Tribal Nations to provide more flexibility;
- Encourage the use of lower-cost technology; and
- Be implemented transparently through federal regulations and the full rulemaking process.
More information about Animal Disease Traceability can be found online at the
US Department of Agriculture website and on the
Kentucky Office of the State Veterinarian website.
UPDATED INFORMATION
In the Media February 2010:
From the USDA February 2010:
