Premises and Animal ID

National DHIA

Home
About Us
Members
MUN Data
QCS
References
Resources
News
Premises and Animal ID
What role is NDHIA playing?
Frequently Asked Questions
Meetings and Listening Sessions
Resource Links
Links
Awards
Scholarship Program (pdf)
Scholarship Program (doc)
DBC Articles
Contacts


Questions & Answers for Dairy Producers The National Animal Identification System (NAIS) represents the USDA implementation of a national animal identification program. It is based on the United States Animal Identification Plan (USAIP) that has been developed over the past two years by a broad based combination of producer, allied industry, state and federal animal health officials. USDA APHIS is leading the NAIS effort and has committed to including the basic concepts put forward in the USAIP. Many of the details of NAIS still need to be clarified, but USDA indicates that they intend to follow the direction set by the USAIP. The following Question and Answer sheet was developed based upon the direction set by the USAIP. Since the program continues to evolve, answers to the following questions may change as the details of the NAIS are finalized. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1. What is the Animal ID program? 2. Why is it being developed? 3. When will it be implemented? 4. Will participation be mandatory? 5. How will it be funded? What will be my cost as a producer? 6. How will USDA protect my privacy? 7. What about the premises and/or animal ID I already have in place? 8. What method of individual animal identification will be used? 9. How will the numbers/tags be assigned? 10. How will I record animal movement? Who will I provide the information to? 11. Do I have to ID all animals even if I have a closed herd? 12. Are all species included in this program, or only dairy?
1. What is the Animal ID program?
	The U.S. animal identification system is a national program intended to identify all food animals and livestock, as well as record their movement over the course of their lifespan. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is committed to designing a comprehensive animal identification system that will allow for the tracing of all animals and premises potentially exposed to a foreign animal disease within 48 hours to ensure rapid containment of the disease and further protect U.S. animal health.
2. Why is it being developed?
	The key to safeguarding U.S. livestock and economic health from the effects of animal diseases is to have a national surveillance system in place that is comprehensive, integrated, and coordinated. The ability to identify and trace livestock movement will enhance USDA’s ability to respond to pests and animal diseases.
3. When will it be implemented?
	USDA is still developing a specific timeline for implementation and deciding on a funding mechanism. Preliminary plans called for: Summer 2004 Premise Allocator* National Premise Repository* Summer 2005 National Animal ID Database Identification of Animal Identification Number (AIN) Managers and Distributors. Will begin with an assessment of the capabilities of current systems in operation, and it will determine the capacity of any of these systems to serve as the basis for a national system. This assessment is currently underway. Funding issues will be a primary driver in the overall adoption of this timeline. Fall 2004 appears to be the earliest date for implementation of the first items listed above.
4. Will participation be mandatory?
	Producer participation will be voluntary during the initial development of the program. As the various parts of the system are tested and made available for all livestock and food animals, it is expected to become mandatory.
5. How will it be funded? What will be my cost as a producer?
	While funding for the program is expected in the FY 2005 (October 1, 2004 – September 30, 2005) budget, USDA understands the need to get the animal identification system started now. As a result, $18 million in emergency funding has been made available from the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) to initiate the development of the infrastructure, fund cooperative agreements and begin initial implementation of the animal identification system in 2004. Eventually, both private and public funding will be necessary to make the animal identification program fully operational. Federal and State governments, as well as industry, will share the cost of maintenance, probably with each of these entities covering certain aspects of the system. USDA is currently determining costs to individual producers. The proposal by the USAIP was to have government fund the infrastructure and livestock producers fund individual animal ID tags.
6. How will USDA protect my privacy?
	USDA is aware of producers’ concerns about the privacy of information collected in the animal identification system and is taking them very seriously. AIPL already maintains large volumes of dairy data that is used for genetic evaluations. Much of the information that is needed for this program will be the same, so this is not as much of an issue for dairy as for some other species. The recommendation in the plan is that only approved animal health authorities at the federal and state level will have access to the NAIS information system, and that only information essential to the enhancement of animal disease surveillance and monitoring shall be stored in any state or federally managed database under the system.
7. What about the premises and/or animal ID I already have in place?
	The goal is to grandfather in existing premises and animal ID numbers. Details still need to be worked out.
8. What method of individual animal identification will be used?
	The industry endorses using ISO compliant RFID ear tags, considered the most practical technology today. However, the industry remains receptive to other technologies that can some day prove to be both effective and efficient in either replacing or augmenting RFID. USDA supports a system that is technology neutral so that all existing forms of effective technology and new forms of technology that could be developed in the future may be utilized.
9. How will the numbers/tags be assigned?
	Official identification devices must be distributed under a certified U.S. Animal Identification Number (AIN) Distributor but be readily available for producers to purchase. Applying the RFID tag will be the responsibility of the owner/seller of the animal.
10. How will I record animal movement? Who will I provide the information to?
	When an animal changes ownership, premise, or is otherwise commingled with other cattle, the owner/seller would be responsible for reporting the movement of each individual animal to the National Animal Identification Database.
11. Do I have to ID all animals even if I have a closed herd?
	You will be required to obtain a premises identification number for your herd. If you transport animal(s) from your herd, those animals would require an animal ID number at that time, and their movement recorded. Producers will be encouraged to identify all calves at birth or at the earliest date possible and to report birth dates to the National Animal Identification database to support animal disease issues when the age of the animal is needed.
12. Are all species included in this program, or only dairy?
	Yes, all food animals and livestock are included in this program.
*Terms and Definitions* Premise Allocator – entity responsible for assigning premise ID numbers to every physical location where animals are maintained and/or interact with other animals National Premise Repository – database that maintains premises ID and related information required to facilitate 48-hour traceback U.S. Animal Identification Number (AIN) – a unique number used for official identification of individual animals in the U.S. AIN Manager – entities certified by USDA to allocate animal identification numbers, and reporting the information back into the system. They are likely to work through AIN Distributors. AIN Distributor – entity authorized to distribute AIN tags to producers.

Questions & Answers for Dairy Producers