January 17, 2007

 

US farmers concerned about mandatory animal identification system

 

 

US farmers and ranchers expressed concerns that the new Congress may soon mandate implementation of the RFID-based National Animal Identification System (NAIS).

 

The NAIS system was announced to be voluntary when it was first introduced in 2003, but Rep. Collin Peterson (D-Minn.), the new chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, said he may soon push for the programme to become mandatory.

 

The voluntary approach is a good steppingstone to achieve a functioning animal ID system, Peterson said. However, full participation may be necessary to ensure a system that meets the needs of livestock producers and the public, he added.

 

Industry groups argued that a mandatory programme would impose unnecessary costs and technical challenges.

 

When fully implemented, NAIS would tag and track cattle and other livestock from birth to the slaughterhouse. Although no technology has been chosen, analysts expect that most farmers would use radio frequency identification tags.

 

USDA, which oversees the program, last week insisted that the NAIS would remain voluntary and that the agency would not limit participants to a specific technology.

 

Under these conditions, the effort would probably fail, Peterson argued.

 

Peterson pointed out that nearly US$100 million has been spent to establish the system, and yet it is not functioning. Meanwhile, many other countries, including Canada and Australia already have functioning programmes at a lower cost.

 

Frank Albani, president of the Northeast Organic Farming Association of Massachusetts, an organization based in Barre, Mass., argued that NAIS would benefit only RFID gear vendors and large meat producers and retailers while hurting small farmers.

 

Although Ireland and Australia have tracking systems, they are costing farmers a lot of money, he said.

 

Large agribusinesses have already installed systems to track animals or meat that is shipped cross-country or internationally, he noted.

 

On the other hand, smaller farmers generally sell their wares locally, so such a programme would be unnecessary, Albani said.

 

Karin Bergener, founder of the Hollow Rock, Liberty Ark Coalition, estimated that costs in countries such as the UK and Australia can run as high as US$69 per head of cattle, easily wiping out the profit margin for some species.

 

The USDA has shifted technical and implementation responsibility to state governments and said it was up to the states to determine if they want to make it mandatory.

 

So far, only Michigan has moved to require mandatory compliance with the rules. All cattle in that state must have RFID tags by March 2007.