June 16, 2008

USDA to push for more animal ID system sign-ups
   
  

The US secretary of agriculture Ed Schafer said he prefers not to make the National Animal Identification System (NAIS) compulsory but warns it could happen if not enough livestock producers sign up for the system voluntarily.
 

The USDA is striving to get livestock producers signed up in the NAIS ahead of compulsory country of origin labelling (COOL) legislation that would be effective in late 2008.

Schafer said about one-third of the premises have signed up and the USDA's cooperative agreements with states and livestock organisations have been improved to get them signed up.

The recently passed farm bill had set the effective date of COOL at September.