January 18, 2010

US cattle groups agree on traceability system principles

A total of eight cattle industry organisations in the US have agreement on 12 principles in the development of a cattle disease traceability identification system.

Organisations representing the beef, dairy and marketing sectors developed the statement of principles during a meeting in Kansas City, Missouri, in November.

The meeting's goal was to work toward a common understanding and approach to enhance current cattle identification and traceability systems for animal disease surveillance and control in the US.

They agreed an identification plan for the cattle industry should be species-specific because of the diverse way cattle are raised, marketed and processed. The plan was presented December 18 to USDA Undersecretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programmes Edward Avalos, and other agency officials and recently transmitted to members of Congress.

Groups signing the statement of the 12 principles included LMA, the American Angus Association, American Farm Bureau Federation, Dairy Farmers of America, National Cattlemen's Beef Association, R-CALF USA, Texas Cattle Feeders Association and the US Cattlemen's Association.