USDA backs off plan for mandatory animal ID

By Steve Miller, Journal Staff Writer | Sunday, December 03, 2006

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The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s decision to ease its push for a mandatory electronic animal-ID system is drawing praise from South Dakota ag leaders.

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns said recently that USDA is changing its initial goal of establishing a mandatory national animal-ID system and instead supporting a voluntary system.

Bruce Knight, USDA undersecretary for marketing and regulatory programs, brought that same message this week to leaders of the South Dakota Cattlemen’s Association and the South Dakota Stockgrowers Association at separate meetings in Pierre.

USDA has been pushing for a system to track individual animals from birth to the sale barn, the feedlot and the packing plant, probably by using radio frequency ID chips attached to ear tags. The plan was to have the ID number linked to a computer database for tracking purposes, in case of a disease outbreak. USDA officials have said previously that such a system would become mandatory by 2009.

Knight told SDCA members at their annual convention this week that USDA has changed its stance.

The SDCA has always favored a voluntary national ID system operated by a private entity, according to Scott Jones of Midland, newly elected SDCA president. “We supported a private entity holding the data base to protect the confidentiality,” Jones said Friday.

He said a market-driven ID system is the best way to get farmers and ranchers to participate.

However, SDCA hasn’t been as strongly opposed to a mandatory ID system as some other ag groups. “We weren’t just rabidly adamant that it not be mandatory, because if it (voluntary) doesn’t work, then what do you do?” Jones said.

Knight also met with Stockgrowers Association officials Thursday, telling them that USDA wants to keep the animal-ID program voluntary and to work with existing ID programs, including brands, according to Kenny Fox, chairman of the Stockgrowers’ animal-ID committee.

The Stockgrowers Association and its national affiliate, R-CALF USA, have strongly opposed a mandatory system, saying it would unnecessarily burden producers. The Stockgrowers say the brand inspection system in areas such as western South Dakota already provides a way to track animals in the event of a disease outbreak.

“I was glad to hear that Mr. Knight wants it (the ID system) to be permanently voluntary at the federal level,” Fox said Friday.

Fox said a few states, including Wisconsin, have mandatory animal-ID systems.

He said the USDA change in position alleviates some of the Stockgrowers’ concerns. However, the Stockgrowers still want the state, not the federal government, to run the program, said Fox, who sits on the R-CALF animal-ID committee and serves as the Stockgrowers Region 3 vice president.

In a voluntary approach, any private group could use its own animal-ID system and technology, Fox said.

However, the Stockgrowers believe that the state Ag

Department should keep the tracking system. “I have concerns about who is going to be privatized,” Fox said. “Health tracking has to be coordinated by the state. I don’t think

USDA or anyone else should take that away from them.”

Knight also told the group that USDA had scrapped the national system’s requirement that farmers and ranchers report every time they moved an animal.

Fox said he is still worried that outside interests, including the companies selling the ID technology, could pressure USDA into adopting a mandatory ID system.

Contact Steve Miller at 394-8417 or steve.miller@rapidcityjournal.com