WASHINGTON, April 27, 2004 -- Agriculture
Secretary Ann M. Veneman today announced the framework for implementation
of a National Animal Identification System (NAIS) designed to identify any
agricultural premise exposed to a foreign animal disease so that it can
be more quickly contained and eradicated.
Veneman also announced that $18.8 million would be transferred
from the USDA Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) to provide initial funding
for the program during FY 2004.
“While many livestock species in the United States
can be identified through a variety of systems, a verifiable system of national
animal identification will enhance our efforts to respond to intentionally
or unintentionally introduced animal disease outbreaks more quickly and
effectively,” Veneman said. “This framework is the result of
concerted efforts to expedite the implementation of a system that meets
our goals and enables farmers and ranchers to adapt existing identification
programs and to use all existing forms of effective technologies.”
Veneman
announced Dec. 30, 2003 that USDA would expedite the implementation of
a national animal identification system for all species after the discovery
of a BSE positive cow in Washington State. Today’s announcement
concludes several months of a USDA working group’s efforts to develop
an implementation framework for a U.S. animal identification plan.
Veneman said that the CCC funding is earmarked for the
initial infrastructure development and implementation of the national
system, but both private and public support will be required to make it
fully operational. The Administration’s proposed FY 2005 budget
includes another $33 million for the effort.
The implementation of a NAIS will be conducted in three
main phases. Under Phase I, USDA would evaluate current federally funded
animal identification systems and determine which system(s) should be
used for a NAIS, further the dialogue with producers and other stakeholders
on the operation of a NAIS, identify staffing needs, and develop any regulatory
and legislative proposals needed for implementing the system.
Phase II would involve the implementation of the selected
animal identification system at regional levels for one or more selected
species, continuation of the communication and education effort, addressing
regulatory needs and working with Congress on any needed legislation.
In Phase III, the selected animal identification system(s)
would be scaled up to the national level.
The first step in the process is to select an interim
data repository to handle incoming national premises data. USDA has commissioned
an independent analysis of repositories that are currently part of various
USDA-funded animal identification projects around the country. Once the
system is identified that shows greatest potential for use on a national
level, USDA will enter into cooperative agreements with states, Indian
tribes and other government entities to assist them in adapting their
existing systems to the new system.
USDA is committed to develop a program
that is technology neutral, so as to enable producers, to the extent possible,
the flexibility to use current and effective systems and technologies,
as well as adopt new technologies as they are developed.
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