House Funding Bill Excludes Animal Identification System

The National Animal Identification System (NAIS) will receive no new funding under a 2010 spending bill proposed by the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies. Chairwoman Rosa L. DeLauro (Conn.) announced bill details last week. The full House Appropriations Committee approved the bill last evening preparing it to be considered by the full House possibly as early as next week.

The NAIS is a nationwide livestock database designed to help federal and state agencies locate and track the movement of animals in the event of disease outbreaks or natural disasters. The program uses data provided by livestock producers and property owners to assign identification numbers to individual animals and to properties where animals are born or reside. Registry participation is voluntary, but the program has failed to attract substantial support among livestock producers. NAIS has received $142 million in federal funding since its establishment in 2004.

"Until the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) provides details as to how it will implement an effective identification system, continued investments into the current NAIS are unwarranted," DeLauro said.

Future funding could be contingent upon how the UDSA uses information gathered at meetings with livestock producers around the country.

Reprinted in part from thehorse.com

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