U.S. Animal ID Plan Supported at USAHA Meeting

Oct. 17, 2003 -- A national system for animal identification was overwhelmingly endorsed by the U.S. Animal Health Association (USAHA) committee on livestock identification as ?a work in progress? at its meeting in San Diego this week.

The committee encouraged further refinement and implementation of the draft U.S. Animal Identification Plan, which was proposed by a national animal identification development team.

According to USAHA News, it is hoped that Phase One of the system, individual premises identification, will be in place by July 2004. This phase requires the establishment of standardized premise identification numbers for all production operations, including farms, ranches, markets, exhibitions and processing plants.

Phase Two calls for individual identification of cattle moving in commerce and is scheduled to be in place by the beginning of 2006.

The draft plan draws on existing voluntary and compulsory animal identification programs currently in place in the United States, and coordinates them into a truly national plan.

Staff contact: Paul Rodgers, 304-647-9981

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