USDA Announces National Animal Identification System

On 27 April, US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Ann M. Veneman followed up on her December 2003 plan to implement a national animal identification system for all species. Veneman outlined the strategy for implementing a National Animal Identification System (NAIS) for identifying agricultural premises exposed to a foreign animal disease3. Hastened by the discovery of a BSE-positive cow in Washington State, the new system will improve USDA's response to animal disease outbreaks by speeding their detection, containment, and eradication.

Initially, USDA will transfer $18.8 million from the Commodity Credit Corporation to fund the program in FY 2004, but additional private and public support will be required to make this program fully operational. The proposed FY 2005 budget includes another $33 million for the effort. The implementation of a NAIS will be conducted in three main phases. In Phase I, USDA will evaluate current federally funded animal identification systems and determine which system(s) should be used for a NAIS. In Phase II, USDA will implement the selected animal identification system at regional levels for one or more selected animal species, continue communication and education efforts, address regulatory needs, and working with Congress on any needed legislation. Phase III will be marked by a scale-up of the identification selected system(s) to the national level.

The USDA will select an interim data repository to handle incoming national premises data, then enter into cooperative agreements with states, Indian tribes, and other government entities to help them adapt their existing systems to the new system.