USAHA News
United States Animal Health Association
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For immediate release:

PROGRESS IN IMPLEMENTING NATIONAL ANIMAL IDENTIFICATION PLAN NOTED

        GREENSBORO, N.C., Oct. 27, 2004 - Fourteen listening sessions that the U.S. Department
of Agriculture (USDA) has conducted this past year on a National Animal Identification System
(NAIS) have identified three key common issues: Confidentiality, cost and flexibility.

     This information was presented to the USAHA Committee on Livestock Identification at
its meeting here this week.

     Bill Hawks, Agriculture Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs,
reported that $18.8 million was made available for implementation of the NAIS during 2004,
with more than $12 million going to states in the form of cooperative agreements for premises
identification and implementation projects.  He noted that $33 million was included in the
President's 2005 budget request.

     The NAIS, which grew out of recommendations of the USAHA Committee on Livestock
Identification and other groups, was announced by Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman in
December 2003.  Dr. John Weimers, NAIS coordinator for USDA's Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service (APHIS), reported on progress in implementing a national animal
identification system.  He said the National Premises System is well underway with 13 states or
tribes having either a compliant state system or the Standardized Premises Registration System
(SPRS) in place.  Fifteen additional states have requested the use of the SPRS and 13 states have
their state or third-party system under evaluation for compliance with NAIS data standards.

     Dr. Weimers also reported progress in development of the National Animal Identification
and Tracking System.  An interim rule is being reviewed for publication that will recognize
numbering systems described in the NAIS as official for interstate movement and animal health
control programs but will not mandate their use.  USDA will also receive recommendations for
USAHA and other sources on the development of a "Uniform Methods and Rules" for NAIS.

     An additional $1.5 million is being made available to states that submitted proposals but
were not initially funded.  These funds will focus on premises registration.  Dr. Weimers said that
fiscal 2005 funds will support continued field trials and premises registration and will be
equitably divided among all states.  

     Recommendations to USDA on the implementation of NAIS will be coordinated through
the NAIS subcommittee of the Secretary's Advisory Committee on Foreign Animal and Poultry
Diseases.  Dr. Weimers said confidentiality remains a high priority for USDA.
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