NAIS Concludes Listening Sessions
July 8, 2009
NAIS Concludes Listening Sessions
The final USDA National Animal Identification System (NAIS) listening session occurred on June 30th in Nebraska. In all, USDA held 14 NAIS listening sessions across the country to allow producers and other interested individuals to provide input on animal identification.
The dairy industry provided a nearly universal voice in support of USDA moving forward with its existing authority to implement mandatory animal ID. These listening sessions were a follow-up to several recent congressional hearings, and Secretary Vilsack's meeting with industry on animal ID. Because NMPF has taken a strong stance on the necessity of mandatory animal ID as a collective insurance policy for the industry in the event of an animal disease outbreak, both USDA and Congress are taking note of the dairy industry's support for mandatory animal ID.
NAIS opponents were in force at these sessions, offering the same excuses against mandatory animal ID. NMPF has addressed these concerns with USDA (https://www.nmpf.org/files/file/IDairy%20USDA%204-15-09.pdf) and Congress (https://www.nmpf.org/files/file/Jordan%20Testimony%203-11-09.pdf) and believe now is the time for USDA to act on mandatory animal ID.
For more information on dairy animal ID, visit www.idairy.org.
