National Animal Identification National Animal ID, Premises ID & the … National Animal Identification System (NAIS) Dr. Max Irsik Beef Cattle Extension Veterinarian University of Florida Gainesville FL 352-392-4700 Steffany Dragon Hillsborough County Extension Pat Hogue Okeechobee County Extension

Outline Technology Goals & Guiding Principles Timeline Components -Premises ID -Animal ID -Animal Tracking Technology

What is NAIS? NAIS is a voluntary program It is a cooperative: state/federal/industry program administered by the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection service (APHIS) It is a tool to locate & contain animals that have potentially contagious diseases

4 USDA guiding principles for NAIS The system must be able to allow tracking of animals from point of origin to processing within 48 hours without unnecessary burden to producers and other stakeholders. The system's architecture must be developed without unduly increasing the size and role of government. The system must be flexible enough to utilize existing technologies and incorporate new identification technologies as they are developed. Animal movement data should be maintained in a private system that can be readily accessed when necessary by state and federal animal health authorities

NAIS NOT BEING DEVELOPED FOR: Production DATA information Animal production data Health Genetics Carcass info Feeding info Source and age verification To encourage the government to spy on producers

Goal of NAIS The National Animal Identification System (NAIS) is a national program intended to identify specific animals in the United States and record their movement over their lifespan.

Goal of NAIS It is being developed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and State agencies—in cooperation with industry— Enable 48-hour trace back of the movements of any diseased or exposed animal. This will help to ensure rapid disease containment and maximum protection of America's animals.

Benefits of NAIS Infrastructure to: - improve current disease eradication & control efforts -protect against widespread outbreaks of domestic and foreign animal diseases -address threats from deliberate introduction of disease A tool to facilitate emergency management response systems A firewall to protect the national health, reputation and economics of American agriculture Maintain access to domestic and international markets

NAIS Milestones June 2004 Cooperative agreements with states and tribes August 2005 Premises registration systems operational March 2006 individual animal ID begins June 2006 Cooperative agreement with private and state (ATD) Early 2007 Private State ATD operational

Latest Time Line for NAIS All components of NAIS are to be operational by 2007 Full Implementation of NAIS by 2009 Full producer participation by 2009

Will this be a Mandatory Program? If the marketplace, along with state & federal identification programs, does not provide adequate incentives for achieving full participation in the NAIS by 2009, USDA may take a regulatory approach.

NAIS Will be Phased In integrating 3 key components Premises Identification Locations that manage or hold animals Will be identified with a unique 7 character identifier. Animal Identification Individually or as a group (Group Lot identification number) Associates an animal with premise NAIS Feb 23, 2006 “Administration of Official devices with the Animal Identification Number”

NAIS Will be Phased In Integrating 3 key components 3. Animal Tracking As animals move the AIN will be associated with the New Premises animals will maintain their original number Information collected for each movement AIN or GIN and PIN of receiving local Date Compatible technologies with Canada and Mexico

First Step: Premises Identification Number (PIN) The identification of livestock premises is the foundation of the NAIS & must be established before animals can be tracked National Premises ID numbers contain 7 alphanumeric characters. Ex. A123R79 Single PIN for each location regardless of different species…no separate PIN for cattle, horses, swine, etc. Information associated with PIN: name of entity, contact person, address, contact phone, type of operation; NO proprietary production data USDA assigns 1 permanent number to each location involved in animal agriculture; does NOT change when sold Doesn’t cost a thing

Premise Registration The first step in implementing the NAIS is identifying and registering premises that house animals. Premises would include locations where livestock and poultry are Managed Marketed Exhibited AS of March 2006 235,000 premises or 10% of the national total.

Premises Registration Foundation of the System Has been implemented in all 50 states and 2 territories and several tribes

Multiple species and Premises ID A single premises identification number will be used for each location, regardless of the number of species associated with it. A producer will not have a separate premises identification number for beef cattle dairy cattle swine horses poultry

Ideally, each location identified Q. How is a premises defined when livestock enterprise has multiple locations? Ideally, each location identified Only home location required to be registered at this time…

2nd Step: Animal ID Being developed as a Government-industry partnership, share the cost Animal Identification Number (AIN) will be 15 numeric characters, first 3 reflecting the internationally rec. code for the US (840) Ex. 840123456789012 AIN will allow a single animal lifetime ID that can be printed on a tag, affixed, or assigned to the animal

Animal Identification Will streamline emergency response and enhance existing disease surveillance, control and eradication Identify each animal with a unique identifier and linking to its birth place or premise of origin

Animal Identification BLASI

Why is Visual ID not Sufficient by Itself? Does not identify animals as unique individuals that correlate back to a single herd Does not indicate herd of origin Does not meet the international requirements as a valid form of identification Does not facilitate the recall or collection of information in an accurate and timely manner

Why Electronic ID? (EID) Provides the linkage necessary for converting data into accessible and useable information with greater accuracy and timeliness Workable at the speed of commerce ie a packing plant.

Placing tags Tag placed in the left ear Placing the official identification tag consistently in the left ear will help create more awareness that it is the official tag and not to be removed Proper placement improves retention

Q. Who is Responsible for Applying ID to Animals? Initially, animals must be identified as they leave whatever premises on, regardless of where born After a few yrs—Identifying animals will be responsibility of owner of each animal at its ‘premises of birth’ For producers who lack equipment for individual ID, tagging station available for a fee (livestock marketing facility, vet clinic, fairgrounds, etc.)

Q. When cow sold to other producer, does she need new premises ID tag for new location? NO; one permanent animal id# (tag w/official AIN printed on it; when sold, animal movement reported, & database now associates AIN w/buyer’s PIN…nothing changes on the cow Ex. Rancher A Rancher B AID: 840123456789012 DATE: February 2, 2004 DATE: October 1, 2004 Premises: A12345D Premises: Z54321A Event: Tag Applied Event: Arrived

Do I Have to Tag All of My Cattle? No…if animals born, raised, and die on ranch, don’t need to be tagged However…if a chance the animal will change ownership, co-mingle with other animals, or travel to another state, needs tagging

3rd Component: Animal Tracking ATD Animal tracking databases Are state or privately owned Information obtained from these is not publicly available. FOI exempt Maintain confidentiality

Tracking or Reporting Movement When Animals enter commerce change ownership go to a sale barn etc. Move interstate feedyard in Kansas Changes premises location New owner Commingles with animals from other premises Bull stud commingled Sale barn enters commerce Taken to a show ???? Veterinary clinic ???

4 pieces of Information collected and stored by USDA Animal Identification Number, AIN, or Group/Lot Identification Number, GIN Premises Identification Number, PIN, of the location where the event takes place Date of the event Event type: movement in, movement out, sighting of an animal at a location, termination of the animal

Federal Access to the Data A confirmed positive test for list A diseases (Bioterrorism) An animal disease emergency as, determined by the Secretary of Agriculture The need to conduct a traceback to determine the origin of infection for a program disease (brucellosis, tuberculosis, etc) The need to conduct surveillance for another domestic or emerging disease.

Government Access to the Data Portal to the ATD Animal Trace Processing System ATPS Deployment anticipated early in 2007

USDA: Technology-Neutral Position USDA develops standards for collecting & reporting info. Industry & species working groups determine tech.

So Far… Cattle Working Group & Industry leaning toward animal id tags The Electronic Tags cost approximately $2.50 The Producer will probably be responsible for the initial cost of the tag Placement: in left ear Cattle Working Group suggests that reporting of animal movement done by receiving party Person sending animal must properly ID before: changes ownership, moves interstate, animal comingles w/animals from other premises

Technology Options… Radio frequency: “RFID”…cross reference with a visual tag # so producer can maintain records visually, without scanner Animal’s biometrics: Retinal Image, DNA, etc. Electronic chips Technology not yet determined, & adoption would be premature if the reason is simply to stay in compliance with the NAIS

Tag Standards Currently USDA approval pending Tags under review USDA approved Tag mfg. Alflex, Destron, Y-Tex

TAG Standards One time use Unalterable Readability Tag Loss rates Life of tags Plasticity Non toxic Deterioration of printing on tag ISO Standards 37, 57, 9352

Description of Printing Must have imprinted the US shield on its surface Two piece tags both shield and AIN with 840 country code on both pieces Tag must bear the entire 15 digit AIN US shield minimum width of 0.2 inches(5mm) Font for all characters must be ARIAL

Description of Printing Print size for bovine tags must be a minimum height of 0.2 inches for numbers and letters ID of the mfg logo or trademark must be observable on the tag The text unlawful to remove must be imprinted on the tag

Description of the Printing A space should be inserted between each 3rd digit of the AID 840 003 123 456 789 Printing or information may be authorized if it does not compromise the readability of the tag.

Alternative Numbers that will be Eventually phased out Acceptable variants of the "840" number include the following A 15-digit sequence that begins with a 3-digit manufacturer code 985123456789012 A 15-character alphanumeric sequence that begins with "USA.“ USA123456789012

Take Home Message: Government and Industry still working out NAIS glitches However…it’s inevitable & beneficial to American agriculture (protecting the national herd & maintaining market access) We can’t be left behind globally…European Union, Canada, Australia already have Animal ID systems in place So…don’t go out on a limb regarding technology, but DO get your Premises ID registration completed & sent in today!

Questions? Borrowed from Pat Hogue

Thank You For more information visit the Small Farms web at http://smallfarms.ifas.ufl.edu Take a virtual field day tour by visiting the Virtual Field Day web at http://vfd.ifas.ufl.edu This presentation brought to you by the Small Farms/Alternative Enterprises Focus Team.