Cattle producers recognize the importance of a comprehensive animal disease traceability system, but they’re not all on the same page when it comes to USDA’s proposed rule to make electronic identification eartags the official identification for cattle and bison.

An outbreak of a foreign animal disease in the U.S., such as foot-and-mouth disease, would be catastrophic to the cattle industry and producers’ way of life, said Todd Wilkinson, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association president and a South Dakota cattle producer.

“Traceability is about risk protection and ensuring we have the tools to quickly identify and respond to an outbreak while strengthening consumer trust in our high-quality beef,” he said.

NCBA filed comments on the proposal, emphasizing the importance of protecting the U.S. cattle herd while protecting producers’ private data and limiting the cost of tagging devices.

“NCBA is concerned that personal information housed in the required state, federal and tribal database could be released through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request,” Wilkinson said in his comments. “Can the agency guarantee cattle producers that any information released through a FOIA or other means would have their personal and proprietary information redacted?” 

NCBA also requested a commitment from USDA for improvements in information systems to share traceability data between regulatory agencies and state animal health officials, as well as the need to provide continued resources to states to implement EID.

In its comments, the U.S. Cattlemen’s Association focused on protecting private data and higher costs. USCA also urged USDA to seek equivalency on imported live cattle if the proposal is adopted.

It also cautioned USDA against reducing testing and approval timelines for tag manufacturers, which could expose the industry to faulty devices. USDA should also continue providing the National Uniform Eartagging system metal eartags at no cost to states and Tribes while the industry adapts and transfers to an all-electronic system.

USCA also encouraged USDA to specify new eartags would have an animal identification number prefix that identifies domestic and imported animals.

R-CALF USA opposes the rule and urged USDA to withdraw it. In addition to higher costs and privacy issues, R-CALF contends in its comments the proposal violates the Constitution, threatens national security, goes beyond USDA authority, serves the interests of multinational packers and isn’t designed to improve animal disease traceability.

“The proposed rule is a self-serving, bureaucratic, big government solution in search of a nonexistent problem,” Bill Bullard, R-CALF CEO, said in his comments. “Mandatory EID is not needed. The U.S. has successfully prevented the spread of diseases using current animal identification devices.”

The proposal would apply to:

— All sexually intact cattle and bison 18 months of age or over.

— All female dairy cattle of any age and all dairy males born after March 11, 2013;

— Cattle and bison of any age used for rodeo or recreational events.

— Cattle and bison of any age used for shows or exhibitions.

Source: USDA APHIS