If you’re involved in animal agriculture, you know who Neil Hammerschmidt is. His official title is Coordinator,National Animal Identification System, USDA APHIS Veterinary Services. He’s the man in the hot seat, the gentleman holding a lightening rod in a thunderstorm, the guy in charge of NAIS. There have been few government programs in our industry as controversial as this one. It’s been cussed and discussed at every industry meeting since it was first just a germ of an idea way back at the turn of the century. No matter where you live or what kind of animals are in your pasture, barn or backyard, you’ve probably got an opinion you’re willing to share in no uncertain terms with your neighbor.
The problem with all this rhetoric is sometimes the noise drowns out the facts. I’ve interviewed a lot of people on NAIS issues in the past two years and the response has always been immediate and occasionally confrontational. Points on both sides of the issue often were well-made but too many comments were ‘off the mark,’ to be polite.
So I thought it was time to let the man get off that hot seat, drop the lightening rod for a few minutes and talk about the facts of the program as he sees them from his office in Washington. Exactly what is the concept behind NAIS? What is it supposed to be? And most importantly, what advantages might it bring to the average farmer or rancher?
Here is what he had to say about NAIS and its role in the future of U.S. animal agriculture.
Q. NAIS is a priority with the USDA. Why are you putting such an emphasis on the program?
A.Animal agriculture is an $80 billion industry. Its importance to the U.S. economy and to the producers who depend on it for their livelihood cannot be overstated. And protecting the health and viability of our country’s livestock industry is always a top USDA priority. That’s why we’re moving forward with the National Animal Identification System. It’s a critical line of defense in the face of animal disease threats. The risk of an animal disease outbreak in the United States is very real. Being able to trace a disease back to its source—and do that quickly—is essential to limit the spread of the disease and minimize its negative impact on the agriculture industry. A strong NAIS is the most proactive way to achieve that goal.
Presently, some livestock sectors lack reliable animal tracing systems. For example, with cattle, the successful eradication of brucellosis and other diseases has reduced the need for widespread vaccination and testing among heifers. As a result, there is now a troublingly low level of official ID within our country’s breeding herd. This void of information hinders our ability to trace a disease to its source. Without an adequate level of identification, disease control efforts are slower and less effective, resulting in increased economic hardships for producers. For example, recent bovine tuberculosis tracebacks took as long as 199 days. Low levels of official ID mean that more herds need to be quarantined and tested, making it unnecessarily difficult and time-consuming to determine the source of the disease.
So we must bring the level of identification within the cattle industry, and in particular the breeding herd, back to the level of identification it had in the past. And we must accomplish this before a catastrophic disease strikes—afterward, it will be too late. NAIS, however, is not just a response to future “what if” disease outbreaks. Animal Health Officials need an improved animal ID system today—on a daily basis—simply to be more efficient and effective in their ongoing work. Having timely, accurate data will reduce the number of herds we need to quarantine and test to complete the disease investigation. NAIS will help fill in the current “gaps” in animal ID.
Lastly, we can’t forget that prices for domestic marketed livestock are directly affected by the demand for exported food animal products—so all producers benefit when our country expands its export markets. Traceability will continue to become more important in the marketing arena, both domestic and international. Part of the value of NAIS is how flexible the system is. While its main purpose is to enhance disease traceability, NAIS also provides infrastructure that allows industry to capitalize on other programs that rely on accurate animal identification, such as marketing alliances, genetic improvement, and age- and source-verification.
Q. Cattlenetwork reaches most of the cattle producers in the U.S. For those cattlemen who are not currently involved in the program, can you take me step-by-step through the process? What should be done and when?
A.In order to achieve the most effective tracing system for disease control, animal health officials must be able to determine where animals are managed and raised, and the places where livestock commingle from multiple farms and ranches (markets, harvest facilities, exhibitions, etc.). As part of NAIS, a producer can obtain a premises identification number (PIN) for their farm/ranch, feedlot, etc. through their State Veterinarian’s office. This unique, 7-character code—similar to a rural 911 address or other emergency contact—is linked to the basic contact information provided during premises registration. This information enables animal health officials to communicate quickly with producers when a disease situation might put their animals at risk. With early warning about such issues, producers can take proper precautions to protect their livestock.
Cattle producers should take the next step—animal identification. Identification eartags are readily available through authorized AIN tag manufacturers. These official identification tags contain an Animal Identification Number (AIN). The AIN is a 15-digit number starting with 840, the numeric code for the USA. These “840” tags may be used for various industry programs, as well as Federal and State animal disease programs. While recording the animal’s identification number electronically can be more efficient and accurate, a visual tag with the AIN can also provide valuable information to animal health officials. AIN tags with radio frequency identification (RFID) is an option for producers to consider when herd management practices and opportunities warrant the use of the technology, and when its cost is of economic merit to their business.
Over time, I anticipate that RFID or other automated technologies will become widely used and will improve the effectiveness and practicality of collecting animal movement records. USDA has already found RFID technology to be of merit when testing cattle for bovine tuberculosis, and we will continue to expand its use in other disease programs. As the value of RFID is demonstrated for management and marketing opportunities, an increasing number of producers are adopting the technology. Advancements in RFID technology will most certainly continue, and USDA encourages its use today and recognizes the merit it will bring to traceability down the road. But for now, the immediate need in the cattle sector is to get a higher percentage of the animals officially identified—whether that’s visual tags or RFID. We shouldn’t forget that there have been situations, the last case of BSE in the United States, for example, where a simple official eartag on the index animal would have been invaluable in the disease investigation.
The most practical time for tagging animals is entirely up to the producer. However, the animals should be identified prior to their sale or movement to another premises (i.e., ranch, market, feedlot, etc.), or prior to being commingled with animals from other premises. The current priority in NAIS is to increase the number of cattle that can be identified to their birth premises. When a producer buys AIN tags, the animal identification number imprinted or encoded on the tags are linked to the PIN on the NAIS database. As a result of this linkage, the producer does not need to report animal IDs to the USDA. This “book end” approach enables Animal Health Officials to work back from an animal’s current location and forward from the location where the animal was first tagged when tracing potentially exposed animals.
After tagging their animals, producers should consider the final step—the reporting of animal movements. Animal movement records are held by private and State Animal Tracking Databases (ATDs). This component of NAIS is the one that still requires the most development; a lot of data collection infrastructure will need to be put in place at markets and other locations. However, producers already have access to several ATDs for reporting the movement of animals that are shipped from their premises or animals that are moved in. Movements within a production unit for management purposes (e.g., from pasture to pasture) are not ones that impact disease spread, and therefore are not necessary to report relative to NAIS.
The list of participating ATDs is provided on the NAIS Website at http://animalid.aphis.usda.gov/nais/naislibrary/documents/guidelines/NAIS_ATDs_for_web.pdf. Many of these ATD systems provide additional services as well. Participating in this component of NAIS can be as simple as requesting the basic animal tracing services, along with other options the service provider offers.
Q. Let’s talk about two controversial issues facing cattlemen today – NAIS and COOL. Are they conflicting issues or can they work together?
A.Certainly the two initiatives exist for different reasons and end results. NAIS is a voluntary program at the Federal level and is designed to support animal disease control efforts. Country of Origin Labeling regulations are being established as a result of Congressional legislation to enhance labeling of certain food products, including beef at the retail level. While the reasons behind the programs are different, there are obvious opportunities to use NAIS-compliant numbering systems and identification methods to support future COOL requirements.
NAIS’ fundamental objective has always been to establish identification standards and animal ID methods to advance traceability for disease control purposes, and we envisioned that these standards and NAIS ID devices could be used for other purposes by industry producers. Using the NAIS standards and identification methods for COOL, as well as for source- and age-verification programs, breed registry, herd management and genetic programs, are potential options for producers and industry organizations. So, while the outcomes/purposes are distinctively different, NAIS provides potential animal ID solutions for many purposes—including COOL—while meeting its core objective.
Q. As NAIS and marketing programs like QSA and PVP converge, how can you assure producers of the continued confidentiality of their production information?
A.NAIS maintains minimal information; premises data, AIN tag distribution records, and animal termination records Animal movement data is maintained in private and State Animal Tracking Databases. All other data from industry programs is completely outside of NAIS. While the AIN identification tag may be used for various programs, the performance, genetic, and/or marketing information maintained for the animal is not part of NAIS.
Animal health officials do not need this information because it is not of merit to control the spread of an animal disease, and NAIS will not maintain any of that information. In this regard, the confidentiality of the producers’ production information will not be compromised as a result of their using a PIN and/or AIN tags in QSA and PVP programs.
Q. Animal health management is important to everyone in the ag industry and the ability to quickly control a disease outbreak has always been touted as one of the strong points of NAIS. How does NAIS improve on existing control methods?
A.Preventing animal disease and containing its spread remains a top priority for USDA. Many practices are in place through existing disease programs and industry infrastructure to prevent or minimize the occurrence of animal diseases. Disease surveillance, or the routine testing and inspection of animals, will always be necessary to control animal diseases, and these practices rely on animal identification. Having a response system that seamlessly supports all diseases and species across State borders is integral to overall disease control. This is where traceability fits into the equation.
When an animal disease is detected, the success of the response depends on its timeliness. Without official animal ID, the ability to trace a disease to its source is compromised. NAIS provides common standards across disease programs that enable information systems to work in a compatible way when multiple systems and/or States are involved. By bringing more modern technology to animal health officials, NAIS makes the administration of disease investigation and eradication activities more efficient and the available data more complete and accurate.
Finally, NAIS expands opportunities to officially identify animals through cooperative efforts with producers who are not involved in a specific disease program or event. USDA also continues to work with organizations that provide identification programs to build upon existing systems when there are common methods or processes. The working group with the Brand State authorities is a good example of how, as a national effort, NAIS continues to seek the most efficient solutions by converging with existing systems. These efforts are of critical importance and another valuable advantage NAIS brings to the industry.
Q. Many of the people who are against NAIS talk about incidental movement of animals such as horses used for trail rides vs competitive events. Others are worried about small backyard poultry flocks for private use or consumption. What’s your response to their concerns?
A.It’s pretty basic – when you’re talking about animal ID and tracing, the focus of NAIS involves only those animals that, due to their movement to other premises or commingling with animals from other farms, have the greatest potential to impact the spread of a disease. Animals not moving through marketing channels/commerce and/or raised for one’s personal consumption are not the focus of NAIS. In these cases, there are no movements to trace, so identification of these animals for disease control purposes is not relevant.
The “sport” or “competition” horses that are taken to numerous exhibitions, competition events, and other activities of that type are more of a concern. In these situations, the horses often move significant distances, and in the event of a contagious disease, can quickly spread a disease from region to region. Maintaining accurate movement records of these horses that are readily available to animal health officials is critical in the event of an equine disease outbreak.
Horses that do not move from their home stable or primary premises have less potential to spread a disease and are not a priority for NAIS. Likewise, while disease spread may be an issue for horses involved in local trail rides, these movements do not have the same potential to spread a disease widely as the continuous movements of horses to events across geographic areas would have. Individuals that have horses for recreation, including trail rides, can benefit from registering their premises and should do so. This will ensure that, if a disease of concern is detected in their area, they can receive the information they need to protect their animals. But reporting recreational movements such as local trail rides is not practical and is not the focus of NAIS.
Q. Let’s expand the conversation. How will NAIS affect the swine industry?
A. The swine industry, through strong support and leadership of the National Pork Board, is making significant progress in the area of premises registration. Based on National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) data, there are 67,280 commercial swine premises. To date, nearly 70 percent of these commercial swine premises have a PIN. Most swine move through the pre-harvest production chain in groups and, as a result, are assigned “group/lot identification numbers” that contain the premises identification number of the location at which the group was assembled.
Premises identification enhances traceability in the swine industry, and its use will likely become practiced by a large percentage of commercial producers in the near future. The Swine ID Implementation Task Force has also offered recommendations for identifying cull sows and boars with premises ID eartags. Those recommendations are now being implemented in NAIS to offer improved traceability of those animals.
Q. And what steps should people in the sheep and goat businesses be prepared to take if they want to get involved?
A.The sheep and goat producers just need to keep participating in the Scrapie eradication program. Flock ID along with a unique management number is not only practical—it has also proven successful. There are still opportunities for the sheep and goat industry to make additional strides in the area of traceability by having their Flock ID numbers linked to premises identification numbers.
In grazing areas, the use of premises numbers is challenging, and we need to continue working with owners to find practical solutions. Industry leaders have done a fine job evaluating emerging identification technologies, and continuing to do so will be invaluable as advancing technologies become more practical to these animal production sectors.
Q. Thousands of people read Cattlenetwork.com. What would you like to say to them?
A.If you raise livestock and market or move them through commercial channels (commerce) and are not participating in NAIS, please consider all the facts and the challenges associated with animal disease traceability. Traceability is necessary to limit animal disease spread. NAIS is the primary tool to support existing animal disease programs and quickly trace an animal disease to its source.
No program of this magnitude can be successful without producers working cooperatively with Animal Health Officials. NAIS has evolved through industry and producer feedback, and it will continue to do so. Practical and affordable solutions to the “traceability challenges” are best achieved through constructive producer input and criticism. We welcome it. Share your recommendations with industry organizations, the appropriate species working groups, and animal health officials to enhance and improve NAIS.
Producers have the opportunity today to safeguard the health of their animals, and in doing so, help maintain the financial viability of the livestock industry in the United States. NAIS is about your animals, your livelihood, and your future. The most current information on NAIS is on the Website at www.usda.gov/nais. I encourage you to get the facts—be proactive—participate in NAIS.