Due in large part to input and involvement from small farmers , rural protagonism organizations and others opposed to the large - scale leaf government computer program , the USDA now reports that it is dropping the possible action of making the National Animal Identification System ( NAIS ) mandatory .
NAIS is a United States Department of Agriculture ( USDA ) program distribute by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service . Its stated goal is to provide brute health officials with the capabilities to identify all farm animal and premises that have had unmediated contact with a disease of business within 48 hours after uncovering . NAIS is a three - part program consisting of 1 ) premises recognition for all U.S. farm ; 2 ) creature identification via tagging , microchipping , etc . ; and 3 ) fauna tracking . As part of the process , standards and tagging devices for all farm animal breeds are being germinate , as are integrated databases to access to farm animal entropy .
On October 31 , 2006 , the USDA hold the NAIS Community Outreach Event in Kansas City , Mo. , where Bruce I. Knight , Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs , harbinger that NAIS would remain voluntary . “ We ’re make it crystal clear that NAIS is voluntary — no if ’s , and ’s or but ’s , ” he said . “ Farmers can choose to register their assumption . They can choose to take part in individual fauna or chemical group recognition . And they can opt to be part of tracking . Or not . ”
However , with this announcement , Knight reiterated their impression that “ choosing not to take part may limit marketing chance in the hereafter . ” Knight explained that as NAIS matures and becomes more accept in the market place , consumer will respond and begin seek out — and give a premium for – poultry and livestock whose history is readily available . “ That ’s because more information means greater security system . ”
Matt John of Shady Lane Poultry in Winchester , Ky. , is a small-scale poultry producer who is not entirely optimistic about the USDA ’s modish announcement . “ Although in the late version of NAIS guideline , the USDA is declaring the program to be entirely voluntary , I surmise many states will take steps to make it mandatory at the state layer , ” he says . “ Other broadcast such as the National Poultry Improvement Plan ( NPIP ) and Scrapie monitoring are currently voluntary at the Union level , but most Department of State have laws requiring participation for intra- and inter - state commerce . ”
Further , he states “ I can envision the USDA requiring engagement in NAIS to have livestock or poultry processed under Agriculture Department inspection , participate in NPIP or other beast wellness programs , or receive Union agribusiness loanword , Duncan Grant , CRP payments , crop or livestock subsidies etc . All of these are activities that farmers select to enter in ; however many farms calculate on one or more of these programs to delay in business . little farmers are rifle to call for to become even more self - sufficient and invariably work to educate markets for note value - added , specialty products that do n’t ask government assist to plough a profit . ”
Those talk out on behalf of belittled farmers and small farmers themselves have been opposed to NAIS because of the large financial obstacle . Those opposed have say that a mandatory NAIS could hazard farmers ’ privateness and their ability to gain a living . – HF editor
