Questions and Answers on the National Animal
Identification System
Veterinary Services
September 2004
Q. What is the National Animal Identification
System (NAIS)?
A. The NAIS is a national program intended to identify all
agricultural animals and track them as they come into contact with,
or are inter–mixed with, animals other than herdmates from their
premises of origin.
Already, many species in U.S. animal industries can be identified through
some sort of identification system, but these systems are not consistent
across the country. Tracing an animal’s movements can therefore
be a time–consuming endeavor during a disease investigation, especially
if the animal has moved across State lines.
On April 27, 2004, Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman announced the
framework for implementing the NAIS—an animal identification and
tracking system that will be used in all States and that will operate
under national standards. When fully operational, the system will be
capable of tracing a sick animal or group of animals back to the herd
or premises that is the most likely source of infection. It will also
be able to trace potentially exposed animals that were moved out from
that herd or premises. The sooner animal health officials can identify
infected and exposed animals and premises, the sooner they can contain
the disease and stop its spread.
The NAIS will enhance U.S. efforts to respond to intentionally or unintentionally
introduced animal disease outbreaks more quickly and effectively. USDA’s
long–term goal is to establish a system that can identify all
premises and animals that have had direct contact with a foreign animal
disease or a domestic disease of concern within 48 hours of discovery.
Return
Q. What is the U.S. Animal Identification Plan
(USAIP)?
A. Before the Secretary established the NAIS, a partnership
of more than 100 animal and livestock professionals from 70 associations,
organizations, and government developed the USAIP. The plan laid out
a framework and defined suggested data standards for implementing and
maintaining a phased–in national animal identification system
for the United States.
In implementing the NAIS, USDA is drawing from some of the data standards
first established in the USAIP. However, the USAIP should not be viewed
as an exact blueprint for the NAIS. USDA will continue to seek input
from industry and other interested parties throughout the design and
implementation of the NAIS. Return
Q. What's the Difference between the USAIP
and the NAIS?
A. The USAIP was a plan created by industry and government
representatives over the course of 2 years to address national animal
identification.
The NAIS builds upon aspects of the USAIP and is the program that USDA
is moving forward with in implementing national animal and premises
identification. USDA will continue to seek industry input as the NAIS
progresses. Return
Q. Why is a National Animal Identification
System Needed?
A. A national animal identification system is needed to help
protect American animal agriculture from foreign or domestic disease
threats. Finding potentially sick or exposed animals early in a disease
outbreak is essential to containing or eradicating the disease quickly.
The NAIS would allow for rapid tracing of animals in the event of an
outbreak, helping to limit the scope and expense of the outbreak and
allowing us to minimize impact on domestic and foreign markets. The
NAIS will also be critical as USDA, States, and industry work to complete
the disease eradication programs in which we have invested many years
and millions of dollars. Return
The NAIS may have merit for producers for other reasons as well, including
providing additional marketing opportunities. The NAIS will also help
uphold the reputation of the United States as having healthy animals
and will promote continued confidence in American agricultural and animal
products.
Q. Is the NAIS Related to the Country of Origin
Labeling (COOL) initiative?
A. The NAIS is not being implemented as a result of the COOL
initiative. The intent of the NAIS is to create the ability to track
animal disease to its source and other potentially exposed premises
within a 48-hour period after detection. However, animal owners may
be able to use information collected under the NAIS should they wish
to participate for other purposes, including the COOL program. Return
Q. Why is 48–hour Traceback Capability Needed?
A. To protect the health of the U.S. herd, sound scientific
principles indicate that being able to track and contain a disease within
48 hours is essential. For the industry to maintain confidence in animal
health, it will need to demonstrate its ability to meet this standard.
Return
Q. What are the Benefits for Producers to Participate
in the NAIS?
A. The adoption of a national animal identification system
will help secure the health of the national herd. The program will provide
animal owners and animal health officials with the infrastructure to
improve current disease eradication and control efforts; protect against
widespread foreign and domestic animal disease outbreaks; and provide
infrastructure to address threats from deliberate introduction of disease.
The industry may integrate the standards defined through the NAIS with
their management systems and performance recording programs. Using the
same identification technologies for both regulatory and industry programs
allows for the development of a more cost–effective and user–friendly
system for the animal owner. Animal owners can also benefit from the
additional animal identification information that would be obtained
through the NAIS to improve production efficiencies and add value to
their animals. However, the information systems would be completely
separate: Proprietary production data will not be transmitted to nor
maintained in the NAIS information repositories. Return
Q. How Much Will the Program Cost?
A. It is difficult to quantify the cost of a fully operational
system since all of the needed components have not yet been fully defined.
During fiscal year (FY) 2004, USDA has invested $18.8 million into the
NAIS, and the President’s FY 2005 Budget requests an additional
$33 million. Return
Q. Who Will Pay for the Identification System?
A. The size and scope of this undertaking demand that it be
a cooperative effort. Because it is being developed as an industry–government
partnership, it is expected that industry and the government will share
the cost of the necessary elements. Return
Q. Where Do Producers Get Premises Identification
Numbers?
A. Each State’s and Tribe’s animal health authority
(e.g., State veterinarian) is responsible for administering and maintaining
a premises registration system for the region under its purview. Once
a system is operational in each area, the State or Tribal animal health
official will obtain unique national premises identification numbers
through USDA’s premises number allocator.
The premises registration system will record information such as address,
contact name, type of premises, and phone number to contact the person
in charge of the premises. Key pieces of information will be sent to
the national premises information repository so that it will be available
in the case of a disease traceback. Return
Q. What Forms of Identification Will be Used?
A. USDA understands that there is no “one–size–fits–all”
identification technology. Many methods are currently on the market:
radio frequency identification devices, retinal scans, DNA, etc.
It is likely that some technologies will work better for some species
than for others. Rather than focus on a specific technology, USDA will
focus on the design of the identification data system—what information
should be collected and when it should be collected and reported. Once
the identification system is designed, the market will determine which
technologies will be the most appropriate to meet the needs of the system.
Return
Q. Do Horse Owners Have to Eartag Their Horses?
A. No. Species–specific working groups, which are providing
input to USDA, are aware of traditional methods of identifying animals
and will not recommend methods that are contrary to current practices.
The goal is to provide valid identification without compromising other
needs of a given species .Return
Q. Where Do Producers Get Official Animal
Identification Numbers?
A. Following premises registration, producers may contact an
animal identification number manager in their area to obtain official
animal identification numbers (AIN). AINs will be issued to the premises
and linked to the animals in a way that is appropriate for the species.
For example, cattle producers may use ear tags on their animals, while
LaMancha goat producers may require a different type of identification
method, since their animals have very small ears. Producers should check
with their State or Tribal animal health authority to determine who
they should contact about AINs. In many cases, the States and Tribes
are in the preliminary stages of implementing the NAIS, so they may
not have an AIN manager in place yet.
Please Note: Other identification numbering systems defined in the
Code of Federal Regulations will remain official through a NAIS transition
period. Producers should check with a State, Federal, or Tribal animal
health authority for more information about obtaining AINs and Group/Lot
Identification Numbers for various livestock species. Return
Q. Will Animal Owners Need to Have a Radio
Frequency Identification (RFID) Reader?
A. USDA is maintaining a technology–neutral position
with regard to the technologies that will be used to identify animals.
USDA is developing the standards for collecting and reporting information,
but industry will determine which type of identification method or methods
work best for each species.
Radio frequency technology is one form of electronic identification
that has been discussed for use with cattle. Animal owners that use
RFID for official identification will not necessarily need to have an
RFID reader.
For example, a producer may be able to record the RFID code of the
electronic device before it is applied to an animal and cross–reference
the code with a visual–tag number. This would allow the producer
to maintain a record of the RFID code without having to read (scan)
the transponder. Industry providers may sell RFID eartag attachments
on which the RFID code is printed for visual readability. While reading
and recording the RFID code manually is not ideal, it can be achieved.
Return
Q. Who Will Pay for Electronic Identification
Readers and Their Installation in Markets and Slaughter Plants? Who
Will Pay for the Electronic Identification Devices?
A. The NAIS plan is being developed as an industry–government
partnership, so it is expected that industry and the government will
share the cost of the necessary elements. At this point, we do not envision
any significant Federal funding being used for individual animal tags
or other such devices. However, funding of select electronic readers
could be accommodated under agreements with some cooperators. We should
point out that a variety of identification systems are currently used
in the United States to identify various livestock species. The Department’s
technology–neutral position will allow industry to determine which
animal identification method or methods are the most practical and effective
for each species. Return
Q. If a Producer Is Currently Using an Identification
Program through a Private Service or Marketing Alliance, Will That Identification
Be Usable in the NAIS?
A. Yes, assuming the program is compliant with the official
NAIS standards. Return
Q. Should Producers or Their Industry Associations
Consider Options for Aligning Themselves with a Database Management
Provider to Ensure They Remain in Compliance with the NAIS?
A. Producers are free to use any data management service they
choose. Many of them provide a valuable service in managing production
and marketing data to help producers maximize the profit potential of
their agricultural enterprise. These companies will undoubtedly provide
much needed animal movement data to the national animal tracking information
system.
There are, however, no plans to require producers to participate in
any private data management system or align themselves with any specific
data service provider. USDA would characterize such action as premature
if the reason is merely to stay in compliance with the NAIS. There is
definitely no urgency, as no immediate implementation requirements have
been established. The NAIS will be phased in over time, and an adequate
transition period, augmented with abundant public informational materials,
will be established for animal owners to work into the system.
USDA is taking necessary steps to have the NAIS data standards established
as official; the AIN is an example. Under the NAIS, USDA is proposing
that every animal needing to be identified individually would have a
15–character number. Groups or lots of animals would be identified
through a 13–character number, and premises would be identified
through a 7–character number.
Many producers are already asking to make a move to this numbering
system from the multiple systems currently in use. Accordingly, USDA’s
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is planning to pursue
rulemaking to recognize for official use the 7–character premises
identification number, the 13–character group/lot identification
number, and the 15–character AIN. This would allow those who want
to start the migration to do so, while not requiring it for others who
may not be ready. Return
Q. Who Will be Responsible for Applying Identification
to Animals?
A. During the phase–in period, animals will need to be
identified as they leave whatever premises they are on regardless of
where they were born. After the first few years of the program, identifying
animals will be the responsibility of the “premises of birth”
animal owners. For animal owners who lack equipment for individual identification,
“tagging stations” will be available. Return
Q. What is a Tagging Station and Where Will
Such Stations be Located?
A. A tagging station is an entity operating from a fixed location
that has been officially approved by APHIS to apply identification devices
to animals that are required to be identified.
USDA recognizes that not all animal owners will have facilities to
individually tag animals before they leave their premises of origin.
Therefore, animal owners who are required to individually tag animals
that leave the premises of origin can elect to transport animals to
an approved tagging station. They would pay the operator of the tagging
station a fee to apply individual animal identification devices and
report the identification information to a central information repository.
Such tagging stations may include, but not be limited to, an existing
livestock marketing facility, a veterinary clinic, a fairgrounds, or
a facility specifically dedicated to performing tagging services. Return
Q. If a Person Raises Animals for His or Her
Own Use and the Animals Never Leave the Owner’s Property, Do They
Need to be Identified?
A. Under the current plan, animals that never leave a premises
do not need to be identified. However, animal owners are encouraged
to identify their animals and their premises, regardless of the number
of animals present, since many animal diseases may be spread whether
an animal leaves its home premises or not. Examples of such diseases
include West Nile virus, foot–and–mouth disease, vesicular
stomatitus, and equine infectious anemia. Return
Q. If a Person Only Shows Animals or Only
Takes Them to Trail Rides, Do They Need to be Identified?
A. When people show or commingle their animals with animals
from multiple premises, the possibility of spreading disease becomes
a factor. Those animals will need to be identified. Return
Q. What is “Commingling”?
A. Commingling may be defined as an animal having contact with,
or being inter–mixed with, animals other than herdmates from that
animal’s premises of origin. Return
Q. What Data Will USDA Require, Who Will It
be Kept by, and in What Form Will It be Kept?
A. The identification of livestock premises is the foundation
of the NAIS and must be established before animals can be tracked.
USDA will require the following pieces of information about registered
premises: premises identification number; the name of the entity; appropriate
contact person; street address/city/state/zip code; contact phone number,
operation type; and the date the premises number was activated, the
date the premises number was deactivated, and the reason for deactivation.
State or Tribal animal health authorities will receive this data or
have access to this data through their premises registration systems,
and USDA will store the data in the national premises information repository.
Once an animal has been assigned an AIN, USDA will be able to trace
its movements and carry out efficient epidemiological investigations
by keeping a record of the AIN, the premises identification that the
AIN was seen at or allocated to, the date the AIN was seen or allocated,
and an appropriate event code (e.g. sighting, movement–in, movement–out,
etc.). Additional information that can be important in a disease investigation,
such as the animal’s species, date–of–birth (if possible),
sex, and breed, may also be reported. This data would be stored by USDA
in the national animal identification information repository.
Some species will likely be identified through group/lot identification
numbers. In these cases, producers will keep a record of the lot identification
number, the premises identification where the lot identification number
was seen, and the date it was seen. If species is available, this can
also be provided to USDA’s national animal identification information
repository. Requirements for reporting these movements to the national
animal tracking information repository have not been established. Return
Q. Who Will Have Access to Information in
the National Animal Identification Databases?
A. As part of the NAIS, Federal, State, and Tribal animal health
and public health officials will have access to the information repositories
when they need data to administer animal health programs at the state
and national level. For example, they may access the database if a USDA
program disease—such as tuberculosis or brucellosis—or a
suspected foreign animal disease is reported and requires an epidemiological
investigation. They may also access the database during emergency response
simulations. Return
Q. What Species Will be Included in the NAIS?
A. The NAIS is being developed for all animals that will benefit
from having a system to facilitate rapid traceback/traceout in the event
of disease concern. Currently, working groups are developing plans for
aquaculture, camelids (llamas and alpacas), cattle/bison, cervids (deer
and elk), equine, goats, poultry, sheep, and swine. Return
Q. Will Stakeholders Need More Than One Premises
Identification Number if They Have More than One Species on Their Premises?
A. No. A single premises identification number will be used
for each location, regardless of the number of species associated with
it. In other words, a producer will not have a separate premises identification
number for beef cattle, dairy cattle, swine, etc. Return
Q. Will This be a Mandatory Program?
A. USDA and its cooperators are working toward developing a
national program that will allow us to rapidly track animals exposed
to a disease concern and that will meet the needs of animal owners,
animal industries, domestic and international markets, and consumers.
The system needs to be tested to be sure it is effective and workable.
While the NAIS is being developed and refined, producer participation
will be voluntary. As the system continues to take shape and is tested
for all livestock and food animals, USDA will reassess the need for
making some or all aspects of the program mandatory. Some States, such
as Wisconsin, have passed laws to make certain components of an animal
identification program mandatory in areas under their purview.
Eventually, USDA may move toward a requirement for mandatory premises
and animal identification for all species included in the system. If
USDA does decide to make all or parts of the NAIS mandatory, we will
follow the normal rulemaking process. The public will have the opportunity
to comment upon any proposed regulations. Return
Q. Will Producers be Able to Sell Their Livestock
if the Animals are not Officially Identified?
A. Yes, as the plan will begin as a voluntary program. Over
time, some markets may require animals to be identified that are not
identified now. Species for which identification is currently required
will continue to have to be identified prior to entering commerce (e.g.,
sheep and goats under the national scrapie eradication program).
As the program is phased in, all animals of covered species will be
encouraged to have premises identification, and eventually individual
identification, prior to sale. For animal owners who lack facilities
to apply identification devices at the premises of birth, there will
be provisions for initiating the process at the point of sale. Return
Q. Can Animals be Identified as a Group?
A. Yes, an animal production system can use group/lot identification
if the animal owner is able to demonstrate to the satisfaction of State
animal health officials that, through group identification and production
records, 1) traceback to all premises that have had direct contact with
a suspect animal can occur within 48 hours, and 2) the potential for
commingling does not exist. Each group will be identified with a unique
and standardized number. Verifiable records will be required to further
document premises identification and dates of movement. Return
Q. What are the Penalties for not Using the
Program?
A. At this point, the NAIS is not fully developed and animal
owners are not yet required to comply with any rules. When the plan
is finished, market forces may drive those involved in the livestock
industry toward participation. Return
Q. What are the Liability Issues of This Program
for Animal Owners?
A. USDA’s goal for the NAIS is to enhance animal health
officials’ ability to trace and respond to animal diseases. The
key objective is to achieve a timely traceback to minimize the detrimental
effect of livestock diseases. Accordingly, USDA and the States will
only collect and retain necessary identification data in the preharvest
production chain and through final inspection at slaughter establishments.
USDA would emphasize that the NAIS, in serving as a repository of verifiable
data, will increase the accuracy of animal health information and will
not expose producers to unwarranted or additional liability. Return
Q. What is the Timeline for Implementing This
Program?
A. USDA’s priority in 2004 is to establish the national
premises identification system. Beginning in August 2004, States and
Tribes on a limited basis can begin registering locations where livestock
are held, sold, or commingled, using an interim standardized premises
registration system provided by APHIS, or systems developed by themselves
or others that meet NAIS data standards.
During FY 2004, APHIS is providing close to $12 million to 29 States
and Tribes through cooperative agreements to help them implement premises
identification as well as to carry out field trials or research to test
and fine-tune identification technologies and collect animal movement
data. The President’s FY 2005 budget calls for $33 million in
funding for animal identification, and a portion of this money would
go toward establishing additional cooperative agreements to assist States
and Tribes in further implementing and testing the system.
USDA envisions that the NAIS will continue to expand in 2006. As States
and Tribes gain experience, USDA will integrate those approaches that
are most successful into the broader system. USDA will also allow service
providers and other participants to gear up their products, programs,
and services to meet the demands of a national program. Return
Q. What Government Entities Will Have Oversight
of This Plan?
A. In keeping with the aim of the program to help safeguard
U.S. animal health through disease surveillance and monitoring, which
includes traceback to individual animals within 48 hours, APHIS will
administer the program. Further, the plan calls for governance as a
joint Federal–State responsibility with industry input. To ensure
uniformity of operations across the United States, APHIS and individual
State animal health entities will develop and administer key regulatory
elements of the plan. Return
Q. What Will be the Identification Requirements
for Animals Entering the United States from Other Countries?
A. Live animals imported into the United States will require
identification levels equivalent to what is required of producers in
the United States for interstate movement. USDA anticipates that the
NAIS will be compatible with exporting countries’ systems. Imported
animals will maintain their country of origin identification and will
be tracked just like domestic livestock. The country of origin identification
will be considered official in the United States, and the animals will
not need to be re–identified. Return
Q. With the Phase–out of Existing Official
Animal Identification Devices, What Will Happen with Brucellosis Vaccination
Tags? Will They Still be Used?
A. Identification numbering systems defined in the Code of
Federal Regulations, such as those provided through brucellosis vaccination
tags, will remain official through a NAIS transition period. It is likely
that brucellosis vaccination tags will be phased out gradually as individual
vaccination records are included in the database linked to each AIN.
Producers should check with a State, Federal, or Tribal animal health
authority for more information about obtaining AINs and Group/Lot Identification
Numbers for various livestock species. Return
Q. What Will Happen with the National Scrapie
Eradication Program's Identification System?
A. In 2001, APHIS implemented a national scrapie eradication
program, which included a mandatory national identification component
for sheep and goats. It has become apparent from producer and industry
feedback that the current sheep and goat identification system needs
to be improved in ways that will ensure compliance and improved animal
tracking capability without impeding the flow of commerce at points
of animal concentration.
On August 4, 2004, APHIS posted a request for information (RFI) on
identification technologies that could enhance sheep and goat identification,
tracking, and compliance monitoring. The identification technology will
be used to identify sheep and goats in APHIS’ National Scrapie
Eradication Program. The RFI should allow APHIS to both make an informed
decision with regard to contracts for scrapie program identification
devices and assist NAIS cooperators in identifying and possibly acquiring
various technologies to evaluate for sheep and goats.
Since USDA is working to incorporate identification systems already
in existence, such as cattle brands and identification tags distributed
as part of the scrapie eradication program, the scrapie eradication
team is working closely with the NAIS team to ensure that scrapie program
identification meets the requirements of both the scrapie program and
the NAIS.
With consistency being a key objective of the NAIS, AIN distributed
through USDA’s national allocator will become the official numbers
for use in the scrapie eradication program. It is likely that animals
currently identified through other official plans/programs will be "grandfathered"
into the program, meaning animal owners will phase in AINs on animals
identified for the first time after a mutually acceptable date.
In addition, USDA envisions that the current scrapie premises identification
numbers may be cross–referenced with the new national premises
identification numbers. Animal owners will still be able to use the
current premises identification number until it is phased out over time.
Return
Q. What are You Doing to Ensure the Privacy
of Ranchers’ and Farmers’ Records? Will Information Collected
for the NAIS be Exempted from the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)?
A. USDA recognizes the concerns about the confidentiality of
this information and is working on options to allay these concerns.
At the same time, it is important to keep in mind that the national
information repositories will only include information for animal and
disease tracking purposes. Proprietary production data will remain in
private databases.
FOIA can be used to obtain information from a Federal agency when that
agency has custody and control of a record. USDA is very much aware
of producers’ concerns about the confidentiality of information
collected as part of the NAIS and is taking them very seriously as officials
explore the most effective means for collecting animal identification
information. Accordingly, USDA is pursuing various options for appropriately
protecting the information in the NAIS from public disclosure. Return
Q. Where Can Interested Stakeholders Go to
Obtain More Information About This Plan?
A. Information about the NAIS is available at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/lpa/issues/nais/nais.html.
Return
Q. Is There Still Time to Have Input into
the NAIS?
A. The development of a system with this kind of scope and
complexity, requiring a substantial investment on the part of both the
public and private sectors, needs to be developed with ample opportunity
for input by those affected. With this in mind, USDA published an advance
notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) on July 14, 2004, that, among
other things, solicits comments on when and under what circumstances
the NAIS should move from being voluntary to mandatory, and which species
should be covered now and over the long term. The comment period closed
on September 13, 2004.
In addition to accepting comments through the ANPRM, USDA has been
holding listening sessions throughout the country. APHIS has posted
the schedule on its Web site at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/lpa/issues/nais/nais_listeningsessions.html.
APHIS is also posting the comments from these sessions on its Web site
so that interested parties are updated regularly.
Eventually, USDA may move toward a requirement for premises and animal
identification for all species included in the system. If USDA does
decide to make all or parts of the NAIS mandatory, APHIS will follow
the normal rulemaking process. The public will have the opportunity
to comment upon any proposed regulations.
Stakeholders may also contact one of the NAIS Issue or Species Working
Groups. These groups are providing detailed recommendations to USDA
regarding the implementation of the NAIS. Contact information for these
working groups will soon be available on the APHIS Web site at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/lpa/issues/nais/nais.html.
Return
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