KANSAS CITY, MO -
More than 80 percent of participants at the
National Institute for Animal Agriculture (NIAA)
annual conference regarding animal identification
suggested the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA)
National Animal Identification System (NAIS)
implementation is behind expectations. Further, 78
percent of the more than 100 respondents said NAIS
should be a mandatory program.
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns, who gave
the key note address at the meeting, stressed the
program will remain voluntary under his watch. He
believes the market place will drive the
implementation of NAIS through premium opportunities
for producers.
Respondents named cost and confidentiality as two of
the greatest hurdles to implementing NAIS; however,
many noted progress is definitely being seen on those
fronts. Secretary Johanns also noted these as two of
the biggest areas USDA is focused on.
According to Secretary Johanns, he
believes both of these issues are being addressed by
allowing private data management companies to serve as
suppliers for the program.
“Enhanced computer-based technology and the development
of, and reduction in cost of radio frequency
identification devices, have helped drive the program from
a technology standpoint,” said Scott Stuart, chairman of
the board for NIAA. “Competition in the market will
encourage continual technology improvement and help to
drive costs lower for our producers.”
Participants agreed that using an easy, single-source
tracking solution would be the best option to help improve
implementation of NAIS. They also suggested that recent
technology improvements, including naming the first
interim Animal Tracking Database provider, is the greatest
success of the program to date.
“Using private database systems will help protect the
confidentiality and privacy of producers personal
information,” said Jim Heinle, president of Global Animal
Management, Inc. “As the first approved interim animal
tracking database provider, we take the safety and
security of producers information as our absolute #1
priority, followed closely by ease of use, ease of access
and cost effectiveness.”
Using veterinarians to serve as facilitators to encourage
producer sign-up was the second most suggested option to
improve NAIS implementation.
More than 20 percent of the academia, federal and state
officials, animal health and industry experts present
responded to the survey, which was administered by the
National Institute for Animal Agriculture and Tri-Merit™,
provided by Schering-Plough Animal Health and powered by
Global Animal Management, Inc. Tri-Merit is a
single-source solution animal tracking and database
management program that allows producers to be NAIS
compliant and capture value-added market opportunities.
Complete survey results available upon request.
###
