The National Animal Identification System is being put into place “to enable 48 hour traceback of the movements of any diseased or exposed animal.” 

The NAIS consists of three components:

• Premises registration

• Animal identification

• Animal tracking

Those putting this into place do not consider you the owner of your animals.  Their approach to this is “We must ensure the participation requirements of the NAIS not only provide the results necessary to maintain the health of the national herd…

The government is already encouraging voluntary registration on the radio. 

“The USDA…will enact regulations by early 2008, requiring stakeholders to identify their premises and animals.  At that time, all animals leaving their current premises must be identified with the AIN or Group/Lot ID.

“Even with public funding, there will be costs to producers.  Both public and private funding will be required for the NAIS to become fully operational.  The Federal government is providing the standards, national databases, and basic infrastructure.

• States and Tribes will register premises within their areas.  They will also support the administration of animal identification and tracking systems that will feed information into the national database.

• Producers will identify their animals and provide necessary records to the databases.

• Managers of shows and events will report a record of participating animals.

• Market operators and processing plants will provide animal location records. 

• Service providers and third parties will assist by providing animal identification and movement records to the NAIS on behalf of their producer clients. 

• All groups will need to provide labour.”

The Timetable
2005:

• Premises registration: July 2005: All States operational

• Animal identification: August 2005: Initiate “840” number with AIN tag manufacturers and AIN tag managers

• Animal tracking: January-December 2005: Test identification and automated data collection technologies

2006:

• Premises Registration: April 2006: Performance measure: 25% of all premises registered

• Animal identification: April 2006: AIN Management System fully operational

• Animal tracking: July 2006: Interstate Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (ICVI) operational in all States

• Focus on integration of management systems to forward animal locations/sightings

2007:

• Premises registration: April 2007: Premises registration “alert” (scaled up communication campaign to create awareness of January 2008 requirements for premises registration).

• Animal identification: April 2007: Animal identification alert (scaled up communication campaign to create awareness of January 2008 requirements for animal identification).

• Animal tracking: April 2007: Incentives to report interstate movements using ICVI or electronic movement permit system.

• October 2007: Infrastructure established to collect animal termination records at high capacity abattoirs. Initiate collection of animal movements at concentration points (markets, feedlots, etc.).

• Expand the integration of management systems to forward animal locations/sightings. NAIS Strategic Plan - DRAFT Lines of Action

2008:

• Premises registration: January 2008: All premises registered with enforcement (regardless of livestock movements). Animal Identification: January 2008:

• Animal identification required with enforcement.

• Animal tracking: July 2008: Collect high percentage of animal termination records at abattoirs (processing plants).

• July 2008: Collection and reporting all defined movements.

2009:

• January 2009: Enforcement for the reporting of animal movements.

• NAIS fully implemented and all components are mandatory.  

Compiled from www.usda.gov/nais click on “Draft Strategic Plan” on right side of the page under “What’s New” heading.