USDA to Abandon NAIS, Pork Industry Continues Support of Swine ID Plan

February 24, 2010 — 

The USDA has announced plans to abandon the National Animal Identification System (NAIS) and will develop a new, flexible framework for animal disease traceability.

"After concluding our listening tour on the National Animal Identification System (NAIS) in 15 cities across the country, receiving thousands of comments from the public and input from States, Tribal Nations, industry groups, and representatives for small and organic farmers, it is apparent that a new strategy for animal disease traceability is needed," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. "I've decided to revise the prior policy and offer a new approach to animal disease traceability with changes that respond directly to the feedback we heard."

The framework, announced at the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) Mid-Year meeting, provides the basic tenets of an improved animal disease traceability capability in the United States. USDA's efforts will:

• Only apply to animals moved in interstate commerce;
• Be administered by the States and Tribal Nations to provide more flexibility;
• Encourage the use of lower-cost technology; and
• Be implemented transparently through federal regulations and the full rulemaking process.

One of USDA's first steps will be to convene a forum with animal health leaders for the States and Tribal Nations to initiate a dialogue about the possible ways of achieving the flexible, coordinated approach to animal disease traceability we envision. The announcement eliminating the NAIS does not change the objective pursued by the National Pork Board, which is for pork producers to have timely disease surveillance and protection for the U.S. swine herd.

"Premises identification is the cornerstone of animal health and disease surveillance," said Dr. Paul Sundberg, vice president of science and technology at the National Pork Board. "This new direction does not change that fact and the pork industry remains committed to these critical efforts. The pork industry is committed to working collaboratively with USDA and state animal health officials to provide a sound system. Pork producers have demonstrated their confidence in premises identification through their participation and it is important that we maintain this voluntary cooperation."

According to USDA data, the U.S. swine industry already has more than 90-percent of its farms identified through premises identification.

The Checkoff's swine health committee, and the Committee's Animal ID Working Group, had supported the NAIS and incorporated elements of the program as a requirement in the industry's Pork Quality Assurance Plus® program. The announcement by USDA does not change the Checkoff's reliance on a voluntary premises identification program as an integral part of our swine health initiatives. The committee will work closely with USDA and state animal health officials in maintaining our progress toward improved swine disease surveillance.

More information on USDA's new direction on animal traceability and the steps to improve disease prevention and control is available at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/traceability.