NCBA Defends Traceability Rule

Electronic ID tags may be the only thing standing between a national catastrophe and a rapid response to an animal disease outbreak in the U.S.  That according to the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association in defense of a new USDA traceability rule.

NCBA’s President Mark Eisele recently said some groups say electronic ID tags are unnecessary or too burdensome, but he counters that clinging to “outdated” manual tags puts the entire industry “at risk.”   But he argues USDA’s new rule, finalized in April, will allow breeding cattle 18 months or older crossing state lines to be tracked more quickly in the event of foot and mouth or other emergencies.

Former NCBA head Todd Wilkinson warned this year of an FMD disaster. 

“If that comes into the United States, the current plan is to shut the entire country down from all cattle movement for a minimum of 72 hours," Wilkinson said.  "And it’s probably going to go a lot longer than that.”

And to those producers who don’t want to bother with electronic tags.

“All of us have to just think back to the BSE case and other situations," Wilkinson added.  "Look at our friends in the poultry business. If we don’t think an animal disease is going to come into this country, as porous as our borders are, and impact our producers, you are burying your head in the sand.”

Cost is an issue, but Congress approved $15 million this year to help producers purchase electronic ID tags to avert the possibility of an economic loss in the billions.  Data privacy is the other concern.  But NCBA’s Eisele said the group wants private third-party firms, rather than USDA, to hold data, protecting producer privacy while also allowing rapid traceback if there’s a disease outbreak. 

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