The Western Organization of Resource Councils is urging livestock producers to comment on a proposal that would move the industry one step closer to a mandatory Animal Identification System.

The proposed rules would require any producer who participates in a federal animal health program, such as tuberculosis, brucellosis/bangs, scrapie in sheep and goats and Johne’s disease, to have an official U.S. Department of Agriculture animal identification tag. To get a tag, animal owners would have to register with the National Animal Identification System (NAIS). NAIS registration requires a livestock producer to register his premise (location of livestock) with the federal government and register every head of livestock owned with a unique tag number. This applies to cattle, sheep, goats, hogs and a number of other species. This tag number would follow the animal throughout its life until its time of slaughter or death.

“USDA’s animal ID plan won’t prevent animal diseases, and there are already effective programs that track and prevent disease outbreaks without the tremendous cost of animal ID,” said Mabel Dobbs, chair of the council’s livestock committee. “The systems we have in place have been able to adequately address any disease outbreaks we have had to this point. Why are we replacing a program that works with costly technology that hasn’t been proven?” Comments are due by Monday and can be sent over the Internet or by mail. To send comments by the Internet, log on to http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=DocketDetail&d=APHIS-2007-0096.

To submit by mail, send two copies of the comments to Docket No. APHIS-2007-0096, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238.

Comments should refer to Docket No. APHIS-2007-0096.

“This proposed rule has ramifications for every livestock producer in our country,” said Dobbs, a rancher from Weiser, Idaho. “At a time when there are so many economic problems in our country, the government is pushing forward an unproven program that will cost livestock producers and taxpayers. USDA has already spent over $130 million trying to design this program that five years after its inception is still unnecessary and they still cannot implement.

“We urge you to find out more about NAIS, read the full rule and find suggestions for comments by going to the council’s Web site at www.worc.org,” said Dobbs.

Based in Billings, the council is a network of conservation and family agriculture organizations in Colorado, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota and Wyoming.