Re: NAIS


"Farm1" <please@askifyouwannaknow> wrote in message
news:43df0854$0$32671$5a62ac22@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> "Don Bruder" <dakidd@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>> In article
>> <43defc36$0$32652$5a62ac22@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
>> "Farm1" <please@askifyouwannaknow> wrote:
>>
>> > "J.C." <jcsplace@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>> >
>> > > In case you folks are not aware of the NAIS, I suggest you go to the
> USDA
>> > > web page and find out about the screwing we small scale farm and
> ranchers
>> > > are about to get at the behest of Cargill, Conagra, ADM and the other
> big
>> > > boys.
>> > >
>> > > The National Animal Identification System will probably put us all
>> > > out
> of
>> > > business.
>> >
>> > Tracking of meat from the paddock to the plate is now something that
>> > can
> be
>> > expected if the US wants to sell into fussy markets like Japan and
> Europe.
>>
>> To hell with Japan and Europe. We Americans need to worry about feeding
>> *AMERICA*, and piss on the rest of the world until that gets
>> accomplished.
>
> Oh God, here we go again! Old Glory gets hoisted so you don't have to use
> your brain.
>
> You clearly have no idea of how US trade policy impacts on the rest of the
> world whils the US still manages to be probably THE most agressive trading
> nation on the planet.
>
> I would be very happy for the US to restrict its trade policy to feeding
> America and I don't personally give *** if Ameicans get Avian flu or BSE.
> Unfortunatley, your diseases do not respect lines on a map even if
> mindless
> Americans do seem to think they do.
>
>> Once that goal has been reached, sure... Feed the rest of
>> the planet if we've got any left. Until that time, this country needs to
>> pull its nose back a few thousand miles and, to get a bit biblical, stop
>> worrying about the motes, whether real or imagined, in its neighbors'
>> eyes, and start paying attention to the million board-feet of lumber
>> stacked in BOTH of its own.
>
> What you need to do is to use your head instead of your heart. Your
> government seems to be beginning to use its collective head
Bull***. It's being used by corporate crooks.National Atem
(NAIS)

A State-Federal-Industry Cooperative Effort

DRAFT

Strategic Plan

2005 to 2009

April 25, 2005

United States

Department of

Agriculture

Animal Plant Health

Inspection Service

USDA and our stakeholders in animal agriculture must continue moving forward
with the

National Animal Identification System. NAIS must be implemented for our
country to

maintain its reputation as having the most efficient and effective animal
health

surveillance and response system in the world. I believe a fully functional
animal

tracking system will keep us competitive in international markets, helping
us retain and

expand our market share. This Department is wholly committed to making NAIS
a

reality.

Mike Johanns

Secretary of Agriculture

We have been working on an animal identification plan here at USDA in
conjunction with

a lot of interested parties over a number of years now, and our goal has
remained

consistent-to be able to track animals within a 48-hour period. We are
prepared to roll

up our sleeves and get this implemented.

The attention garnered from the BSE case last December, coupled with the
increasing

number of animal disease outbreaks worldwide over the last decade, has
intensified the

level of interest in developing NAIS. September 11, 2001, also taught us
that we have to

prepare for potential intentional disease introductions. NAIS is a top USDA
priority.

William "Bill" Hawks

Under Secretary for Marketing and

Regulatory Programs

APHIS is committed to helping producers maintain healthy animals and
prosperous

industries, and one of the best ways to do this is to continue to build a
national animal

identification program that will support Federal, State, tribal, and
industry efforts to

respond to future disease outbreaks. The NAIS will be a great tool in
containing and

eliminating diseases that could affect all species that will become a part
of the system.

W. Ron DeHaven

Administrator

Animal and Plant Health

Inspection Service

For nearly 2 years, industry and government have worked to develop a
comprehensive

animal identification system. We value industry's strong leadership in this
effort. Much

of the framework for NAIS-the data standards in particular-is the result of
these

partnership efforts. We will rely on these partnerships as we move forward
to implement

NAIS.

John R. Clifford

Deputy Administrator

Veterinary Services

Executive Summary

Introduction

.. Background - For years, animal health officials have used

animal identification to help trace animals so diseases could be

eradicated. In 2002, the National Institute of Animal Agriculture

(NIAA) initiated meetings that led to the development of the U.S.

Animal Identification Plan (USAIP). That work provided the

foundation data standards for the National Animal Identification

System (NAIS). This Draft Strategic Plan represents the current

thinking of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

(APHIS) regarding the implementation of the NAIS.

.. Organizational location - The NAIS is administered by

Veterinary Services (VS), a division of the Animal and Plant

Health Inspection Service (APHIS), which is an agency of the

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Critical Issues . Driving force - The strongest driving force for developing
the

NAIS is the risk of an outbreak of a foreign animal disease (FAD).

There is broad support for NAIS among government, industry,

and public stakeholders.

.. Overall support - External to APHIS, stakeholders provide

broad support for national animal identification.

.. Voluntary versus mandatory - Most individuals (by a ratio of

3:1) who spoke about this in the listening sessions prefer a

mandatory program or one that becomes mandatory to a purely

voluntary program. A survey of members of the NIAA shows

even stronger support (a ratio of 8:1) for a mandatory program or

one that becomes mandatory.

.. Four key stakeholder concerns:

1. Financial - Who will pay what costs and how will the program

be funded?

2. Confidentiality - Who will have access to the data, and how

will the data be used?

3. Flexibility - Will the NAIS accept data from existing

identification systems, and will producers be able to use the

NAIS for other purposes?

4. Liability - Will producers be exposed to unfair financial or

legal liability?

Goal, Key

Components,

and Guiding

Principles

.. Goal - The goal of the NAIS is to be able to identify all animals

and premises that have had contact with a foreign or domestic

animal disease of concern within 48 hours after discovery.

.. Key components - The NAIS consists of three key components:

(1) Premises registration, (2) animal identification, and (3) animal

tracking.

.. Principles - There are five principles that guide the development

of NAIS:

1. Uniform - The NAIS must be based on national data

standards to ensure that a uniform and compatible system

NAIS Strategic Plan - DRAFT Executive Summary

- Page 2 -

evolves throughout the United States.

2. Flexible - The NAIS must allow producers to use NAIS in

coordination with production management systems,

marketing incentives, etc.

3. Inclusive - APHIS is developing the NAIS for various species

and must make the NAIS mandatory at a specified date to

drive investment and progress.

4. Cooperative - Successful achievement of the 48-hour

traceback goal will result through State, Federal, and industry

partnerships.

5. Secured, reliable, and confidential information - To ensure

that animal heath officials have immediate, reliable, and

uninterrupted access to essential information that is protected

from open disclosure.

Timeline Key milestones:

.. July 2005: All States capable of premises registration.

.. July 2005: Animal Identification Number system operational.

.. April 2007: Premises registration and animal identification

"alerts".

.. January 2008: Premises registration and animal identification

required.

.. January 2009: Reporting of defined animal movements required;

entire program mandatory.

Stages of

Development

.. Much of the responsibility for delivering the program remains at

the State level. Stages of development will allow States to more

readily establish their local action items. Additionally, the stages

provide a system for APHIS to measure performance at regular

intervals to ensure uniform progress is achieved.

VS Lines of

Action

.. Resources and staffing - Hire staff for APHIS to help develop

and implement NAIS; develop a cooperative budget; and use

cooperative agreements to fund initial implementation and the

infrastructure that States and Tribes need.

.. Regulation, policy, and guidance - Develop strategic,

implementation and operational plans; develop Uniform Methods

and Rules; develop an interim rule to allow new identification and

a proposed rule to make the system mandatory; develop

memorandums of understanding with States and Tribes as

needed; and propose legislation to resolve confidentiality issues.

.. Information systems development and implementation -

Develop information and supporting systems for premises

registration and animal identification and tracking; and establish a

help-desk to support users of the NAIS information systems.

.. Input, outreach, and training - Develop a network of input

through a Subcommittee of the Secretary's Advisory Committee

and associated working groups; receive and track input from

stakeholder organizations; develop and implement outreach

plans targeting industry, States, Tribes, USDA, and APHIS; and

NAIS Strategic Plan - DRAFT Executive Summary

- Page 3 -

develop a Web site to help with outreach; and develop and

implement systems training.

Measurement

.. Annual test exercises - APHIS would sponsor test exercises to

check on the progress of tracking animal movements. These

would include most species, States, and Tribes each year.

.. Milestones - Progress would be measured by determining

whether key milestones have been reached.

.. Stages of development - Progress of States and Tribes can be

measured against prescribed stages. National progress can be

measured by counting numbers of States and Tribes at each

stage.

Scott Bauer.) Under the proposed plan, all locations that hold, manage, or

board animals will be required to have a unique Premises

Identification Number by January 2008. (Photo by USDA

Agricultural Research Service photographer Scott Bauer.)

NAIS Strategic Plan Introduction

- Page 4 -

Introduction

Background Animal identification is not a new concept in the United States.
In the

1940s, the predecessor agency of the U.S. Department of

Agriculture's (USDA), Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

(APHIS) initiated an extensive program to identify cattle vaccinated for

brucellosis. The official brucellosis vaccination tag and an ear tattoo

has provided the United States with a highly successful animal

identification program for cattle for decades. However, since

brucellosis is almost eradicated in the United States, that system of

tagging and identification is being phased-out rapidly.

Animal identification did not start or stop with brucellosis. Other

animal health programs also include an animal identification

component, and certain classes of livestock must be officially identified

before entering interstate commerce. In addition, some animals must

be identified before they can compete in shows or race on a track. So,

there are multiple identification systems in place that exist for different

purposes, but no uniform nationwide animal identification system

exists for all animals of any given species. That is about to change.

For the past several years, a State-Federal-industry effort has been

underway to develop a nationwide animal identification system. This

Draft Strategic Plan represents APHIS' current thinking regarding the

implementation of the NAIS.

USAIP The effort began to take shape in April 2002 when the National

Institute for Animal Agriculture (NIAA) established a task force to

provide leadership in creating an animal identification plan. APHIS

and over 30 livestock organizations were part of this task force. A

preliminary report was given at the NIAA's ID Info/Expo in July 2002.

The final report was presented at the United States Animal Health

Association's (USAHA) annual meeting in October 2002, where the

work plan was accepted through a unanimous resolution. APHIS then

established the National Identification Development Team (NIDT), a

joint, State, Federal, and industry group to further advance this effort.

Throughout 2003, the NIDT, consisting of approximately 100 animal

and livestock industry professionals representing more than 70

associations, organizations, and government agencies, expanded

upon the work plan to produce the initial draft of the U.S. Animal

Identification Plan (USAIP). Although early versions of the USAIP

focused on food animals only, other livestock species (such as

alpacas, llamas, and horses) were incorporated into the plan.

The USAIP was well underway when one case of bovine spongiform

encephalopathy (BSE) was confirmed in the United States on

December 25, 2003. On December 30, 2003, the Secretary of

Agriculture announced additional protection to guard against BSE and

indicated that USDA would expedite the implementation of the

NAIS Strategic Plan Introduction

- Page 5 -

National Animal Identification System (NAIS). In making the

announcement, the Secretary stated:

USDA has worked with partners at the Federal and State levels

and in industry for the past year and a half on the adoption of

standards for a verifiable nationwide animal identification

system to help enhance the speed and accuracy of our

response to disease outbreaks across many different animal

species.

Beginning of

NAIS

Animal identification is worthwhile to producers and animal owners for

various reasons, including performance recording and marketing

opportunities. However, APHIS is focusing on animal identification for

one reason: to establish the animal information foundation necessary

to support animal disease monitoring, surveillance, control, and

eradication programs.

Individuals associated with animal industries recognize that finding

potentially infected animals early in a disease outbreak is essential to

containing the disease quickly. The NAIS is designed for rapid tracing

of animals during an outbreak situation, limiting the scope and

expense of the outbreak, and allow APHIS and its partners to minimize

the impact on domestic and foreign markets. NAIS will also be critical

as APHIS works to complete disease eradication programs in which

the Federal government, States, and industry have invested many

years and millions of dollars.

NAIS is for all animals that will benefit from having a system in place

that facilitates rapid tracing in the event of a disease concern.

Currently, working groups are developing plans for alpacas and

llamas, bison, cattle (beef and dairy), deer and elk, horses, goats,

poultry, sheep, and swine.

In implementing the NAIS, APHIS is drawing from some of the data

standards first established in the USAIP. However, the USAIP should

not be viewed as an exact blueprint for the NAIS. APHIS continues to

seek recommendations from industry and other interested parties

throughout the design and implementation of the NAIS.

APHIS has established a Subcommittee of the Secretary's Advisory

Committee on Foreign Animal and Poultry Diseases that focuses on

the implementation of NAIS. This Subcommittee is made up of State

and industry stakeholders, with Federal staff providing administrative

resources.

The NAIS Subcommittee is responsible for making regular, formal

recommendations to the Secretary's Advisory Committee about how

the NAIS should progress. As part of this process, the Subcommittee

will accept recommendations about the NAIS from species and issuespecific

working groups. The Subcommittee will also accept

recommendations from national organizations, such as USAHA, NIAA,

NAIS Strategic Plan Introduction

- Page 6 -

and other industry associations.

The NAIS is continually evolving as those responsible for its

implementation receive input from various sources. For example,

policymakers will:

.. incorporate the results of field trials funded through

cooperative agreements between USDA and States/Tribes;

.. review information submitted as part of an advance notice of

proposed rulemaking and through USDA listening sessions;

and

.. work to integrate recommendations they receive from various

advisory committees and working groups.

Organizational

Placement

The program to support the NAIS is administered by the USDA,

APHIS, VS.

The USDA is a department of the executive branch of the Federal

Government responsible for providing leadership on food, agriculture,

natural resources, and related issues. APHIS is the agency of USDA

whose mission is to protect the health and value of American

agriculture and natural resources. VS is the program within APHIS

that protects and improves the health, quality, and marketability of our

nation's animals, animal products, and veterinary biologics by:

.. Preventing, controlling, and eliminating animal diseases and

.. Monitoring and promoting animal health and productivity

NAIS integrates smoothly within all three of its sponsoring

organizations.

Animal identification is not a new concept. In the United States, many

animals are already identified through eartags, brands, or tattoos. The NAIS

will help standardize animal identification at the national level for all
animals

of a given species. (USDA Photo by Neil Hammerschmidt.)

NAIS Strategic Plan - DRAFT Critical Issues

- Page 7 -

Critical Issues

Driving Force The strongest driving force is the risk of adverse animal
health

events that require quick response. With the outbreak of exotic

Newcastle disease in California in 2002 and 2003 and the Canadian

cow that tested positive for BSE in 2003, the need for rapid

tracebacks has become more urgent. Recent outbreaks worldwide

of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), especially in the United Kingdom

in 2001, show the United States is at risk, too. In addition, the

September 11, 2001, attacks make clear that an intentional

introduction of an animal disease is a real risk.

Overall

Support

In a meeting (October, 2004) to discuss Strengths, Weaknesses

Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) participants said one of the

strengths of the program is the broad industry, governmental, and

stakeholder support for a national animal identification program. In

listening sessions held by APHIS (June-November, 2004), 59 of 60

comments indicated support for NAIS.

Voluntary

Versus

Mandatory

In the listening sessions, 47 people commented on whether an

animal identification system should be mandatory or voluntary. Only

12 of the 47 said they prefer a voluntary system. 17 people

suggested that the system should be mandatory, while 18 people

suggested the program begin as voluntary, but should eventually

become mandatory. Therefore, a ratio of 3:1 respondents preferred

a mandatory program to a purely voluntary program.

In addition, the NIAA conducted a survey of its members about

national animal identification. In results that are even stronger than

the listening sessions, 8:1 prefer a mandatory program. A majority

preferred a voluntary program that eventually becomes mandatory

on a future date. See the table below and the NIAA Web site

(www.animalagriculture.org/survey/NAIS.htm) for more information:

Do you support a voluntary or mandatory program?

No response 08%

Voluntary 10%

Voluntary during developmental stages, but with a decided future

date for making the program mandatory 54%

Mandatory 25%

Unsure/No Opinion 03%

NAIS Strategic Plan - DRAFT Critical Issues

- Page 8 -

Transition from Voluntary to Mandatory

Phased-in

Approach

We must ensure the participation requirements of the NAIS not only

provide the results necessary to maintain the health of the national

herd, but also that the program is practical for producers and all

others involved in production. Therefore, full implementation of the

NAIS will be a phased-in plan.

During the initial implementation period, participation is voluntary.

Stakeholders have the opportunity to obtain experience with the

system and provide feedback as successful and practical solutions

evolve.

The first priority is to identify locations that hold and manage

livestock with the nationally unique, 7-character Premises

Identification Number. States and Tribes administer premises

registration.

Producers that have registered their premises may obtain official

identification devices with the Animal Identification Number (AIN).

As producers acquire these AIN Tags, the initial record of which

premises receives tags also provides NAIS with information to

determine the origin of the animal. or where the animal was first

tagged. The AIN provides a unique lifetime number for each animal

identified as an individual. Producers with species identified as

groups or lots may use their premises number to establish the official

Group/Lot Identification of their animals.

Advancing animal identification data collection systems at packing

plants will be a priority, so animals removed from the population can

be recorded as efficiently as possible. Collecting interstate

movements will be another priority, thus the USDA will implement the

electronic interstate certificate of veterinary inspection and electronic

movement permit systems. As more animals are identified, the

systems necessary to record animal movements through other

concentration points will be tested and implemented.

USDA anticipates that adequate advances in the NAIS will continue

to occur, and it 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.

Collecting and recording animal movements is the greatest challenge

ahead. USDA will continue to support field trials and gradual

implementation of successful data collection systems to collect

animal movement records. Ongoing collaboration with market

operators, dealers, and service providers will be essential. The

requirement for collecting and reporting defined animal movements

to the national animal identification and tracking repository is

NAIS Strategic Plan - DRAFT Critical Issues

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scheduled for January 2009.

A full timeline of the phased-in approach to the NAIS implementation

is available, beginning on page 16. Additionally, greater detail of

how the NAIS will work is in the NAIS Program Standards document.

This resource document will be updated as species and issue-based

working groups provide feedback on the mechanics of the plan.

Regulatory

Process

The Animal Health Protection Act (AHPA) authorizes the Secretary

of the USDA to carry out operations and measures to detect, control,

or eradicate livestock pests or disease. It also provides ample

authority to establish and implement either a mandatory or voluntary

system of animal identification. Further, the AHPA enables the

Secretary of the USDA to enter into agreements with States or other

stakeholder organizations to implement either a mandatory or

voluntary animal identification program.

USDA will follow the normal rulemaking process in changing the

status of NAIS from voluntary to mandatory. The public will have the

opportunity to comment on any proposed regulations. The following

provides an overview of how the USDA plans to move forward with

distributing information about the NAIS requirements and revising

regulations in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR).

Timeline:

June 2004: USDA listening sessions began, providing stakeholders

the opportunity to discuss the development, structure, and

implementation of NAIS and to submit public comments.

July, 2004: USDA, along with the Department of Health and Human

Services, publishes a joint advance notice of proposed rulemaking

(ANPR), which gives interested parties the opportunity to comment

on additional regulatory and policy measures under consideration to

strengthen protections against the spread of bovine spongiform

encephalopathy (BSE). Among other things, APHIS sought

comments on the implementation of NAIS, specifically, when and

under what circumstances the program should move from voluntary

to mandatory, and which species should be covered now and over

the long term. The comment period for this section of the ANPR

closed on September 13, 2004

April 2005: USDA publishes a notice of availability in the Federal

Register announcing the publication of a Draft Strategic Plan for

NAIS and a Draft NAIS Standards Document.

Summer 2005: Taking into consideration all of the public input

received through the listening sessions and comments on the ANPR

and draft standards document, USDA will begin drafting a proposed

rule that will establish new regulations for requiring premises to be

NAIS Strategic Plan - DRAFT Critical Issues

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registered and for animals to be identified and tracked according to

NAIS standards.

July 2006: USDA will publish a proposed rule establishing new

requirements for premises registration and animal identification that

follow NAIS standards. (The rule may define rolling effective dates,

allow for delays in implementation as producers transition from

scrapie ID to NAIS AINs, etc.) Premises registration and animal

identification according to NAIS standards will be required by

January 2008.

Fall 2007: USDA will publish the final rule establishing mandatory

animal identification and premises registration requirements.

January 2008: Final rule requiring premises registration and animal

identification as defined under NAIS program standards will become

effective.

January 2009: The animal tracking component will become

mandatory.

By January 2009, USDA anticipates that the animal tracking component of

NAIS will become mandatory. USDA will continue to support field trials and

gradual implementation of successful data collection systems to collect
animal

movement records. Technology such as these radio frequency identification

panel readers may be incorporated into the system for certain species. (USDA

Photo by R. Anson Eaglin.)

NAIS Strategic Plan - DRAFT Critical Issues

- Page 11 -

Stakeholder

Concerns

Even with general support for the program and further support for a

mandatory program, participants in the listening sessions and the

SWOT meeting have some concerns about a national animal

identification system. According to these two sources of information,

the main concerns are:

1. Financial - There are two financial concerns: costs and

funding. Producers are concerned about the costs of national

identification generally and personally. Some suggest sharing

the costs between the program and industry. Also, participants

indicated that because of the benefit to the public at large,

much of the funding of the animal identification program should

be supported by public funds. Even with public funding, there

will be costs to producers.

2. Ability to Maintain Confidentiality - Producers who will be

providing data for the system want assurances about who will

have access to the data and how the data will be used. First,

they are concerned that the data collected be used only for

animal health tracing and not for other purposes by government

or businesses without permission (such as food safety, animal

welfare, or environmental concerns). Second, they are

concerned about public access to data through the Freedom of

Information Act and sunshine laws. Their concern is that

someone could use the data to harm them or their businesses.

3. Flexibility - It is important that the national system be flexible

enough to accept data from existing identification systems

(particularly branding systems). Also, the system needs to be

flexible enough to allow producers to use it for their herd

management needs.

4. Liability - Some participants voiced concerns that the NAIS

information would be used by individuals (other than animal

health authorities) for food safety issues and that traceability of

food products would increase the participants' risk of liability

and financial loss from food safety issues for which they are not

responsible.

NAIS Strategic Plan - DRAFT Goals, Key Components and Guiding Principles

- Page 12 -

Goals, Key Components, and Guiding Principles

NAIS Goal The goal of NAIS is to be able to identify all animals and
premises

that have had contact with a foreign or domestic animal disease of

concern within 48 hours after discovery. As an information system

that provides for rapid tracing of infected and exposed animals

during an outbreak situation, the NAIS will help limit the scope of

such outbreaks and ensure that they are contained and eradicated

as quickly as possible.

Partnerships among all stakeholders are the foundation for achieving

this tremendously important and extremely challenging goal.

The Key

Components

The NAIS will be established gradually through the integration of

these key components:

.. Premises identification:

To track animals, we must know where they are born and where

they could be moved. Therefore, identifying locations that

manage or hold animals, referred to as premises, is the starting

point of the NAIS. Each premises will be identified with a unique

seven-character identifier, or a premises identification number.

.. Animal identification:

To track animals as they move from premises to premises, we

must also have a standard way to identify them. Animals will be

identified either individually with a unique, Animal Identification

Number (AIN) or, if they are managed and moved through the

production chain as a group, with a Group/Lot Identification

Number (Group/Lot ID).

.. Animal tracking:

As animals move from one premises to another, a few basic

pieces of information will be reported to the national animal

records repository: the AIN or Group/Lot ID, the premises

number of the receiving location, and the date of the event being

reported. Our ability to achieve the 48-hour traceback objective

will be directly affected by the percentage of animal movements

we are able to record. Collecting animal movement information

might be the most challenging component of the NAIS.

NAIS Strategic Plan - DRAFT Goals, Key Components and Guiding Principles

- Page 13 -

NAIS Guiding

Principles

In achieving the 48-hour traceback goal, APHIS believes the system

must follow several core guiding principles that include the following:

.. Uniform - The NAIS will be based on national data standards to

ensure that a uniform and compatible system evolves throughout

the United States. The program will support all needs of official

identification, including animal disease programs, intrastate, and

interstate commerce.

.. Flexible - The NAIS must allow producers to use NAIS in

coordination with production management systems, marketing

incentives, etc., allowing for the transition to a "one number - one

animal" system for disease control programs and other industry

administered programs.

While animals must be identified before moving from their current

premises, producers can decide whether to identify their stock at

birth or through other management practices.

The integration of animal identification technology standards

(electronic identification, retinal scan, DNA, etc.) will be

determined by industry to ensure the most practical options are

implemented, and that new ones can easily be incorporated into

the NAIS.

.. Inclusive - The NAIS is being developed for animals that will

benefit from a system that facilitates rapid tracing in the event of

a disease concern. Currently, working groups are developing

plans for camelids (llamas and alpacas), cattle and bison, cervids

(deer and elk), equines, goats, poultry, sheep, and swine.

The NAIS is now voluntary, so producers and other stakeholders

can participate in the design, development, and testing of the

system to ensure practical solutions evolve. To achieve the goal

of 48-hour traceback, all producers and affected industry

segments must eventually participate.

While market forces may eventually create more inclusiveness,

the clear stakeholder support for transitioning to a mandatory

program and the urgency of achieving the goal, suggest that

setting a date for that transition would benefit the program. Being

clear about when the program will become mandatory will

increase producer participation in the initial, voluntary phase and

will help move the overall cooperative development and program

implementation of the program along more quickly. Other

stakeholders in the preharvest production chain will know when

they must participate and can plan accordingly. Establishing a

date when the program will become mandatory will also help

bring more and earlier investment of private funds to the effort,

particularly for the support of the integration of automated data

collection systems.

NAIS Strategic Plan - DRAFT Goals, Key Components and Guiding Principles

- Page 14 -

In keeping with the gradual approach, the transition from

voluntary to mandatory will occur in phases. An extensive

communication "alert" for mandatory premises registration and

animal identification is targeted for April 2007. The 9-month

campaign provides a period during which everyone can acclimate

to the new requirements for premises registration and animal

identification beginning in January 2008. The requirements for

reporting of animal movements would then be implemented

January 2009.

.. Cooperative - The NAIS is a joint effort. Successful

achievement of the 48-hour traceback goal will occur through

State, Federal, and industry partnerships. While animal health

authorities have significant responsibilities, it is important to

ensure that this effort does not unduly increase the size and

scope of Federal or State governments.

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

databases. 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 labor.

.. Secured, reliable, confidential information - The NAIS will

store a limited amount of essential information, just enough for

animal health officials to be able to track an animal's movements

and identify any other animals it may have exposed. To ensure

that animal heath officials have immediate, reliable, and

uninterrupted access to this information in the event of a disease

concern, certain basic data must be maintained at the Federal

level. Accordingly, essential information will be maintained within

data repositories managed by APHIS.

Animal identification and tracking systems maintained by the

States or regional alliances will be an integral part of the overall

NAIS information infrastructure. The essential data from those

systems will be sent to the national repositories. The

State/regional systems will be able to collect and maintain more

information than is required for the NAIS, but will send only the

minimally required information to the national animal records

repository.

At our listening sessions held throughout the country, producers

have consistently identified as a prerequisite for participation in

NAIS Strategic Plan - DRAFT Goals, Key Components and Guiding Principles

- Page 15 -

the NAIS, the need for assurance that their information will be

kept confidential.

The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552 et seq.)

creates a presumption towards disclosure of Federal agency

records, unless the records fall within one of the exemptions

contained in that statute. Information withheld from a FOIA

requester under exemption (b)(4) [confidential business

information] and (b)(6) [privacy] may be required to be released

in the event that a court finds that these exemptions do not apply.

While much of the information collected by the NAIS might qualify

for these exemptions, the USDA cannot assure the confidentiality

of all the information at the present time. Consequently, in order

to secure full participation from livestock producers, the USDA is

pursuing legislation to establish a system for withholding or

disclosing information obtained through the animal identification

system established by the Secretary of the USDA.

The NAIS is a cooperative effort. The exact definition of "premises" will be

determined by each State's or Tribe's animal health authority. Local animal
health

officials will be better able to address regional variations in production
systems and

methods, including how to identify open range and public grazing lands such
as

those found in the West. (USDA photo.)

NAIS Strategic Plan - DRAFT Lines of Action

- Page 16 -

Timeline

Introduction The plan reflects a phased-in approach for each of the next 4
years

to ensure practical implementation through producer and stakeholder

input and participation. Actions for each component are targeted

within each phase to support the transition from voluntary to

mandatory as full implementation is achieved.

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

- Page 17 -

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.

* See Transition from Voluntary to Mandatory, page 8.

NAIS Timeline

2005 2006 2007 2008

Initiate

"840" ID #

Animal Identification

AIN Fully

Operational

ICVI Fully

Operational

Premises

Registered

"Alert"

All States

Operational

Premises Registration

25% Prems

Registered

Animal Tracking

Build IT and Data Collection Infrastructure

NAIS

..the Gold

Standard

Full

Implementation of

Animal ID

&

Tracking

2009

Mandatory

Premises

Registration

Animal ID

"Alert"

ICVI

Incentive

Mandatory

Animal ID

Point of Origin

for Animals in

Voluntary NAIS

Mandatory

Movement

Reporting

Collect

Termination

and Defined

Movements

Ramp Up

Collection of

Termination

Records

NAIS Strategic Plan - DRAFT Lines of Action

- Page 18 -

Stages of Development

Introduction The concept of using stages of progress as a way of measuring

national implementation is not new. It is how we measure progress

in the brucellosis, tuberculosis, and pseudorabies eradication

programs. The NAIS is also a cooperative State-Federal-industry

program and lends itself to similar tracking.

Stage I: Preparatory

Qualifications:

To qualify for Stage I recognition, the State would have meet the

following standards:

1. A State animal identification committee composed of

representatives of major segments of the farm animal

industry is formed and functioning. Membership could

include, but not be limited to the following stakeholders:

a. Major producer organizations;

b. Major breed organizations;

c. Major marketing organizations;

d. Major packer organizations;

e. State and Federal animal health agencies and Tribal

organizations;

f. Technology providers (tags, readers, integrators);

g. Data service providers; and

h. Transportation (trucking industry).

2. Plans are formulated for a reliable system of determining the

number of animals and the number of premises in the State.

3. State officials and/or industry representatives have, or are

actively seeking, legislative and regulatory authority to:

a. Participate in the NAIS;

b. Require the registration of premises where animals

reside that are susceptible to known foreign animal

diseases or diseases with State or Federal eradication

programs; and

c. Require identification of animals that move to a point

where they are commingled with other animals.

4. A system for distribution of the NAIS literature to producers

and other interested groups is developed and functioning.

5. Applicable regulations are enforced.

6. The States will prepare a quarterly report of NAIS activities

and submit it to APHIS, VS for tabulation and distribution in a

national progress report. APHIS VS shall make reports as

requested and at least, annually, to the NAIS Subcommittee

of the Secretary's Advisory Committee on Foreign Animal

and Poultry Diseases, on progress, operation, and use of

Federal funds.

NAIS Strategic Plan - DRAFT Lines of Action

- Page 19 -

Stage II: Premises Identification

Qualifications:

To qualify for Stage II recognition, the State would have to meet the

following standards:

1. All qualifying requirements of Stage I continue to be met.

2. The State has implemented a premises registration system

that is compliant with the NAIS data standards.

3. 35 percent of the qualifying premises in the State are

registered, and that information has been reported to the

National Premises Information Repository

4. The State has a requirement that registered premises update

the contact information at least annually

Stage III: Animal Identification

Qualifications:

To qualify for Stage III recognition, the State would have to meet the

following standards:

1. All qualifying requirements of Stage II continue to be met.

2. The State has begun to identify Nonproducer Participants

within their State who may qualify as AIN Managers. These

entities will need to apply to APHIS, VS to make certain they

meet the strict requirements. APHIS, VS will make a list of all

certified AIN Managers available to the States.

3. A system to issue AIN's to producers has been implemented

in the State.

4. 80 percent of the qualifying premises in the State are

registered, and that information has been reported to the

National Premises Information Repository.

5. 25 percent of the qualifying animals in the State are

identified, and that information has been reported to the

National Animal Identification and Tracking Repository in

accordance with the requirements of the NAIS.

Stage IV: Animal Tracking

Qualifications:

To qualify for Stage IV recognition, the State would have to meet the

following standards:

1. All qualifying requirements of Stage III continue to be met.

2. The State has begun to implement an animal tracking system

that is compliant with the NAIS data standards.

3. Key locations where animals commingle are equipped with

the infrastructure to record the information required by the

NAIS and report it to the National Animal Tracking

Information Repository.

4. 95 percent of the qualifying premises in the State are

registered, and that information has been reported to the

National Premises Information Repository.

5. 60 percent of the qualifying animals in the State are

identified, and that information has been reported to the

National Animal Tracking Information Repository in

accordance with the requirements of the NAIS.

NAIS Strategic Plan - DRAFT Lines of Action

- Page 20 -

6. 25 percent of the qualifying animal movements in the State

are recorded and reported to the National Animal Tracking

Information Repository in accordance with the requirements

of the NAIS

Stage V: NAIS Full implementation

Qualifications

To qualify for Stage V recognition, the State would have to meet the

following standards:

1. All qualifying requirements of Stage IV continue to be met.

2. 100 percent of the qualifying premises in the State are

registered, and that information has been reported to the

National Premises Information Repository.

3. 90 percent of the qualifying animals in the State are

identified, and that information has been reported to the

National Animal Tracking Information Repository in

accordance with the requirements of the NAIS

4. 80 percent of the qualifying animal movements in the State

are recorded and reported to the National Animal Tracking

Information Repository in accordance with the requirements

of the NAIS

Duration of status

Twelve to fourteen months following assignment of any Stage status

by APHIS, VS, a State must (1) indicate that it continues to meet the

current Stage requirements, utilizing the same certification

procedures as followed initially, or (2) certify that it meets the

requirements of a subsequent Stage. States failing to recertify as

required will automatically lose their current status and revert to the

next lowest Stage.

Once the NAIS is fully

implemented, producers

should be able to register

their premises and then

contact a USDAapproved

Animal

Identification Number

Manager to obtain official

AIN Tags. Group/Lot

Identification Numbers

will be an option for

species, such as swine,

that typically move as a

group through the

production chain. (USDA

photo by Gene

Alexander.)

NAIS Strategic Plan - DRAFT Lines of Action

- Page 21 -

VS Lines of Action

Introduction APHIS, VS, will successfully manage the NAIS through its
National

Animal Health Programs by following these lines of action:

1. Acquire

Resources

Acquire and use the needed resources to develop and implement the

program

1. Develop the APHIS infrastructure to support the NAIS

a. Develop organizational structure and workforce plan for

the NAIS for APHIS, VS

b. Develop a budget and ongoing plan to fund NAIS

2. Encourage the development of State infrastructure through the

use of cooperative agreements

a. Support the State infrastructure where needed through

the use of cooperative agreements

b. Support implementation projects through the use of

cooperative agreements

3. Develop a cooperative financial plan

a. Prepare financial analysis that documents complete

annual cost for implementing the NAIS

b. Develop a cost-benefit analysis

2. Develop

Regulations,

Policies, and

Guidance

Develop the needed regulations, policies, and guidance documents

to support the implementation of the NAIS

1. Develop strategic, implementation, and operational plans

2. Develop Uniform Methods and Rules

3. Develop regulations:

a. Interim rule allowing alternative numbering systems

b. Proposed rule to make system mandatory for:

i. Premises registration and animal identification

by January 2008

ii. Reporting defined animal movements by

January 2009

iii. Unify animal identification requirements,

definitions, and devices for all animal disease

programs

c. Support regulation development needed at the State

or Tribal level

4. Establish stages of development to measure performance of

States

5. Develop memorandums of understanding as needed with

Tribes and States

6. Submit proposed legislation to support confidentiality

3. Develop

Information

Systems

Design, develop, implement, and support the NAIS information

systems

1. Develop and implement components of the National Premises

Registration System

2. Develop and implement components of the Animal

NAIS Strategic Plan - DRAFT Lines of Action

- Page 22 -

Identification and Tracking System

3. Establish a user help desk for NAIS

4. Input,

Outreach, and

Training

Develop ways to allow stakeholder input into the development of the

system and outreach and training to help stakeholders understand

and use the system

1. Input

a. Develop a Subcommittee of the Secretary's Advisory

Committee to advise the agency on national animal

identification

b. Develop a network of working groups to provide input

about species implementation and general

implementation issues

c. Stay connected to existing networks of input through

USAHA, NIAA, and other industry organizations

2. Outreach

a. Develop and implement outreach plan for industry and

external stakeholders

b. Develop and implement outreach plan for USDA.

c. Develop and implement outreach plan for APHIS

d. Update APHIS and USDA leaders of progress

e. Develop informational web site

3. Training

a. Develop and deliver training for the premises and

animal identification systems provided by APHIS

b. Train Area Veterinarians in Charge and State

Veterinarians in cooperative agreements process

Measuring Success

Three

Measures

There would be three ways to measure success of the NAIS:

1. Annual test exercises - Annual test exercises would be

conducted to determine how long it would take to complete the

tracings compared to the NAIS goal. These would be done to

include most species and most States and Tribes each year.

2. Milestones - The timelines lay out key milestones to be

achieved nationally. Progress would be measured against the

planned milestones.

3. Stages of development - While it would be best if the program

progresses equally nationally, that may not be practicable.

States and tribal progress can be measured against prescribed

stages of development. National progress can be measured by

counting the number of States and Tribes at each stage.


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