By NANCY VORIS
Indiana Correspondent

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Two U.S. House subcommittees held a joint public hearing last week to review the National Animal Identification System (NAIS).

The Agriculture Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy and Poultry, chaired by Rep. David Scott (D-Ga.), and the Homeland Security’s Subcommittee on Emerging Threats, Cybersecurity and Science and Technology, chaired by Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.), held a joint hearing to examine NAIS’ role in protecting U.S. producers and consumers from the effects of an animal disease outbreak.

“The National Animal Identification System is a producer’s insurance against the potentially devastating economic impacts of a widespread animal disease epidemic,” Scott said. “A robust animal ID system with full traceability provides protection by helping to preserve producer market access, because it will allow us to more quickly isolate problem animals and stop the spread of illness.
“This in turn will allow us to demonstrate to other nations that the U.S. herd is safe and reopen those markets to U.S. goods.”

The subcommittees heard testimony from USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, the overseer of NAIS, as well as the Homeland Security Department’s Office of Health Affairs, which works with federal agency and state, local, tribal and private sector partners to assist in protecting the nation’s critical infrastructure relating to food, agriculture and veterinary resources.

State health, food safety and agriculture officials also testified about NAIS and state-administered animal ID efforts.
The USDA established the NAIS in 2004 to enhance its existing animal health protection efforts by offering national standards and expanding the level of participation beyond what had been required in existing disease programs.

“While such a system is not intended to prevent a disease outbreak, it is a vital tool that can help trace, track and quarantine infected animals in case such an outbreak occurs,” said House Ag Committee Chairman Collin C. Peterson (D-Minn.). “Identifying the source of an outbreak and mitigating its effects will save taxpayers in the long run and keep our export markets open.”

Julia Wickard, executive vice president of the Indiana Beef Cattle Assoc. (IBCA), responded to the joint committee’s comments, saying the federal government and states have already coordinated policies and procedures in place to respond to a food emergency.
“Many of our members already participate voluntarily in numerous animal identification programs as one of many tools to improve their herds, monitor disease and better market their cattle,” she said.

“But we continue to be concerned with privacy issues under a mandatory ID system. USDA at this time cannot guarantee that the animal ID database information would be protected from release to the public under a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request.”
She added that Indiana beef producers have been proactive in adopting the Board of Animal Health’s Premise ID Program, and encourages those who are not currently part of it to contact the IBCA office at 317-293-2333 for more information.

Written testimony provided by the witnesses is available on the House Agriculture Committee website at http://agriculture.house.gov/hearings and a full transcript of the hearing will be posted online at a later date.