USDA Traceability Update
Dr. Maggie Justice, Extension Beef Specialist
Today (April 29) the USDA announced the amendment of their animal traceability regulations for certain classes of cattle and bison. This finale traceability rule updates the existing requirement for animal identification that has been in place since 2013. This update switches from solely visual tags to tags that are both electronically and visually readable for certain classes of cattle moving interstate. This updated rule applies to all sexually intact cattle and bison 18 months of age or older, all dairy cattle, cattle and bison of any age used for rodeo or recreation events, and cattle or bison of any age used for shows or exhibitions. The rule requires official ear tags to be visually and electronically readable for official use for interstate movement of these classes of animals and revises and clarifies certain record requirements related to cattle.
APHIS (Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service) said that one of the rule's most significant benefits for farmers and ranchers will be the enhanced ability of the US to limit the impact of animal disease outbreaks. This is a step in the USDA's commitment to the implementation of a modern animal disease traceability system that tracks animals from birth to slaughter using affordable technology that allows for quick tracing of sick and exposed animals to stop disease spread. This rule will be effective 180 days after publication in the Federal Register.
The USDA will continue to provide tags to producers free of charge to jumpstart effort to enable the fastest possible response to a foreign animal disease outbreak. Contact your State Veterinarian to obtain electronic ID tags at no cost.