The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently published a proposed animal disease traceability rule that will require official identification and an Interstate Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (ICVI) or other documentation for interstate movement of certain livestock. Interstate movements have the greatest potential impact on disease spread nationally. The regulations will authorize specific forms of official identification for each species which should be accepted by all States. The current regulations for horses, captive cervids (e.g. deer and elk), sheep, goats, swine and poultry will change very little.
Although the proposed rule will define official identification for several species, cattle are the initial target species. For cattle, the proposed rule recognizes the following devices as official identification: Animal Identification Number devices (840 tags); National Uniform Eartagging System tags (silver and orange metal tags with the state code); and Location-Based Number (an official premises identification number with a unique herd management number). Other forms of identification may be acceptable when agreed upon by animal health officials in the movement state of origin and state of destination including, but not limited to, brands, tattoos and breed registry certificates. Current interstate movement regulations require individual identification of sexually intact cattle (breeding animals) over 24 months of age.
The new proposal requires individual identification of all dairy, rodeo and show cattle 18 months of age and older. There is to be a phase-in of official identification requirements for cattle less than 18 months of age. The rule provides some identification requirement exemptions, such as a commuter herd with a copy of the commuter herdagreement; and movement of cattle less than 18 months of age between any two States with documentation other than an ICVI (i.e. brand inspection certificates) agreed upon by animal health officials in the two States. The proposed rule also has a provision to prevent retagging an animal with a similar official device. For instance, if an animal has a USDA-issued “silver brite” metal tag, application of a second “silver brite” tag will not be permitted. The rule does not allow for an ICVI to have an attachment listing official identification numbers, which could present difficulties for producers using the 15 digit 840numbers and capturing the identification information electronically.
States, working closely with local producers, will be responsible for implementing a traceability system that will achieve national traceability performance standards. Each State must develop a three year roadmap to implement the new regulations.
CDFA has an active animal disease traceability working group. Please contact Victor Velez at
vvelez@cdfa.ca.gov to participate and provide input.
To review the proposed rule, go to:
http://www.regulations.gov/#!submitComment;D=APHIS-2009-0091-0001