USDA Partners with NMPF on Animal ID

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USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has another industry partnership in its National Animal Identification System efforts. The latest partnership - with the National Milk Producers Federation - is designed to facilitate the registration of dairy farm, dairy calf and heifer grower premises.

According to USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs - the agreement with NMPF is another important step forward as the department advances the National Animal Identification System. He notes the agreement builds on those previously announced with the National Pork Board, the National FFA Organization and the U.S. Animal Identification Organization. Knight says all are designed to promote animal health by giving producers the information they need to take that step of registering their premises and protecting their animals.

NMPF is leading the iDairy effort - a consortium of dairy cattle associations formed in 2005 to promote NAIS in the dairy industry. Since the establishment of IDairy - USDA says more than 30-thousand dairy producers have registered their premises under the NAIS. But there are still as many as 35-thousand commercial dairy farms and dairy calf and heifer grower operations that have not registered.

IDairy wants to see 100-percent of the operations registered. Under the agreement with USDA - they will work toward that goal by conducting an outreach campaign that includes direct mail, advertising, Internet activities, dairy and trade show presentations - and individual contacts with producers.