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Ranchers.net

Animal IDs a concern for local farmers



Ebony Horton

The Dothan Eagle

May 9, 2006

Alabama, US



It’s like a social security number for a beef cow.



The USDA is predicting the National Animal Identification System, which would require eartags with a unique identification number to trace livestock’s origin, will be mandatory by 2009.



Alabama recently passed a bill implementing the Alabama Premises Registration System - a voluntary seven-digit, alphanumeric voluntary premise ID - to identify feeding mills, farms and other grounds associated with animal agriculture. Within 48 hours, the origin of an infected livestock could be traced.



The bill also calls for confidentiality of the farmers’ information - only the farmer’s name, 911 address and type of livestock would be listed for the government to view.



But as the plan edges closer to national law, some local cattlemen are moving farther away from its approval.



"National security’s fine but if you ID everything that comes into the country we wouldn’t have a problem," said Randy Buckelew, an Opp livestock trader.



"When Canada and Mexico bring cattle in here the government should have (cattle) ID’d then. Why make us (cattlemen) do all this? And what about older farmers who aren’t physically able to get out there and tag every cow?"



Several farmers at the cattle sale at Dothan Livestock Company on Monday agreed.



State legislators stand on both sides of the identification system. While Agriculture Commissioner Ron Sparks said the bill guarantees the state will not implement or make an animal identification mandatory until the federal government does, he said he supported registering premises.



"It’s a work in progress - they’re not any definites in this program, but the demand is on some type of traceability," he said. "In Alabama we don’t want to sit around and wait for something to happen, we want to be a part. We don’t want to be victims."



Discussion to implement a plan escalated when a cow found in Alabama with BSE - Mad Cow Disease - could not be traced.



Advocate Billy Powell, executive vice president of the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association, said Alabama would be tagged at time of commerce so small, part-time farmers wouldn’t have to tag the animals on the farm.



Although the national identification program is expected to be mandatory by 2009, Powell said an economical incentive could bring change much earlier.



"Merchandisers could say they only want cattle that can be tracked, which could cause major economical strain for farmers who don’t track their animals," he said.



Nearly $20 million has already been invested in the animal identification program, according to the USDA Web site. President Bush called for $33 million in the fiscal year 2005.



More than 235,000 premises are registered as of April 2006.



But Buckelew said he won’t tag his cattle until forced to.



"Anything the government says is voluntary won’t be that way for long," Buckelew said. "When it becomes mandatory, that’s when I’ll do it."





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