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FSA will be the National Database for Animal ID

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CattleCo

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The events of last Friday further shows the need for a National Individual ID Program well before 2009! FSA is the ONLY agency that can get this system up an runniing in a short period of time. I would not be surprised after the comments period ends on July 6th, we will see USDA/APHIS realize they had better take a serious look at FSA!



Comment submitted by National Association of County Office Employees
Description:

Type: Public Comment
Phase: Notice
Company/Group/Association Name:
National Association of County Office Employees
Author Date (mm/dd/yyyy): 06-17-2005
Effective Date:
Comment: The county office employees of the Farm Service Agency are in a unique position to administer NAID registration in the county offices. FSA already maintains a strong database of crop and livestock producers with 911 addresses in the SCIMS database. FSA has demonstrated its current abilities by utliizing GPS and GIS computer technolgies to quickly place a quaratine around an operation in the event of a disease outbreak. APHIS indicates in their brochure that FSA farm numbers are not unique for each producer by county. This is incorrect, in that Farm Serial Number (FSN) 100 in Wagoner County, OK has a unique identifier in the computer database as compared to FSN 100 in Imperial County, NE. The state and county code for Wagoner County, OK is 40-145 and this is a part of the GPS database if farm records for that specific county. In other words, FSA could currently administer phases of implementation of NAID beyond just assisting the State Department of Agriculture in getting producers to request premise ID numbers.
 
Comment: In a basic review of the proposal, it appears that APHIS can be linked to the USDA database without difficulty. FSA, NRCS, and RD are in this network already. Addition of livestock producers can be made by any authorized personnel. The farmer can be input on the premises basis as long as there is not a continual change of grazing areas, therefore, a producer ID amy be more accurate when livestock is sold. The veternarians are generally very familiar with the livestock farmers since they are the contact for their services. This would be a more direct way of locating and dealing with a problem when it arises. Government agencies have the ability to identify farms thru satellite imagery and this information can be availiable to the veternarian directly instead of going through another source if it is needed. Itwould be more efficient to deal with the individuals trained in diseases and they have in house access rather than having to go through a third party to locate the farm(s). Less layering, more direct access to a potential problem and quicker action can be accomplished. Time may be of the essence.
 
Cattleco, I'm sure that the FSA could get us up and running with ID fast but have reservations about another guvment agency being in total control of any program. Government agencies sometimes don't have our best interest at heart, and sometimes don't have a heart at all.
Jury is still out with me on this proposal. You make a convincing argument though.
 
The farmer can be input on the premises basis as long as there is not a continual change of grazing areas, therefore, a producer ID amy be more accurate when livestock is sold. YES CATTLECO its a good thought but really this is the biggest hole in a FSA takeover.How would APHIS ever track a FM outbreak without recording ever change of premises.Just won't happen as the British found out the hard way when they couldn't account for every move an it cost that little country 34 billion pounds or 50 billion us.
 
Porker,
FSA will tweak the program to work well. All I am saying it may not be perfect but, it is the best plan. I do not want to deal with private data warehouse that will sell my data for profit. AND their are many data mangement programs out there that allows you to make management decision based on your herds performance....you do not need to enroll your food animals in a private data warehouse to do that!!!!!!! As soon as you put your information into a private data warehouse it has the opportunity to become PUBLIC RECORD!!!!!!!!!! As soon as USDA puts their plan into place the private companies are TOAST! But, the only data is the location of an animal.....not to much confidential about that info!!!!!!! People and NCBA have blown this confidentially thing totally out of the water. IT IS NOT A BIG DEAL!!!! WE ARE ONLY DEALING WITH THE ZIP CODES OF THE PATH THE ANIMAL TRAVELS THROUGH THE CHAIN :roll:
 
As soon as you put your information into a private data warehouse it has the opportunity to become PUBLIC RECORD!!!!!!!!!!
SAYS WHO?????? Which ones so I can LIST them HERE. BE careful now as you could get Sued.
 
OPPORTUNITY!!!!!!!!!!!!! Apparently you have misssed the news on the credit card leaks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No one has come up with a good reason why private data warehouses are needed to comply with the forthcoming USDA/FEDERAL-ID program when the GOV is going to have their own database????
 
Mike said:
Cattleco, I'm sure that the FSA could get us up and running with ID fast but have reservations about another guvment agency being in total control of any program.

"Government agencies sometimes don't have our best interest at heart, and sometimes don't have a heart at all."

Mike, why should the agencies "have a heart"? Do you want the guy who can come with the best sob story to get priority? Wouldn't it be better if they dealt in the law, rules, and facts rather than emotion when administering government programs and law?

MRJ


Jury is still out with me on this proposal. You make a convincing argument though.
 
MRJ,
As for FSA keeping the database.......I am sure it is not the perfect plan, but it is the best plan under the conditions we are experiencing at the present time. I look at FSA handling the database of food animal movement as the fastest way to get to the core of a problem. I have worked with the local FSA office for many, many years on my farms. I have always been well treated and the office staff is very good at their jobs. They handled the drought payments for cattle very well a few years ago. It just makes a lot of sense to start the data process in your home county, have your vet submit the transfer of ownership information. He is going to write a health paper on the animals befor shipment anyway. Yes, you will be required to have a health paper for inter and intra state movement. As for the Equine deal, you need a Coggins test every year. What is the big deal here??????????? At least at FSA you know the folks behind the desk on a first name basis, go to Church, attend school functions etc etc!!!!! I would rather be able to walk in a local office to do business, than drive to a state capitol to get something done.......stop and think about it! :roll:
 
NOT enough ag vets to do the job as thousands must be needed.In France they use 800,000 passport players to move records and check for data and also imput data.What would be the number of bodys needed in the US. ? A very good question.
 
Where do you get this not enough VETS BS..................Give me a break!
Apparently you do not know about BRAND INSPECTORS! Give it up......You have nothing to sell but a lot of hot air! :roll:
 
Reflecting on World Veterinary Day

by: Cyndie Sirekis, director of news services at the American Farm Bureau Federation.


Of the handful of days deemed worthy of commemoration during April as listed on a typical office calendar, World Veterinary Day (April 30) may be the least-recognized. This recognition closes a month that began with April Fools Day, saw the start of Daylight Savings Time on the 3rd, stressed millions of Americans with tax deadlines on the 15th, and includes Administrative Professionals Day on the 27th.

World Veterinary Day is recognized around the globe. It is sponsored by the World Veterinary Association, which has member organizations in more than 80 countries including a U.S. affiliate, the American Veterinary Medical Association. AVMA's roster of member veterinarians numbers 72,000. Veterinary practitioners' expertise can encompass companion animal care, large animal practice, equine practice, food safety, veterinary research and public health.

This year World Veterinary Day organizers are promoting the theme "Veterinarians Meeting the Needs of Society." The theme is certainly appropriate, as meeting the needs of one historically underserved segment of society, rural Americans, has actually become a greater concern in recent years.

Rural residents engaged in production agriculture or hobby farming and urban or city residents with beloved companion animals all have at least one thing in common – the need for a good veterinarian.

Unfortunately for America's farmers and ranchers, less than 25 percent of U.S. veterinarians are currently using their skills in large animal or equine practices, which specialize in the health care of beef and dairy cattle, hogs, sheep and horses. The shortage of large animal vets around 200,000 is proving to be a problem for farmers and ranchers, especially those in remote, rural areas who often resort to transporting sick animals hundred of miles for treatment.

Nineteen years ago, more than 45 percent of AVMA members cared for large animals.

Relatively low compensation, long hours and the physically demanding nature of the work make large animal practice a less attractive option for most vet school graduates. Dr. Roger Mahr, an Illinois veterinarian who is president-elect of AVMA, would like to change that and plans to make addressing specific veterinary shortages a key focus of the organization.

There's a need not only for practicing veterinarians, according to Mahr, but "there's a critical shortage in the areas of food safety and food security, biomedical research, academia, regulatory medicine, and emergency health preparedness."

Mahr is expected to assume the reins of AVMA in July. Undoubtedly it will take some time for his plan of addressing the large animal vet shortage to become a reality. Until then, World Veterinary Day is an excellent opportunity for all of us to take a few minutes to thank the veterinarians in our lives for their dedication to the health and well being of all animals – large and small.

4/25/05
 
JUST encase you want more proof that STAFF knows more than you do ,yup here is another story of the VET shortage CATTLECO!!

Producers Aim to Increase Interest in Treating Livestock
As their is a Shortage of Vets

Omaha World-Herald, February 19, 2005


by Bill Hord WORLD-HERALD BUREAU


LINCOLN -- Nebraska, a state that exports more livestock than any other in the nation, needs animal doctors, the kind who will reach into a cow and pull out a calf.

But the trends in veterinary medicine favor small-animal practices, where debt-laden college graduates can make more money, work normal hours and spend less time in pickups and cleaning dung off their boots.

The number of U.S. veterinarians primarily working with large animals dropped by 5.7 percent from 2002 to 2004, while the number working predominantly with small animals increased by 5.7 percent, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association.

"A few veterinarians have tried to get someone to come in with them, and they can't find someone," said hog producer Bill Luckey of rural Columbus, Neb.

Albion rancher Jay Wolf is among those concerned about the future of animal medicine in livestock country.

"Obviously, there are a lot of young vets around, but most of them are dog and kitty vets," said Wolf, who serves on an industry task force created to stir up interest in rural veterinary service.

With that in mind, some of Nebraska's livestock producers like what they are hearing from the new dean of veterinary medicine at Iowa State University.

John Thomson, the dean who for years doctored cattle and swine in southwest Iowa, makes it clear that he wants ISU to have the leading food animal -- cattle, hogs, etc. -- veterinary program in the world.

"I can't think of anyplace in the world that should have more emphasis on that than we will," Thomson said.

Iowa is the No. 1 hog-producing state and Nebraska is the No. 1 beef-producing state.

Now comes a proposal by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to partner with Iowa State to train veterinary medical students, ending a 20-year relationship with Kansas State University.

For the first time, UNL would provide the first two years of the graduate program in Lincoln. Students then would complete their training at ISU, which has the oldest veterinary school in the United States. Students then would get a veterinary degree from both schools.

ISU's Thomson came up with the idea after UNL sought ways to ease its financial burden -- $1.9 million a year -- for simply sending 100 students a year to KSU.

Under Thomson's plan, UNL and ISU would share equally in the revenue available -- $1.4 million appropriated by the Nebraska Legislature and about $2.5 million from Nebraska student in-state tuition.

This would allow Nebraska to use about $1.9 million a year to ramp up programs on the East Campus in Lincoln.

"We like that there is an emphasis on food-animal practice," Wolf said. "As producers, we also like helping out the University of Nebraska, because we depend on them."

Thomson's background as a large-animal veterinarian is a plus, said Brett Andrews, a Burwell, Neb., veterinarian who was educated at Iowa State.

For 20 years, Thomson was in private veterinary practice near Clearfield, Iowa, where his father had been a food-animal veterinarian for decades.

"If you have somebody at the top that understands that sort of stuff, there's a better chance of it trickling down to the student," Andrews said.

With an increasing number of women entering veterinary practice, it also is important to the livestock industry that more of them are drawn to rural food-animal practice.

Tracy Hadenfeldt, a UNL junior who grew up on a farm near Cairo, Neb., is unusual in that she wants to work with cattle after going on to veterinary medical school.

"A lot of people don't like the large animals," Hadenfeldt said. "You can get hurt easier, and you don't get the same amount of money."

With livestock, veterinary cost is a business expense.

"Small animals are more like family," Hadenfeldt said, "and people will give any amount of money to keep them safe and healthy."

The growing shortage of rural veterinarians long has been a concern, according to ISU's Thomson. In 2003, Congress adopted the National Veterinary Medical Service Act to forgive some of the federal education loans of veterinary graduates who agree to serve for a time in underserved areas of the country.

Selected veterinary medical graduates would benefit from the program by seeing an average of about $30,000 of their student loans forgiven.

Thomson, who is among those designing a way to implement the program, said each state eventually will be allotted a certain number of veterinary positions in the federal program.

The Nebraska Cattlemen, a trade group representing beef producers, and the Nebraska Veterinary Medical Association are working together on a program to stimulate interest in large-animal medicine.

Hadenfeldt, the UNL junior, is among students invited to spend time with a rural veterinarian who would serve as a mentor.

"Our hope is that if we can expose a lot of urban students to food animals," Andrews said, "it will pique some interest."

U.S. Veterinary Practices Pct. 2002 2004
Chng Mostly large animals 4,752 4,483 -5.7
Mostly small animals 33,542 35,458 +5.7
Mixed animals 3,839 3,868 +0.0
Equine 2,101 2,257 +7.4
Other 1,431 1,198 -16.3

(C) 2005 Omaha World-Herald. via ProQuest Information and Learning Company; All Rights Reserved
 
Well as far as STAFF....................I have one word for that deal BS!
Now every sale barn has an attending vet on sale day....RIGHT? YES They do!
If you ship cattle in a non brand state you have to get a health certificate......need a vet for this one!!!

Brand Inspectors will be authorized to read and document RFID tags when needed.
I know we have a shortage of large animal vets, but we have enough to do this deal. By the way, a Vet Tech working under the supervision of a Vet can read/Scan RFID tags it is not a "tuff deal" to do........
Keep paying to have your data in a private data warehouse......they sure need the money! BY the way has all this service from SS made you any REAL MONEY?????
I have yet to hear an order buyer offer to pay a prmium for cattle just because they are in the SS System..... :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:
 
Cattleco- I have to agree with you that I think you are going to have government involved at some level-- In order to have a true traceback system you will need to have an infrastructure made up of someone doing the inspections for movement and ownership transfer, and inputting the database- be they brand inspectors or whatever-- and I agree there is no where enough vets available...And I'm not sure you would want a vet or a vets assistant you have to hire doing it-- Instead of costing $.50- $1.00 per head like the brand inspector now charges, it would probably be closer to $5.00 per head or more....And someone will have to foot the bill for all the RFID readers and computer systems for these inspectors to use if that is the way they go....

FSA is definitely set up with the farm ID's to handle the situation--along with some states that already have the inspectors in place... I'm not sure all movement can be regulated without federal and state laws requiring it...

As far as info security-- I've heard horror stories on some private databases selling info to their co-Ag business partners, so I'm not sure that government would be any worse... I always wonder why many that argue against government maintaining info do so- do they have something to hide?- like how many cattle they paid taxes on or how many cattle they are really running on federal or state grazing allotments?... I remember a few years ago with the cattle drought disaster payments-- After people had applied for FSA for a certain number of cattle, FSA doublechecked back on what the counties had reported for ownership on tax roles and cattle sale records-- Some of the records came no where close to jiving :? :lol: .....
 
"I remember a few years ago with the cattle drought disaster payments-- After people had applied for FSA for a certain number of cattle, FSA doublechecked back on what the counties had reported for ownership on tax roles and cattle sale records-- Some of the records came no where close to jiving .....
I think one would call false reporting of records of any kind....FRAUD!
It is hell to get caught! Some of these BLM leasors might have to pay for ALL the cattle they run on BLM land!!! Now that's a novel idea!! :roll:

What happened to "paying your fair share"?
 
"As far as info security-- I've heard horror stories on some private databases selling info to their co-Ag business partners, so I'm not sure that government would be any worse... I always wonder why many that argue against government maintaining info do so- do they have something to hide?- like how many cattle they paid taxes on or how many cattle they are really running on federal or state grazing allotments?... I remember a few years ago with the cattle drought disaster payments-- After people had applied for FSA for a certain number of cattle, FSA doublechecked back on what the counties had reported for ownership on tax roles and cattle sale records-- Some of the records came no where close to jiving Confused"

RIGHT ON TARGET....OLD TIMER!!
As for the USDA selling your information......it will not happen! As for the private sector doing it............you can bet on it! As for folks running cattle on BLM land.....they have been screwing the system for years. Sorry, but if the shoe fits ......wear it!
 

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