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Texas Animal Health Commision property registration

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TWOROPES

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I was informed by my neighbor that all property in Texas that has any livestock on it will have to be registered with the T.A.H.C. no later than July 6, 2006 or the owner will be fined. I thaught he was full of it so I went to the website, and its true. To make it worse, you have to pay a fee to register the property every two years...so now Im gettin a little pissed and I go on and read that the next step is the animal ID law, which requires me to have an electronic chip in any cow, horse, chicken, pig, goat, turkey, that enters or leaves my property. While I believe that source verification is good for the cow market, I sure feel big brother breathen down my neck. I have not heard yet who is going to pay for all these damn computer chips. Sorry for the tone of this post but I feel like all the values that this great state were founded on, like individulism, work hard and make your own way, and dont tread on me or my private property, gone down the tubes.
 
Fact Sheet from the Texas Animal Health Commission Premises Identification Proposed Regulations:

Commissioners for the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) proposed regulations for Texas' premises and animal identification program at their December meeting.

Why these regulations were proposed…

During the recent legislative session, the Texas Legislature passed House Bill 1361, authorizing the TAHC to develop and implement an animal identification system consistent with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Animal Identification System (NAIS). HB 1361 (Chapter 161.056 of the Texas Agriculture Code) also authorizes the TAHC to determine when premises identification will be required and to assess and collect fees for premises registration.

As the NAIS is phased in, the TAHC's program also will evolve. TAHC commissioners have proposed regulations at this time for premises identification only. Premises identification is the foundation for all other components of the NAIS.

Prior to July 1, 2006, premises in Texas may be registered at no charge, and the premises identification number will remain valid through June 30, 2008. Although the 7-character premises identification number will not change, the premises registration must be renewed July 1, 2008, and every 24 months thereafter. At renewal, the proposed regulations provide for a yearly premises registration fee of $10, paid biennially. The $20 two-year registration fee is to be submitted to the TAHC at the time of registration renewal.

On July 1, 2006, premises registration will be compulsory in Texas. All persons who own, manage or are caretakers for locations where livestock, exotic livestock, poultry, or exotic poultry are handled must register their premises with the TAHC and submit the $20 two-year fee. Renewal and fee payment will be required every 24 months thereafter.

Privacy considerations under the proposed TAHC regulations…

Information collected by the TAHC for premises or animal identification is exempt from public disclosure requirements under the Texas Public Information Act.

Compliance and the proposed regulations…

Although the TAHC commissioners always urge voluntary compliance with agency regulations, the proposals include penalties for noncompliance.

The Texas Agriculture Code (law) may be found on the TAHC website at http://www.tahc.state.tx.us, by selecting the "Statutes and Regulations" link on the front page.

___________________________________________________

Basics of the National Animal Identification System (NAIS)…

The goal of the NAIS is to enable animal health officials to identify locations where infected or exposed animals have been and to track animal movement from those locations within 48 hours, in the event of an animal disease outbreak. Three main components comprise the system:

Premises identification defines a geographic site, such as ranches, farms, feedlots, livestock markets, slaughter establishments, rendering or carcass collection points, veterinary clinics, livestock show, fair or exhibition sites, quarantine facilities, laboratories, ports of entry, or any other facilities where animals are handled. These include cattle, horses, mules, asses, sheep, goats and hogs; exotic livestock; domestic fowl, such as chickens, turkeys, and game birds; and poultry and exotic fowl.

The premises number is a unique 7-character code, issued by the TAHC or USDA. Owners or managers can register their premises and obtain the unique code online at the TAHC web site at http://www.tahc.state.tx.us. Applications also may be obtained at many cooperative extension service offices, livestock markets, veterinary clinics or from livestock and poultry associations. As of early December, more than 4,200 premises in Texas had been registered. In the U.S. (including Texas), about 160,000 have been registered.

A person who owns or manages two or more locations and commingles animals may register the locations under one premises number. However, if a person maintains livestock on multiple locations but does not commingle the animals, then each location should be registered separately.

Animal identification, when implemented, will require that certain species of animals are tagged with a uniquely numbered 15-digit electronic identification device when they are moved from their herd of origin, or are commingled with animals from other premises. The device is intended to remain with the animal for life. If a device is lost, the animal can be retagged.

Under the national animal identification system (NAIS), still in development, premises numbers will NOT be imprinted on the animal identification devices. The unique 7-character premises identification and the
15-digit animal identification device number will correlate only in records. Each animal identification device will be individually numbered.

In the NAIS, some species, such as commercially produced swine or poultry, may be identified by group/lot numbers, provided the animals are held and managed as a group throughout the pre-harvest production process.

Animal tracking, the final component of the national plan, will involve recording and reporting those animals moved, sold, commingled or slaughtered. This component, when implemented, will enable efficient tracing of animals for disease eradication efforts.

Additional NAIS information and links can be found on the TAHC web site at:
http://www.tahc.state.tx.us/animal_id/index.shtml
 
TXAG, I think my number is the first or second to be recorded in my county as it is co # and 01 of course the FID # is so long I will never be able to memorize it. Our date for compliance has not been determined, as of yet. That is to the best of my knowledge. About the cost, I think you better make a special category entry in your ledger, as their need for more $$'s will soon arrive. :?
 
it's my understanding and I could be wrong, because so far no one's really been able to answer my questions about the ID tags for premises ID. From all I can gather, it will be up to the individual to order the tags with the ID # on it. So, say your 7 digit number is 1234567 and you use allflex tags. You hafta order the button tags with that number on it from them. The expense on this isn't gonna be all that much. There is an initial fee with allflex, a die charge of 25.00 for custom tag orders. the button tags, blank cost around 16.00 for 25 tags, then it says 12 cents a piece for imprinting your number on them. So after the first time expense, a bag of 25 tags with your number one em will run about $20.

The electronic ID tags for a bag of 50 is 159.89 thru Valley Vet. That's where it's gonna get expensive, tags there are the least of the expense.
The computer program, laptop, wand to read the tags, whole set up runs somewhere in the neighborhood of about $3300 I've been told. I've talked to several that are interested in (when the time comes) goin together for the major stuff. That way it doesn't cost everyone an arm and a leg. We'll just hafta be on top of things, and keep each other informed of when we work cows so no one is doin it on the same day.
 
As I understand it in Alabama: My number will not be on the tag. The only number that is on the tag is the 15 digit ID number of the animal. I will have to call the 15 digit numbers into the Ag department and let them assign those numbers to my account. I can see it now. Call the Ag department and get the recording that tells me to enter the 15-digit number then hit pound. Then enter the next 15-digit number. That will take a while and I bet full of mistakes. Then a year later some cow out west gets sick and through a mistake of someone entering the wrong number it gets traces back to me. Just my luck.
I think we need animal ID, BUT.
 
The premises numbers will hafta be special ordered with numbers on the tags. When you get them for the scan ones, they can be scanned prior to bein put in the ear, then when it is in the ear, add any information into the computer program on that tag number, then scan again, and that info will be transmitted into the tag. The way I understand it, right now, the premises ID number will be on the premises tag. Then when the scan tags are implemented, you'll recieve those tags under your premises number, they'll already be under your name/number when you recieve them. At least that's my understanding at this point.

So say you have 100 steers that your gonna tag and vaccinate, you can scan the tags into the computer prior to puttin them in their ear, run em thru the chute, put the tag in, then match up his regular number tag to his ID tag, and add vaccination info .....all added into the program at a later date, then the next time that steer is ran thru the chute, all the information that was typed in last time, will be sent from computer to the tag when it's scanned.The most important info at this time is the date of birth.
 
Privacy. That is one of the biggest obstacles of the National ID system. That is why the only number that is required on the tag is the 15 digit animal ID number. That number is referenced to your premise number through the top-secret database that only god and the USDA can look at.
So you go the coop and buy a sack of EID tags and then scan and download the numbers to your Premise account or call the numbers in on the phone if you don't have a scanner and a computer.
I guess you have anything you want put on the tag so long as the 15-digit number is on it but that 15-digit number is all that is required.
 
I didnt mean to imply that all the info is "required" it's just somethin that's probably gonna be a future requirement. But right now they are wantin the age verification/birth date on there, not required, but they would like you to put it in the system. Some that are doin it, say that with the age verification, they are gettin a lil more $ for their animals when sold. so maybe that'll compensate some for the expense.
 
I just got off the phone with tahc, and they told me that the premisis law is no longer a proposal and will go into effect on July 1 2006. They will send you an information pack for free if you call them in Austin. I hope I didnt sound like some anti-government wacko on my first post, but the state telling me how I will run my operation makes me uneasy. I do some daywork, and anybody who has wild cattle better catch em now because when the animal I.D starts you will not be able to just hire some boys to go rope a bad cow and haul her to the salebarn. The salebarn will no longer be able to accept cattle that are not chipped is my understanding of what tahc said.
 
I think it would be great if all of the info that is attached to the cow's record that has been cleared for release by the owner that entered the info, could be voluntary made avowable for display when the calf is sold.
That way those that did it right could receive a premium for the beef. It may even save the sale barns.
 
I should have expanded my comments.

Step one: Tag the calf at home and inter all his info in your premises account on the top-secret database such as birthday, vaccinations. Breeding, ECT ECT.

Step two: Run the calf across the scaled at the sale barn and have his number read.

Step three: the number that was read for that calf is used to bring up his record in the database and his date is displayed on the big screen on the sale barn through an internet connection with the USDA database. Then only information is shown that was coded by the producer that the producer has authorized to be released.

This way the sale barn can function as always but producers that are willing to provide information on the cattle can be paid for that info. And those that don't want to disclose anything don't have to.
 
your premise ID # is NOT on the ID tags. they're RFID buttons (ear tags), not chips. it is a random number generated by the tag company. if i remember correctly, the first couple of letters will be specific to the tag company so you can tell which company issued the tag. the tag company (we're using z-tags....... http://www.ztags.com/NZ_RFID_SS.pdf ) will record the #s they sent out to you. there is no need for the individual farmer/rancher to buy the tag reader (ipod/wand) and computer & program unless they want to. the only thing they'll need is a tagger & tags (may not even need a tagger if everything goes through the auction barn because most barns are prepared to do it for their customers (for a fee, of course)). the RFID tags cost a little over $2 from most companies and the animals aren't required to be tagged until they leave the premise of origin.
 
Very good post, TexasAg,

I get tired of everyone's speculation and accusations.

I for one already tag my cattle and have no problem with adding an identification number.

If you got some bad beef that killed your son or daughter wouldn't you want to be able to trace it back to the producer (if it was TB or Bangs)? I would................................
 
:? We have to pay our registration fees to RAA and now a state fees what's next? National fee, trade fee, etc. Neighbor o mine running cattle for 20 years now doesn't even immunize em , getting him to register? (that'll raise my brow)
 
PoweredbyRedAngus said:
:? We have to pay our registration fees to RAA and now a state fees what's next? National fee, trade fee, etc. Neighbor o mine running cattle for 20 years now doesn't even immunize em , getting him to register? (that'll raise my brow)


If you don't want to pay registration fees sell your registered cattle.

As far as your neighbor goes, he either needs to get with the times or get out of the business.
 

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