Strategy Forum on Livestock Traceability

The Animal Disease Traceability (ADT) rule is designed as a basic bookend system allowing animal health officials to trace a covered animal forward from the location where the animal was officially identified and back from the animal’s last location, which is often the termination point or slaughter plant. It may also include information on the animal’s interstate movements. The system was set up as a foundation framework to be expanded over time. The two basic requirements are the identification of livestock with ‘official identification’, and documentation of livestock when traveling across state lines. Four years after its implementation, the USDA has undertaken a comprehensive assessment of the rule performance and experience of stakeholders, to inform the next iteration of traceability. The USDA solicited stakeholder feedback through a series of listening sessions around the country. The ADT State/Federal Working Group condensed this feedback into a list of 14 preliminary recommendations developed to address the key issues brought forward by stakeholders. NIAA ADT Strategy Forum attendees focused on four of the ADT working group’s preliminary recommendations: the Electronic Identification Device (EID) system for cattle, public/private data sharing, exemptions from the Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI) requirement, and the requirement of a uniform official ID ear-tag. If required, EID format must be a choice that is accessible, reasonably cost-effective, and offer ease of use by cattle producers; be supported by adequate infrastructure; and allow accomplishment of the goals of traceability. Producers and the industry have concerns regarding the amount of data that can be carried on an EID tag or CVI, the security of that data, and the ownership of the data. CVI exemptions in the current ADT are a significant source of confusion both to producers and veterinarians. Finally, while producers are not generally opposed to EID, and in fact often use EID tags for management purposes, the industry has yet to embrace the 840 tag.