After three days of meetings and debate, NCBA members officially asked for government action to advance the plan. The USAIP was developed through two years of work by more than 70 agricultural organizations and agencies.
Ohio cattle producer Gary Wilson chaired back-to-back NCBA issue forums on animal identification (ID) and told cattlemen that the next steps in a national ID system cannot take place without government action and financial assistance.
"The record keeping and data management systems must be worked out and government and industry must work together to secure the funding to implement the plan," says Wilson who is adamant that a standardized national ID system must be developed. "If you don't want 50 different ID plans in this country, you should call your government officials and encourage them to support the USAIP."
A copy of the proposed plan and other information is posted on the U.S. Animal Identification website at
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