U.S. Effort to Create Animal ID System Lags

Positive mad cow test prompts call to add resources

By Marc L. Songini

July 11, 2005 12:00 PM ET

Recommended

Computerworld - An automated national system for tracking animals seems years away from being operational because of numerous challenges. But some experts are pushing the U.S. to quicken the pace, since a cow tested positive for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), or mad cow disease, last month in Iowa.
Although the Department of Agriculture has been actively working on a livestock-tracking program since 2003, the U.S. continues to lag behind beef-producing rivals such as Japan, Australia and the U.K. . The department is drafting a strategic plan and program specifications; the deadline for public comments was last week.
So far, the big challenges are securing adequate funding and selecting the right technology.
Although there is no official estimate, some observers have pegged the long-term cost of the NAIS project at $600 million or more. Cattle ranchers expect the system to be based primarily on radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, though the USDA says other technologies such as optical scanning are also being researched.
The USDA says a fully operational system is slated to be ready in 2009, when participants will be required to have both their premises and animals logged into a national database that will enable a complete trace within 48 hours.


A recent case of mad cow disease in the U.S. has renewed calls for an automated national tracking system for animals.

But the effort to reach that goal still faces considerable problems, according to industry insiders.
To date, adequate funding for the program hasn't been allocated, said Jess Petersen, director of government relations at the Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund, United Stockgrowers of America, a trade and marketing group in Washington.
A USDA spokeswoman said the government appropriated $33 million for the project in 2005, with another $33 million included in the White House's 2006 budget. She added that the agency will let the industry decide on the technology.
"There is still a major debate going on in the industry," Robert Fourdraine, chief operating officer of the Wisconsin Livestock Identification Consortium and a member of the NAIS subcommittee, said in an e-mail. "Certain groups feel USDA is going too fast, while others think too slow."
Participants in the effort to create the ID system exist in every state and include various industry associations and cattle-raising Native American tribes, the USDA spokeswoman said.

Recommend Digg Twitter ShareThis

Email Print Send Feedback Reprints

Jump to comments

Mobile/Wireless

Additional Resources

WHITE PAPER

Do You Know the 7 Steps to Successful Data Migration?

Approximately 60 percent of data migration projects overrun time or budget, while some fail completely. Download this white paper, "Enhancing Your Chance for Successful Data Migration," to learn the critical steps you need to take to execute a data migration project with minimum cost and risk to your business.

WHITE PAPER

Total Cost of Ownership of Server Computing Vs. PCs

Read the Gartner research note to learn why the TCO of a server-based computing deployment used to deliver all applications to users is around 50% lower than that of an unmanaged desktop deployment.

WHITE PAPER

IDC White Paper: Linux in a Global Recession

Economic downturns have a tendency to accelerate emerging technologies, boost the adoption of effective solutions, and punish solutions that are not cost competitive or that are out of synch with industry trends. This IDC White Paper presents the results of an IDC survey of 330 companies in Western Europe, Asia/Pacific and the Americas that measures the receptiveness to Linux and takes into consideration changing views driven by the disruptive economic environment that businesses face today.

White Papers & Webcasts

Informatica 9 Launch: Transform your Business. Transform your world.

LIVE Nov 10, 2009 12:00 PM ET

Architecting Business Intelligence Applications for Change: The Open Solution

LIVE Nov 12, 2009 02:00 PM ET

Forrester Consulting - Optimizing Users and Applications in a Mobile World
Learn how to successfully deploy a WAN optimization solution that is specifically tuned for a mobile environment!

Managing Laptops Outside the Office
Learn how you can reduce costs by tracking mobile computers no matter where they are located.

WAN Application Delivery for Executives
Learn how to simplify server and application administration without creating performance problems for distributed users.

4G Ahead Video Program
Uncover the features and benefits of the two leading 4G technologies for enterprises considering future deployment.

Applying Remote Support Technology for Maximum Impact
Download Now!

Complimentary Webcast: Taking a Strategic Approach to Enterprise Mobility
Download This Webcast Today!

Measuring the Business Impact of Support
This ServiceXRG White Paper explores the importance of quantifying the impact of support on your business.

Lower the Cost and Complexity of a Mobile Workforce through Automation
Download This Resource Now!

Drive Down Enterprise Mobility Costs
Learn to empower your mobile workforce while simplifying mobility management and controlling costs.

Managing Mobility: Improve Data Security, Compliance and Manageability
Download This Resource Now!

All White Papers | All Webcasts