Congress gives $5.3 million to National Animal ID

A conference committee in Congress has decided to fund the controversial National Animal Identification System for another year to the tune of $5.3 million. That will be a significant reduction from previous years, but does not placate opponents of the still floundering, five-year-old program. “We’re disappointed with the decision,” said Bill Bullard, the chief executive of the Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund. R-CALF USA, ICON and 91 other groups asked Congress to eliminate the funds. The Senate Appropriations Committee had approved $14.6 million for the NAIS program, the amount requested by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, but the House allocated nothing. The appropriation is part of the Agriculture appropriations bill. Bullard said the $5.3 million could shore up the program where it is less expensive and cumbersome, such as in factory-style hog, poultry and cattle feeding operations. Congress appropriated $142 million for animal identification since it began in 2004. The USDA has registered only 35 percent of animal premises. Last year, the USDA got $14.2 million to run the program, but registrations increased by only three percent...read more