USDA Proposes Livestock Tracking System

The U.S. Department of Agriculture proposed a new, mandatory system Tuesday for tracking cattle, poultry and other farm animals to pinpoint the origin of diseases that can spread through herds and halt exports. Ranchers and farmers under the rules would be required to affix a unique identification number to animals transferred between states or tribal areas. The tracking system would allow federal officials to more quickly find the source of an outbreak and isolate the diseased animals, reducing the economic and public-health impacts, the USDA said. U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack in a conference call said the tracking system would help reassure foreign meat buyers, some of whom have been critical of the U.S. system for disease control. The lack of a more rigorous system became an issue in December 2003 when the first U.S. case of mad-cow disease was discovered. "Other countries that have a traceability system have used that as a way of gaining market advantage," Mr. Vilsack said. Trade groups for producers and meatpackers showed initial support for the new program. Yet some ranchers feared the rules would be too costly, increase potential liabilities and threaten current practices such as the hot-iron branding of animals...more