As U.S. turns to ear tags over brands, cattle ranchers fear end of tradition

The future of the hot-iron brand, an icon of Western heritage, is at the center of a nearly decade-long battle over cattle identification and traceability. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is expected soon to release a draft of new regulations, which will remove the hot-iron brand from its list of official identification for cattle sold or shipped across state lines. The new rules will require each animal to be identified by a number stamped on an ear tag. States would still be able to use brands as official IDs within their boundaries. Individual agreements between states can be reached to allow brands as official IDs for interstate movement. Critics fear this is the beginning of the end for America's centuries-old branding tradition. "The federal government's action sends a signal to the entire industry that the ear tag is a superior means of identification," said Bill Bullard, chief executive of the Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund. They argue that ear tags can fall off or be stolen by thieves, so are not a good form of official ID. Colorado state veterinarian Keith Rohr, who has participated in creating the new rules, said that brands don't work for tracing animal disease back to its point of origin. They argue that ear tags can fall off or be stolen by thieves, so are not a good form of official ID. Colorado state veterinarian Keith Rohr, who has participated in creating the new rules, said that brands don't work for tracing animal disease back to its point of origin. "Processing plants do several thousand (cattle) a day, and they can't stack hides up like pieces of paper," he said. "We understand that for Western states, the heritage of brands is very valuable and means a lot for herd ID. We would never change that." Colorado's cattle producers are "almost universally" ready for the new program, he said. "It's a minority of producers who oppose it."

So why do many ranchers oppose this mandatory program? According to the Colorado Brand Commissioner:

Negative reaction to the new rules, he said, "is really about change, and a fear of the government being in your business."

Us poor ignorant souls fear change and the government.

Of course it was those really smart guys in government who spent $142 million on NAIS and got less than 30 percent of the producers to sign on. But surely they know best.