Keep Our Food Safe would like to return to the topic of NAIS. You haven’t forgotten about NAIS, have you? We’ve talked about NAIS, or the National Animal Identification System before. It’s a program run by the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to track the movement of our livestock throughout the country.

As we mentioned before, the identification system serves an important purpose: slowing the spread of animal disease. By enabling a disease to be traced within a 48-hour period, NAIS will dramatically improve the United States’ response capacity to limit the spread of animal diseases. This will provide a safeguard to maintain food security and protecting our food supply by protecting animal health.

The case for NAIS is growing stronger. Recently, APHIS released the results of a cost-benefit analysis on NAIS. APHIS commissioned the study to provide economic information on NAIS to consumers and to estimate the costs and benefits of adopting the program.

The study indicated three compelling reasons for producers to adopt NAIS.

First, we can save money on disease control by being able to identify our livestock because the process will be less costly. The report indicates identification programs can reduce the time it takes to conduct disease testing, a component of our nation’s ongoing disease control and eradication efforts. Quicker, more efficient disease testing can reduce the time it takes to check animals on farms and ranches – a cost-effective way to keep our food supply safe and secure.

Secondly, animal identification systems are fast becoming prerequisites for international trade, and many countries won’t accept imports from countries without animal identification systems. If they don’t implement NAIS, producers and all those involved in exporting livestock could lose more than $1.3 billion annually due to reduced access to international markets. Because exports increase the prices paid to all producers, access to international markets affects all producers, not just those that export.

And finally, NAIS is more effective at higher participation rates, and is more cost effective at higher participation rates. The more producers who participate in NAIS, the more economically effective the program will be and there will be reduced chances of negative effects from a disease outbreak. The report indicates that little to moderate participation in animal identification systems could be a costly decision for producers to make, potentially making them less competitive in domestic and international markets.

Back in March, many officials testified before Congress on the importance of adopting a mandatory animal identification system. Representatives from the veterinary profession and food safety regulatory bodies expressed that adopting a nationwide program to track our livestock is an effective way to reduce disease outbreaks.

Dr. Ron DeHaven, American Veterinary Medical Association CEO, emphasized that NAIS is an excellent way for authorities to quickly respond to disease that may enter our nation’s food supply. By being able to quickly track sick animals, we can save millions of dollars, as well as protect human and animal lives from foodborne illnesses.

Protecting our food supply AND saving money? Sounds to me like these are good reasons to adopt NAIS.

P.S. - USDA is seeking to engage stakeholders and hear their concerns about NAIS and feasible solutions to those concerns. The information and ideas gathered will assist Secretary Vilsack in making decisions about the future direction of animal traceability in the United States. Learn more about giving feedback, including upcoming "Listening Tour" dates.