Reprint courtesy of The Smithville Times

By Mark Gwin Editor mgwin@smithvilletimes.com 512-2374655

Thursday, March 13, 2006 Volume 115 number 15

Livestock registration will wait - for now

Agency contracts with others to promote program

By Mark Gwin

The Smithville times

Owners of livestock who weren’t excited about mandatory registration of their premises have a bit longer to wait before the issue comes up again.

After enabling legislation was passed by the Texas Legislature, the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) proposed that all owners of even one farm animal (from cattle to chicken and everything in between) be required to register their premises with the state and pay a $10 annual fee for that registration. TAHC currently registers premises on a voluntary basis.

Premises identification is the first step in a three-part program which aims to eventually include the tagging of animals with Animal Identification Numbers (AIN) and the tracking of all movement of animals.

The program is proposed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which is working to promote a National Animal Identification System (NAIS). However, the USDA is looking for the state to implement the programs. The aim of the program is to quickly track down diseases and better contain outbreaks.

Opposition grew quickly to the proposal, and at their Feb. 16 meeting commissioners delayed a decision on the plan to their March 23 meeting.

Opposition continued to mount, and citing uncertainty on the timeline of the national plan, commissioners canceled their March meeting.

This month, Dr. Bob Hillman, Texas' state veterinarian and TAHC executive director, said the proposed premises registration regulations have been placed on "hold," and will not be considered by commissioners until the winter or spring of 2007.

“I wish I could say this makes me feel better, but it doesn’t,” said Mike Kelley, an opponent of the plan.

“I think their trying to let the issue sleep and use the time to promote the idea while hoping that everybody against it just forgets about it,” he said.

Days after the meeting was canceled, the USDA announced preliminary timelines which calls for 100 percent of animals and premises to be registered by 2009.

TAHC is promoting the NAIS, thanks to a grant from the USDA. The USDA hopes that the program can be accomplished voluntarily, but will consider regulations if the country is not on target to meet its goals for 2009.

“We (TAHC) received two grants from the USDA: one for a pilot project to determine the effectiveness of radio frequency tagging devices, and another to promote outreach,” said Mike Jensen of the TAHC. “We are limited to spending the grant money for the purposes under which it was given to us.”

TAHC put out a public request for proposal for companies to provide outreach, training and/or voluntary registration to the public.

Thus far, contracts to provide those services have been signed by the Texas Cooperative Extension, Texas Cattle Feeders Association, Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association and others.

And that has Kelley mad. “They’re trying to get other organizations to promote the plan for them, and they’ve given themselves more time to do it in,” he said.

A new non-profit group, the Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance (http://www.farmandranchfreedom.org), has formed to lobby on behalf of independent farmers and ranchers, and against the NAIS. There are a host of other Web sites who are against a national animal tracking system, or at least a mandatory one, including http://www.texasanimalhealthcommissionwatch.com and http://www.NoNAIS.org.

“When you have old-time cattlemen teaming up with organic guys to fight something, you know you’ve found something universally offensive,” Kelley said.

While a decision on mandatory registration is yet to be made, TAHC is still accepting voluntary registration, and so far has registered m ore than 10,000 of the state’s estimated 200,000 premises.

For those who wish to register their premises voluntarily, they may register now online at http://www.tahc.state.tx.us, or by completing a registration form and faxing or mailing it to the TAHC.  Many county extension agents, as well as agricultural associations, have registration forms available, or can assist in registering online.  The TAHC also has staff members who can assist by phone. The TAHC’s headquarters in Austin can be reached toll-free at 1-800-550-8242. 

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