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04/04/2008

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SD Stockgrowers Testify on USDA Animal ID Plan

South Dakota Stockgrowers Association (SDSGA) District 8 Director Bill Kluck, Mud Butte, S.D., testified today, Wednesday, October 12, 2005, in Kansas City , Missouri , in regard to USDA’s animal identification proposal.

“Ranchers across South Dakota are concerned by the USDA’s desire to implement a national identification program without support from producers and without proof that such a program is necessary or even possible. South Dakota ’s brand inspection program has a proven history of animal tracking through the use of the hot iron brand. Producers in South Dakota find brand inspection to be a necessary tool in carrying out business, and through legislation ranchers have achieved a uniform standard for ownership verification across the brand area. While applying brands to livestock is not required, the brand inspection procedure is mandatory. This allows producers to maintain freedom of choice in whether or not to brand their cattle, and still provides accurate and accessible records of livestock movement,” testified Kluck.

Kluck urged USDA APHIS’s Neil Hammerschmidt, U.S. Animal Identification Plan coordinator, that if the system “isn’t broke, don’t fix it.” He said South Dakota ’s brand program provides traceback capabilities at a minimal cost. Because the system is in place and working effectively, no additional costs would be required of producers.

SDSGA is frustrated with USDA for apparently lowering their animal health protection standards by allowing diseased animals to enter the United States , which in the past had been prohibited, said Kluck. “Unfortunately, it seems now the emphasis has changed from disease prevention to disease management. By going this route, one can only assume that with an ID system in place the next step is to allow our high animal health standards to be lowered for the importation of live cattle and beef from countries with health problems including BSE. The industry adamantly opposes importation of infected or potentially infected cattle, regardless of the claimed traceback abilities of a national identification system,” he said.

Kluck’s comments on behalf of SDSGA will be submitted in written form to USDA APHIS.

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