National Animal Identification System
- Phase 1 - Premises Registration
- Phase 2 - Animal Identification
- Phase 3 - Animal Tracking Database
On April 27, 2004, Agriculture Secretary, Ann Veneman, announced the framework for implementation of a National Animal Identification System (NAIS) designed to identify any agricultural premise exposed to a foreign animal disease so that control measures can be more quickly and efficiently implemented. The goal of the NAIS is to identify all animals and premises that have had contact with an emerging or foreign animal disease of concern within 48 hours.
The National Animal Identification System will support the following species and/or industries on a voluntary basis: bison, beef cattle, dairy cattle, swine, sheep, goats, camelids (alpacas and llamas), horses, cervids (deer and elk), poultry (eight species including game birds), and aquaculture (eleven species). The first phase of the NAIS is premises indentification. The goal of this phase is to provide more timely gathering of data in response to animal diseases. As of March 2006, 235,000 premises across all fifty states, five tribes and two territories were registered. The current goal of the NAIS is to have all of the estimated 2 million livestock premises registered by January 2009.
The second phase of the NAIS is individual animal identification. The goal is to have each animal assigned a unique number that will link it to its premises of origin. This unique identification will allow officials to rapidly identify other animals from the same premises that may also be infected. In this manner, epidemiologic investigations will have a starting point. This phase of the NAIS began in March 2006.
The third phase of the NAIS is the creation and maintenance of animal tracking databases. These databases will maintain records on the movement of each animal into a premises and the other animals it had contact with. The integration of this phase is targeted for 2007.
NAIS website - USDA-APHIS