Source: USDA, 10/7/11

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) today announced a 30-day extension of the comment period for the proposed rule on animal disease traceability.

Under the proposed rule, unless specifically exempted, livestock moved interstate would have to be officially identified and accompanied by an interstate certificate of veterinary inspection or other documentation, such as owner-shipper statements or brand certificates.  The proposed rule encourages the use of low-cost technology and specifies approved forms of official identification for each species, such as metal eartags for cattle.  However, recognizing the importance and prevalence of other identifications in certain regions, shipping and receiving states or tribes are permitted to agree upon alternative forms of identification such as brands or tattoos.

Animal disease traceability, or knowing where diseased and at-risk animals are, where they've been, and when, is very important to ensure there can be a rapid response when animal disease events take place.  An efficient and accurate animal disease traceability system helps reduce the number of animals involved in an investigation, reduces the time needed to respond, and decreases the cost to producers and the government.

This notice is published in today’s Oct. 7 Federal Register.
Consideration will be given to comments received on or before Dec. 9.  You may submit comments by either of the following methods:

• Federal eRulemaking Portal:  Go to
www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=APHIS-2009-0091-0001.

• Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery:  Send your comment to Docket No. APHIS-20091-0091, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road, Unit 118, Riverdale, MD  20737-1238.

Supporting documents and any comments we receive on this docket may be viewed at www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2009-0091 or in our reading room, which is located in room 1141 of the USDA South Building, 14th Street and Independence Ave., SW., Washington, DC, between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding holidays.  To facilitate entry into the comment reading room, please call (202) 690-2817.