# Presentation: 180015

## The Role of Animal Identification

**Insert Presenter’s Name**
**Insert Date**
**Insert Name of Meeting or Association**
**Insert City and State**

**An Introduction to the National Animal Identification System**

**Update this information each time you use this presentation**

**Notes:**
Instructions for using this presentation are provided in italics.

Talking points are provided in plain text.

This presentation can be used in a few different ways.
If you are providing a presentation on animal identification and NAIS, use the presentation in this template and add State-specific information where indicated in yellow balloons on the slides and in the text of the speaker’s notes. Be sure to delete the balloons on the slides prior to giving a presentation.
If you want to modify the content and incorporate it into an existing PowerPoint presentation, copy and paste the information into your presentation.
If you need to provide talking points to a member of your organization, copy the content from the speaker’s notes.

## Animal ID is evolving rapidly

- Animal ID is about:
- Health monitoring
- Disease containment
- Performance tracking, e.g. testing the economics of health management techniques
- Feedlot performance data, e.g. increased profitability when marketing individual animals
- Inventory tracking
- Genetic program management

**Notes:**
Animal identification is constantly evolving.

It can be used for any of the following purposes:
Health monitoring; 
Disease containment;
Performance tracking, such as testing the economics of health management techniques; 
Feedlot performance data, such as increased profitability when marketing individual animals;
Inventory tracking; and
Genetic program management.

## Animal ID is evolving in [State]

- [State] is also administering the National Animal Identification System (NAIS) at the State level

**Insert examples here about how animal ID is evolving in your State**

## The National Animal Identification System (NAIS)...

**The National Animal Identification System (NAIS)...**

***Is***...a Federal-State-industry partnership
***Is***...designed to help you, the livestock/poultry producer, respond to and minimize the impact of a disease outbreak or other animal health event
***Is***...a modern, streamlined information system that consists of three components

**Notes:**
NAIS is administered by the States in partnership with USDA and industry

The USDA and industry began developing a form of the National Animal Identification System in 2002. USDA expedited development on December 30, 2003, following the detection of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in Washington State. 

The system is composed of three components: premises registration, animal identification, and animal tracing. Producers can register their premises without participating in the other two phases, animal ID and animal tracing. Premises registration allows animal health officials to contact those premises that may be affected when a disease outbreak or other animal health event occurs.

## NAIS...

**NAIS...**

***Is not***...mandated at the Federal level
***Is not***...a mechanism for identifying and tracking all livestock or poultry in the United States
***Is not***...a system for tracking household pets
***Is not***...an “All or Nothing” approach
- Enrollment in the first component of NAIS does not require producers to enroll in the other two components

**Notes:**
NAIS is not mandated at the Federal level. Each State and Tribe can decide whether the program will be voluntary or mandatory.  

Check with your State NAIS Administrator to determine whether NAIS is voluntary or mandatory. 

Contrary to some rumors, the purpose of NAIS is not to track down to the level of household pets. Dogs and cats, for example, are not included in NAIS.  

NAIS will not trace the movement of all livestock and poultry in the United States. NAIS only pertains to those animals that are moved from their premises to locations where they “commingle,” or come into contact with, animals from multiple/other premises. Due to the nature of their movements, these animals may pose a significant risk of disease transmission or have a greater impact on the spread of a potential disease. Animals with a “low risk” of, or “lower impact” on, disease spread are not the focus of NAIS. For example, the following situations are not applicable to NAIS:
Livestock that never leave the premises of their birth, even if they move from pasture to pasture within that premises;
Animals that never leave their premises;
Animals that are only moved directly from their birth premises to custom slaughter;
The participation of animals in local trail rides; and
The movement of animals to small local parades or fairs (unless required by an individual organization, e.g. 4-H).

Additionally, participation in NAIS does not mean producers must participate in all three components. As mentioned a few minutes ago, producers can register their premises, and choose not to participate in animal ID and tracing.

## Why is NAIS needed?

**Insert reasons why your State specifically needs NAIS **

**Why is NAIS needed?**

- Current animal identification programs:
- Are not uniform
- Are not integrated
- Do not account for the comprehensive list of species and diseases
- Do not incorporate available technologies that increase data management efficiency

**Notes:**
Many of you may ask why another identification system is needed since there are already systems in place that include an animal identification component. 

There are cooperative eradication programs for brucellosis and scrapie, as well as market-based source verification systems. Many of the States even have information systems that locate at-risk animals and premises. 

The challenge with these systems is that they are not uniform and they are not connected. One system cannot communicate with another system. This results in information silos and does not provide an all-encompassing, accurate picture of animals and premises. Additionally, these systems do not account for the full list of species and diseases.  

Insert examples from your region about how diseases have been traced in the past and present, and barriers to eradicating the disease.

Insert information on identification systems in your State and how they will complement NAIS.

Insert information for why your State needs NAIS. 

## NAIS benefits

**NAIS benefits**

- Protect your premises and your livelihood.
- Your premises location is critical to containing a disease outbreak or other animal health event in your area. NAIS premises registration helps animal health officials locate and inform you as quickly as possible.
- Reduce hardships caused by a disease outbreak or other animal health event in your community.
- NAIS premises registration helps your community to pull together and respond to a disease outbreak or other animal health event. Rapid response helps to isolate affected animals and limit movement from affected premises.
- Protect your income.
- NAIS can help quickly define which regions of our country are, and are not, affected by a disease outbreak or other animal health event – keeping markets open for unaffected producers and preventing unnecessary movement restrictions.
- NAIS ensures domestic markets are open to U.S. producers and international markets trust U.S. exports.

**Insert benefits specific to your State**

**Notes:**
There are several benefits of NAIS:
Protect your premises and your livelihood.
Your participation means that you will be notified quickly when a disease outbreak or other animal health event might put your animals at risk.  
If a disease outbreak or other animal health event occurs, animal health officials can identify your registered premises and contact you on a timely basis.
The earlier you receive accurate information, the earlier you can act to protect your animals.
Reduce hardships caused by a disease outbreak or other animal health event in your community.
Fewer affected producers means less hardship associated with a disease outbreak or other animal health event—the loss of irreplaceable breeding stock and bloodlines, as well as the animal distress and loss resulting from the disease and the eradication effort.
Rapid response also reduces the economic strain (decreased incomes, lost jobs, loss of animals and livelihoods) on affected communities.
Choosing to participate demonstrates your total commitment to doing everything you can to protect community.
Protect your access to markets.
Prices are dictated by the overall demand for U.S. products.  Consumer confidence in meat and dairy products is essential to maintaining demand.
NAIS can help quickly define which regions of our country are, and are not, affected by a disease outbreak or other animal health event—keeping markets open for unaffected producers and preventing unnecessary movement restrictions. 
Market demands are increasing in importance, and a number of other countries are already using animal ID systems to gain a competitive edge.
Participation helps ensure that you and other American producers stay competitive in domestic and international trade.  
The greater the level of participation in NAIS, the greater the potential to expand your marketing opportunities at home and abroad.

Some States and tribes have seen NAIS benefits in practice:  
During the blizzard of 2007, the Colorado Department of Agriculture's State Veterinarian's Office called all registered premises to check on animals’ access to feed. The State of Colorado then dropped hay to the premises in need.
The King Ranch in South Texas is piloting premises registration and animal ID on one of its four sites. The purpose was to develop an ID system that was cost-effective and would comply with NAIS. The ranch aimed to learn from this first implementation, and apply the practices to other sites. King Ranch also wanted to identify additional management benefits – one of which is being able to capture source and age information. This may provide an opportunity to obtain additional revenue – increased income could offset the cost of tagging equipment. In addition, electronic ID could be used for tracking inventory and calf performance, and ultimately to support genetic programs.  
The Seminole Tribe of Florida, Inc. is seeing benefits through its NAIS implementation. The tribe is tracing animals from birth to death, and can run statistics on profit levels for each feed yard. Based on real-time collective sale prices for each cow, the Seminole Tribe can identify feed yards with the highest performance and allot more profitable bulls to those with lower performance ratings. In addition, the tribe provides a safer and more valuable product at the kill plant because the group can quickly verify if its cattle interacted with known diseases. Cattle with this trace-back capability are receiving about a $5.37 per hundredweight increase in selling price nationwide, according to a recently released study. 

## NAIS components

**Premises Registration**

**Animal Identification**

**Animal Tracing**

**1**

**2**

**3**

**NAIS components**

**Notes:**
As mentioned earlier, there are three main components of NAIS.
First is premises registration; 
Second is animal identification; and
Third is animal tracing.

We’ll spend the next few minutes reviewing the highlights of each of these components.

## Opens the lines of communication between livestock and poultry producers and animal health officials
Supports awareness of animals' location for rapid, accurate, cost-effective disease response  
Ensures producers will be notified of a disease outbreak or other animal health event so they can take measures to protect their animals
Is administered by State and Tribal authorities

- Supports awareness of animals' location for rapid, accurate, cost-effective disease response
- Ensures producers will be notified of a disease outbreak or other animal health event so they can take measures to protect their animals
- Is administered by State and Tribal authorities

**Include whether premises registration is mandatory or voluntary in your State and the number and percentage of premises registered**

**Premises Registration**

**Animal Identification**

**Animal Tracing**

**1**

**2**

**3**

**Premises registration**

**Notes:**
The first step in NAIS is for producers to register their premises. This involves submitting some basic information to the (insert State) government used to contact you if a disease outbreak or other animal health event occurs. Later in the presentation, I will show you how to register your premises online.  

Premises registration gives animal health officials the information they need in order to communicate with producers during a disease outbreak or other animal health event. Accurate disease response is much easier to plan when the affected premises can be identified. Additionally, producers benefit from receiving information of a disease outbreak or other animal health event in a timely manner, which will likely save them losses in animals and income. Premises registration is administered by the States and tribes.

Insert information corresponding to the State-specific details you include on the slide. 

There are several benefits of premises registration:
It will help protect your premises and your livelihood – your animals, your job, your income.
It will reduce hardships a disease outbreak or other animal health event could cause in your community. By identifying a disease outbreak or other animal health event and spreading the word quickly, fewer animals and premises are likely to be affected. 
It supports access to domestic and international markets – local and State officials can use NAIS to identify areas affected by disease, keeping markets open for unaffected producers.  
USDA will protect individuals’ private information. 
Premises registration is a collaborative effort between producers, Federal and State government, and industry to help reduce the impact of a disease outbreak or other animal health event. Each partner’s role is necessary for success.

Discuss the benefits of premises registration for producers in your State.

## Provides a uniform identification system for all animals
Assigns a unique Animal Identification Number (AIN) to each animal (or group of animals) that links them to premises of origin
Can be leveraged to support additional objectives such as herd/flock management, genetic improvement, and marketing
Requires the purchase of an AIN device
You can select from a variety of AIN devices to meet your operation’s unique needs

- Assigns a unique Animal Identification Number (AIN) to each animal (or group of animals) that links them to premises of origin
- Can be leveraged to support additional objectives such as herd/flock management, genetic improvement, and marketing
- Requires the purchase of an AIN device
- You can select from a variety of AIN devices to meet your operation’s unique needs

**Premises Registration**

**Animal Identification**

**Animal Tracing**

**1**

**2**

**3**

**Animal identification**

**Notes:**
The second step in NAIS is animal identification. This part of NAIS is underway in several States.  

Animal ID provides a uniform numbering system for all animals, assigning an Animal ID Number (AIN) to each animal (or group of animals) that links it to its premises of origin.  

This identification system can be used to support other goals such as animal management, genetic improvement, and marketing. This stage of the system requires an AIN device. Different types of devices are available and producers can select the ones they prefer.   

NAIS is designed to allow producer flexibility. Producers are not required to identify animals until the livestock or poultry leave their premises.

Insert State-specific information about animal identification status.

## Is under development by States and private industry 
Allows animal health officials to view information on animal movement
Reports on where your animals have been
Reports on what other animals have come into contact with yours
Ensures producers receive accurate information during a disease outbreak or other animal health event

- Allows animal health officials to view information on animal movement
- Reports on where your animals have been
- Reports on what other animals have come into contact with yours
- Ensures producers receive accurate information during a disease outbreak or other animal health event

**Premises Registration**

**Animal Identification**

**Animal Tracing**

**1**

**2**

**3**

**Animal tracing**

**Notes:**
Animal tracing is the one component of NAIS that is still being developed by the States and private industry. The objective of this phase is to allow animal health officials to obtain reports on where animals have been and with what other animals they have been in contact. Animal health officials will only access the information in the event of an animal health emergency. 

##         NAIS myths                        NAIS facts

**Personal data will be released to additional government agencies**

**Federal law protects individuals’ private information and confidential business information from disclosure**

**USDA will use producer information to conduct surveillance of premises and animals**

**Producer information is only accessed when a disease outbreak or other animal health event occurs**

**NAIS myths versus facts**

**Notes:**
You may have encountered misinformation about NAIS. Let’s talk about NAIS fact and fiction. 

Some producers are concerned that additional government agencies will have access to their business or personal information, or that it will be used by USDA for other purposes.  
Federal law protects individuals’ private information and confidential business information from disclosure.

Producers fear that information provided as part of NAIS will contribute to a USDA effort to conduct surveillance of all premises and animals.
USDA will not use producer data for purposes other than those in support of disease containment, or other emergency where the information is necessary (the Colorado blizzard, for example)

##         NAIS myths                        NAIS facts

**Individual identification is not necessary for animals that are raised in and remain as a group through production**

**Producers that participate in NAIS will be held liable if their animals spread animal disease**

**Participating in NAIS does not mean you will be held accountable for a disease outbreak or other animal health event**

**        ****NAIS myths****                        NAIS facts**

**NAIS myths versus facts**

**Notes:**
Many producers raise animals in groups or herds, and never single out particular animals. With NAIS, producers are concerned that all animals, regardless of whether or not they are a part of a group or herd, will have to be tagged.
Animals that are raised in groups, and remain that way through the production chain, (from birth to slaughterhouse), do not need to be individually identified. The group can be identified collectively, provided with identification, and all animals will be associated with that one designation. Good examples are swine and poultry.

Currently, the government does not hold producers liable for a disease outbreak or other animal health event in their facility, but producers fear this will change with NAIS.
Participating in NAIS does not mean you will be held accountable for a disease outbreak or other animal health event in your area. 

## Premises registration information

**Insert additional information your State requests**

- When registering your premises, you will be asked to provide the following information:
- Name of the premises
- Appropriate contact person
- Street address/city/state/zip code for the premises
- Contact phone number
- Operation type (production unit, market, exhibition, slaughter plant, etc.)
- Alternative phone numbers

**Notes:**
When you are ready to register your premises, you will need to submit the following information:
Name of the premises
Appropriate contact person
Street address/city/state/zip code for the premises
Contact phone number
Operation type (production unit, market, exhibition, slaughter plant, etc.)
Alternative phone numbers
Insert additional information your State requires

## I’m ready to register my premises. What do I do now?

**If your State does not have online registration, delete this **

**Add any other means of registration in your State**

**Insert address where forms should be sent**

- Visit (insert web address here)
- Register online OR
- Print forms and send them to:

## Thank you for attending!

- NAIS is only as good as the people who participate in it!
- Questions?
- Comments?
- Concerns?
- Suggestions?
- For additional information about NAIS in (insert state) see

**Insert details about where attendees can find additional information (Web sites, etc.)**

**Notes:**
Thank you!

Be sure to allot plenty of time for Q&A at the end of each presentation.

Insert information about where attendees can find additional NAIS details.