National Animal Identification System (NAIS)
Commissioner's Letter to Livestock Producers [PDF]
National Animal Identification System (NAIS)
The National Animal Identification System (NAIS) is being implemented by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Animal Industry in cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Leading industry producers have helped to guide the implementation of the program in Florida.
NAIS is a voluntary state-federal-industry partnership to standardize premises location capabilities and animal identification for livestock, poultry and horses. The long-term goal of NAIS is to provide animal health officials and producers with the capability to identify all livestock and premises that have had direct contact with a disease of concern within 48 hours of discovery. The foundation of the system is a national premises registration database to record the contact information and physical addresses of producers. Premises registration is free to producers and requires only basic contact information.
History has shown that by controlling the spread of disease through early detection, notification and rapid response, we can greatly reduce loss, economic impact and animal suffering. A disease outbreak can impact any operation of any size. Premises registration can benefit anyone who maintains livestock or poultry - even if it’s just a backyard flock or a couple of riding horses. This system will protect Florida’s livestock industry by helping producers and industry officials to isolate diseases before they spread.
Animal agriculture is a vital part of Florida’s agricultural economy. Florida’s farmers, ranchers and their animals deserve our best efforts to develop a system to effectively respond to disease threats. Our State Veterinarian and Division of Animal Industry personnel will continue working with producers and industry leaders to develop practical approaches to meeting the animal health and animal movement challenges of today's global marketplace.
New Tools – Traditional Values:
Animal identification has been practiced for as long as animals have been domesticated. There is an abiding respect for the time-proven practices of marking, branding, tagging and tattooing livestock. Identification is critical for proving ownership and providing a means to track or trace animals. The success of disease eradication programs over the past 30 years reduced the number of animals that were officially identified through program efforts. This, in some cases coupled with market forces against visual ID on hides, has created a void in the traceability of animals after they leave the farm or ranch. New technologies have been developed and are available to help producers better identify animals.
Participating in premises registration gives producers a tool for source verification of market animals. Having a premises identification number does not mandate individual animal identification. Individual animal identification and group lot identification will be determined by what is appropriate for each species and by a producer’s specific marketing plan. Some producers have implemented individual identification as a management tool and are realizing benefits from streamlined production and performance data for their livestock.
Premises Registration:
There are three basic ways to register your premises in Florida.
- Complete the online registration form at http://nais.aphis.usda.gov/NAIS/index.jsp?state=FL.
- Download the registration form [PDF] from this site, complete it, and return it by mail or fax.
Also: Premises Registration Applications are also available at local Farm Service Agency and University of Florida, IFAS Extension offices.
- Call the Florida Division of Animal Industry at 850-410-0900 to register by phone.
NAIS is being developed in three stages:
- Premises Identification – Registering your premises now helps to build the foundation for this system. This “first step” gives you the power to better protect your animals, your neighbors and your industry in the case of a disease event. Having your premises registered does not require any other action from you.
- Animal Identification (Individual or Group Lot depending on specific species) – Your specific markets and management plans will determine the type of identification that is right for your operation. Private allied industry partners are prepared to offer guidance and assistance in finding identification solutions for you.
- Animal Tracing - Tracing only applies to animals that are moved into commercial production systems. In the event of a disease outbreak, the ability to rapidly locate all affected or at-risk animals is the key to protecting animal health and minimizing the impact.
NAIS Outreach Video- Learn more about registering your premises [WMV] 45MB
To learn more about NAIS, please visit www.usda.gov/nais. The “Business Plan to Advance Animal Disease Traceability” prioritizes species and explains why 48-hour trace back is such an important long-term goal.
You may contact the Florida NAIS Coordinator by telephone at 850-410-0900 or by E-mail at monroes@doacs.state.fl.us if you need further assistance regarding NAIS.
Setting the Record Straight: NAIS has had a lot of attention since 2004 when USDA announced this effort to aid in the containment and eradication of animal disease. Accurate, straight forward information is available but it has been clouded by misconceptions about the system which have been circulated through media, the internet etc. It is in the best interest of Florida’s livestock industry that we carefully consider the facts before making a decision about the National Animal Identification System. The protection of Florida’s livestock industry is the responsibility of producers, animal health officials and many others who depend on a safe and healthy livestock population. The following information is provided to help you learn more about what NAIS is and what it is not: |
NAIS Does: |
NAIS Does Not: |
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