Pros of the National Animal Identification System

The National Animal Identification System (NAIS) is a voluntary participation program for a unified database that can monitor and track all registered farm animals in the U.S. If a farm or an organization chooses to participate, it then must register each animal and equip them with tracking devices. The device monitors the premises on which the animal is located, the animal itself and any movement associated with the animal. Animals that move through the commerce chain as a group may be registered as a single entity. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) as well as all participants would have access to systematically updated information.

Disease Containment

• A close watch on cattle means a close watch on diseases.

  The major draw of NAIS is the promise of containing disease. With the help of the NAIS, the USDA can respond immediately should an epidemic threaten to arise. The USDA would locate the source of the threat and isolate it. Participants of the program will continuously update the information pertaining to their animals, including purchasing or selling new livestock, or potential symptoms. According to the NAIS User Guide, the system "provides timely, accurate information in the case of a disease event, allowing producers and animal health officials to coordinate their efforts and respond as quickly, efficiently, and effectively as possible." The results of a swift response would mean lower costs to farmers due to a smaller number of affected animals.

Food Safety

• Healthy livestock will improve the quality of food.

  Disease containment is closely tied with food safety. The ability to quickly track a diseased animal could mean preserving the health of hundreds of American consumers. An outbreak of bovine tuberculosis in 2005 incited a frantic search for the source of the disease that lasted 199 days. This kind of search, using the NAIS technology, would take only 48 hours. USDA would then use the NAIS to identify the food source and offspring of the diseased animal, making the origin of the health concern easier to pinpoint.

Overseas Market Opportunities

• NAIS implementation would also result in greater market opportunities overseas. The European Union already has a similar system in place and, therefore, expects a certain level of assured quality from overseas imports. The NAIS would also help eradicate the presence of doubts caused by previous contamination incidents. The spread of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, more commonly known as Mad Cow Disease, had a profound effect on the U.S., United Kingdom and Canadian meat markets in the 1990s; the aftershocks of which were felt for almost two decades. A tracking system would provide more conclusive, up-to-date information on the spread and containment of diseases, inspiring more confidence in overseas markets.

Simple Record-Keeping

• Participating in the NAIS is also beneficial from a managerial perspective. The system maintains records. Cattle ranchers, farmers and corporations can access a unified database that will provide them all the information necessary before buying or selling animals. Access to this database will also mean leveraging the best possible price. A potential buyer would have access to all the animal's records, including medical or performance issues, as well as any information specific to a particular location.