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Call with USDA Veterinary Services Management Team regarding its updated VS Memorandum on Premises Identification Numbers

Chuck Kiker and I participated on this call today. USDA VS Officials outlined the updated memorandum. First off all, USDA announced that it had canceled its Sept. 22nd VS Memorandum. USDA will now send the corrected information to the Federal Register early in 2009. A few basic points outlined during this call included:

• Livestock markets will not assign a premises ID to a cattle producer; rather, if a producer without a premises ID sells cattle at a livestock market, then those cattle will be traced to the livestock market premises ID and a producer will not be assigned a premises ID. (Mark Ellis, you can thank Chuck Kiker for bringing this up and clarifying this point!)

• VS has established a procedure for producers who request their premises record be removed from the NAIS premises database.

• A State PIN will be issued in the administration of animal disease program activities when the State or producer (or person responsible) for the premises elects not to have a standardized PIN assigned to the premises.

All in all, I think that the USDA listened to the concerns we raised on behalf of U.S. Cattlemen’s Association. We received A LOT of negative feedback regarding the Sept. 22nd memo, and USCA relayed all of that info on to USDA. Hopefully we can continue a positive working dialogue with USDA on this issue.

If you like the sounds of the updated memo and USCA’s work on it, please call or email me. If you hate it and are really worked up about it, please call Chuck Kiker! All kidding aside, we welcome your input and guidance on this very important issue.

Tags: Chuck Kiker, Jess Peterson, U.S. Cattlemen's Association, USDA

1 Comment to Call with USDA Veterinary Services Management Team regarding its updated VS Memorandum on Premises Identification Numbers

1. 

   Great post. I will read your posts frequently. Added you to the RSS reader.
Sue Massey on December 29th, 2008

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