The USDA is announcing plans to begin allocating individual animal identification numbers (AIN) to tag manufacturers as outlined in the National Animal Identification System (NAIS) Draft Program Standards . The initial focus is on the cattle industry.
The NAIS consists of three phases: premise registration, animal identification and animal tracking. This announcement marks the initial step necessary to begin implementing the second phase. Currently, USDA has been concentrating efforts on getting livestock producers to register their premise(s). Information regarding the NAIS and premise registration can be viewed on the NAIS website. The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) has an interactive map on their website that links users directly to the individual state’s animal ID web page were premise registration information can be found.
Source:
USDA