[Federal Register: March 3, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 42)]
[Notices]
[Page 10951-10952]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr03mr06-26]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. APHIS-2005-0117]
National Animal Identification System (NAIS); Administration of
Official Identification Devices With the Animal Identification Number
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
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SUMMARY: This notice makes available a document describing how an
animal identification number (AIN) may be used in conjunction with
official identification devices in the National Animal Identification
System (NAIS). The document includes performance and printing
requirements for visual identification tags with AINs and provides an
explanation of the process by which these AIN tags will be authorized
for use in the NAIS. Performance standards for radio frequency
identification tags or devices that may be used on cattle or bison to
supplement visual AIN tags are also presented. Finally, the document
describes the AIN Management System, a Web-based system for
distributing and administering AINs in the NAIS, and discusses the
roles and responsibilities of key participants in the system.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Neil Hammerschmidt, NAIS
Coordinator, Eradication and Surveillance Team, National Center for
Animal Health Programs, VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 200, Riverdale,
MD 20737-1231; (301) 734-5571.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
As part of ongoing efforts to safeguard animal health, the U.S.
Department of Agriculture (USDA) initiated implementation of the
National Animal Identification System (NAIS) in 2004. The NAIS is a
cooperative State-Federal-industry program administered by USDA's
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). Its long-term goal
is to track all animal movements, from birth to harvest, as part of
USDA's National Animal Health Monitoring and Surveillance Program.
In order to facilitate the implementation of the NAIS, on November
8, 2004, we published in the Federal Register (69 FR 64644-64651,
Docket No. 04-052-1) an interim rule that, among other things, amended
the regulations to recognize additional numbering systems for the
identification of animals in interstate commerce and State/Federal/
industry cooperative disease control and eradication programs and to
redefine the numbering system used to identify premises where animals
are managed or held. Specifically, the interim rule recognized the
animal identification number (AIN) as an official numbering system for
the identification of individual animals, the group/lot identification
number (GIN) for the identification of groups or lots of animals within
the same production system, and the seven-character premises
identification number (PIN) for the identification of premises in the
NAIS. Use of the new numbering systems was not, however, required as a
result of the interim rule. Finally, the interim rule amended the
regulations to prohibit the removal of official identification devices
and to eliminate potential regulatory obstacles to the recognition of
emerging technologies that could offer viable alternatives to existing
animal identification devices and methods.
In May 2005, we made available for public review and comment a
Draft Strategic Plan and a Draft Program Standards document (70 FR
29269-29270, Docket No. 05-015-2, May 20, 2005). The Draft Strategic
Plan described the process of developing the NAIS, in particular the
timeline for full implementation, while the Draft Program Standards
document presented our view of how the system would work when fully
implemented.
The current document, entitled ``Administration of Official
Identification Devices with the Animal Identification Number,'' expands
upon certain aspects of the NAIS that were presented in the Draft
Program Standards. Specifically, we describe the use of the AIN in
conjunction with official identification devices in the NAIS; present
performance and printing requirements for visual AIN tags and explain
the process by which these tags will be authorized for use in the NAIS;
and provide performance standards for radio frequency identification
(RFID) tags or devices that may be attached to cattle or bison to
supplement visual AIN tags. We also describe the AIN Management System,
a Web-based system for distributing and administering AINs in the NAIS,
and discuss the roles and responsibilities of key participants in the
system.
For producers who choose to participate in the NAIS, tags
(generally eartags) imprinted with AINs will be an option for use with
certain species, such as cattle, when visual, unique, individual
official animal identification is necessary. These AIN tags will have
to satisfy the requirements currently
[[Page 10952]]
contained in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) for tags used for
the identification of animals. For example, eartags imprinted with AINs
will have to meet the criteria for recognition as official eartags in 9
CFR 71.1, including requirements that the eartags be tamper resistant
and have a high retention rate in the animal. The document that we are
now making available contains additional standards for AIN tag security
(the tags must be tamper evident, i.e., impossible to remove and
reapply without visual evidence of tampering), durability, readability,
and printing characteristics.
The document also describes the process by which APHIS will
authorize AIN tags for use in the NAIS. During the initial, voluntary
phase of the NAIS, AIN tags that meet USDA standards for AIN tags will
qualify for ``USDA Approval Pending'' status. When the NAIS becomes
fully operational, more complete testing and evaluation procedures and
an approval process for official identification devices will be
available. At such time, a designation of ``USDA Approved'' will be
established. APHIS will reserve the right to evaluate identification
devices independently, using resources within the Agency or through
contractual services with universities or private research firms, to
verify compliance with tag specifications, either before or following
issuance of USDA Approval Pending or USDA Approved status. Official
identification devices may lose their USDA Approval Pending or USDA
Approved status at any time if APHIS determines that the devices are
substandard.
In addition to the visual AIN tags described above, which will be
the official identifiers in the NAIS for certain species, producers may
elect to incorporate supplemental identification methods or
technologies. These supplemental technologies or methods may vary among
species.
Cattle are a priority in the initial rollout of the NAIS. RFID
devices appear, at this point, to be the preferred technology among
cattle producers for use as a supplemental identification method. The
document that we are now making available to the public contains
standards for RFID AIN tags. These standards cover ISO compliance,
electronic read rates and ranges, expected tag life, transponder
security, and transponder failure rates.
As noted in the NAIS Draft Program Standards document, a key
component of the NAIS is the AIN Management System. The AIN Management
System is a Web-based system for distributing and administering AINs in
the NAIS. Under the AIN Management System, AINs are allocated to
companies that manufacture official identification devices or
technologies. Other individuals and organizations may perform such
roles as distributing these devices and technologies to producers,
educating producers on their use, and maintaining records of AIN
allocations.
The current document offers a more comprehensive description of the
AIN Management System than did the Draft Program Standards, focusing,
in particular, on the roles and responsibilities of key participants in
the system. These key participants will include AIN tag manufacturers,
AIN tag managers, and AIN tag resellers.
AIN tag manufacturers are companies that will be authorized by
APHIS to manufacture approved identification devices. In order to be
recognized as an AIN tag manufacturer, a company will have to enter
into an AIN tag manufacturer agreement with APHIS and a marketing
agreement with one or more tag managers and complete a training program
provided by APHIS. AIN tag manufacturers will be responsible for the
overall production and quality of AIN tags. They may only produce AIN
tags with the AINs that have been allocated to them by APHIS and will
have to maintain records of the tags that they distribute. AIN tag
manufacturers may also be AIN tag managers.
AIN tag managers are individuals, organizations, or companies that
will provide AIN tags to other AIN tag managers or resellers or
directly to premises. In addition to distributing AIN tags, other
responsibilities of the AIN tag manager will include validating the
PINs of premises that are to receive the tags; maintaining records of
tags received from manufacturers and distributed to premises, other
managers, or resellers; submitting these records to the AIN Management
System; and educating customers on the proper use of official
identification devices. In order to be recognized as an AIN tag
manager, the individual or entity will be required to agree to certain
terms and conditions set forth by APHIS, which include the completion
of a training program provided by APHIS, and to enter into a marketing
agreement with an AIN tag manufacturer.
AIN tag resellers will perform the same functions as AIN tag
managers, but will receive their AIN tags from AIN tag managers rather
than directly from manufacturers. In order to be recognized by APHIS as
an AIN tag reseller, the individual or entity will have to enter into a
marketing agreement with an AIN tag manager and agree to APHIS' terms
and conditions, which include the successful completion of a training
program provided by APHIS.
The document regarding the administration of official
identification devices employing the AIN may be viewed on the Internet
at http://www.usda.gov/nais or on the Regulations.gov Web page.\1\ You
may request paper copies of the document by calling or writing to the
person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. Please refer to
the title of the document (``Administration of Official Identification
Devices with the Animal Identification Number'') when requesting
copies.
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\1\ Go to http://www.regulations.gov, click on the ``Advanced
Search'' tab and select ``Docket Search.'' In the Docket ID field,
enter APHIS-2005-0117 then click on ``Submit.'' The document
described in this notice will appear in the resulting list of
documents.
Done in Washington, DC, this 27th day of February 2006.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. E6-3036 Filed 3-2-06; 8:45 am]
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