State to require RFID tags for cattle

The Washington State Department of Agriculture recently published a proposal that would mandate the use of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags in female cows and bulls over 18 months of age, a proposal that is both opposed and supported in the state. In the first step of the rules process, WSDA published a notice in the state register on Dec. 20 that would require any individual who owns a cow throughout the state to use the radio frequency tags. The regulation would also apply to bison. By proposing the regulation through rules, the agency does not need to gain legislative approval but must hold a series of public hearings. The notice said the tags are needed to continue to build the state’s Animal Disease Traceability (ADT) system, as well as prepare for eventual RFID requirements from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.