Livestock groups comment on RFID transition

Several different livestock groups offered mixed reviews regarding the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) proposal to transition to Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) as the official eartag for use in interstate movement of cattle that are required to be identified by the traceability regulations.

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Assn. (NCBA) said in its comments that it “has long been supportive of traceability for animal health purposes and believes that the goal of any identification program should be to enable the cattle industry, state, and federal animal health officials to respond rapidly and effectively to animal health emergencies.”