Additional NAIS meetings planned

Washington

-- The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) will host additional listening sessions regarding the National Animal Identification System (NAIS) in California, Florida, Missouri, New Mexico, North Carolina and South Dakota.

In 2004, APHIS began implementing NAIS, an animal traceability system that would enable producers and animal-health officials to better respond to animal disease events. Not all stakeholders embraced the system.

These meetings are meant for producers to address concerns and explore possible solutions for an animal identification system.

Cost of implementation, impact on small farmers, privacy and confidentiality, liability, premises registration, animal identification and animal tracing are all likely discussion topics.

The following is a list of dates and meeting locations:

June 9 - Jefferson City, Mo.

June 11 - Rapid City, S.D.

June 16 - Albuquerque, N.M.

June 18 - Riverside, Calif.

June 25 - Raleigh, N.C.

June 27 - Jasper, Fla.

The meetings are scheduled from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and registration opens one hour before each meeting. For more information, click here.