U.S. animal disease control lags, opinion poll shows

Bowling Green, Ky. - 9/11/07 - The United States is not keeping pace with other developed countries regarding animal traceability systems for disease control purposes.

That's according to more than 85 percent of the roughly 80 survey respondents polled during last month's National Institute for Animal Agriculture's ID-INFO EXPO 2007.

Officials at the event, held in Kansas City, Mo., asked attendees to gauge the importance of livestock traceability. Animal disease control topped the list for respondents who ranked "the biggest needs for implementing animal traceability systems." The export requirements of livestock products came in second. Nine out of 10 respondents agreed that 80- to 100-percent participation in the government's National Animal Identification System is needed for the program to become an effective tool in supporting animal disease traceability, officials contend.

For more information, visit www.animalagriculture.org.