USDA plans seven NAIS meetings nationwide

Washington

-- The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) will hold a series of listening sessions on the National Animal Identification System (NAIS) this month.

The meetings are scheduled in Alabama, Colorado, Connecticut, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Texas and Washington state.

"USDA needs to hear directly from our stakeholders as we work together to create an animal disease traceability program we can all support," says USDA Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. "I encourage individuals and organizations to voice their concerns, ideas and potential solutions about animal identification, by either attending these listening sessions or submitting comments online."

The listening sessions will include information about the current program, as well as an opportunity to give public testimony or ask program-related questions.

The public meetings will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. local time, with registration one hour prior to each meeting.

The meetings are scheduled in the following locations:

Thursday, May 14: Harrisburg, Pa.

Monday, May 18: Pasco, Wash.

Wednesday, May 20: Austin, Texas

Thursday, May 21: Birmingham, Ala.

Friday, May 22: Louisville, Ky.

Wednesday, May 27: Storrs, Conn.

Monday, June 1: Greeley, Colo.

For more information, clickhere.