USDA Hands Responsibility of RFID Traceability Efforts to APHIS

The agency announced it will not finalize a plan introduced by the Trump Administration, instead handing control of rulemaking to its Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

There are new developments in the rules and tracing of cattle via RFID tags, AgDay’s Clinton Griffiths reports. The USDA has announced it will not finalize a plan introduced by the Trump Administration to approve Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags as the official ear tag for interstate movement of cattle.

Instead, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) will use the rule making process for future actions on RFID tags. APHIS has said this means all current approved ID methods can be used until further notice but adds the RFID tags provide the “best protection against the rapid spread of animal diseases,” Griffiths says.

Read Next
Production animal veterinarians often work in isolation, making communication and trust with producers an important — and often overlooked — part of both professional well-being and animal care.
Follow Bovine Veterinarian
Get News Weekly
Get Markets Alerts
Get News & Markets App