[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 42 (Friday, March 3, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10951-10952]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-3036]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2005-0117]


National Animal Identification System (NAIS); Administration of 
Official Identification Devices With the Animal Identification Number

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: This notice makes available a document describing how an 
animal identification number (AIN) may be used in conjunction with 
official identification devices in the National Animal Identification 
System (NAIS). The document includes performance and printing 
requirements for visual identification tags with AINs and provides an 
explanation of the process by which these AIN tags will be authorized 
for use in the NAIS. Performance standards for radio frequency 
identification tags or devices that may be used on cattle or bison to 
supplement visual AIN tags are also presented. Finally, the document 
describes the AIN Management System, a Web-based system for 
distributing and administering AINs in the NAIS, and discusses the 
roles and responsibilities of key participants in the system.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Neil Hammerschmidt, NAIS 
Coordinator, Eradication and Surveillance Team, National Center for 
Animal Health Programs, VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 200, Riverdale, 
MD 20737-1231; (301) 734-5571.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    As part of ongoing efforts to safeguard animal health, the U.S. 
Department of Agriculture (USDA) initiated implementation of the 
National Animal Identification System (NAIS) in 2004. The NAIS is a 
cooperative State-Federal-industry program administered by USDA's 
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). Its long-term goal 
is to track all animal movements, from birth to harvest, as part of 
USDA's National Animal Health Monitoring and Surveillance Program.
    In order to facilitate the implementation of the NAIS, on November 
8, 2004, we published in the Federal Register (69 FR 64644-64651, 
Docket No. 04-052-1) an interim rule that, among other things, amended 
the regulations to recognize additional numbering systems for the 
identification of animals in interstate commerce and State/Federal/
industry cooperative disease control and eradication programs and to 
redefine the numbering system used to identify premises where animals 
are managed or held. Specifically, the interim rule recognized the 
animal identification number (AIN) as an official numbering system for 
the identification of individual animals, the group/lot identification 
number (GIN) for the identification of groups or lots of animals within 
the same production system, and the seven-character premises 
identification number (PIN) for the identification of premises in the 
NAIS. Use of the new numbering systems was not, however, required as a 
result of the interim rule. Finally, the interim rule amended the 
regulations to prohibit the removal of official identification devices 
and to eliminate potential regulatory obstacles to the recognition of 
emerging technologies that could offer viable alternatives to existing 
animal identification devices and methods.
    In May 2005, we made available for public review and comment a 
Draft Strategic Plan and a Draft Program Standards document (70 FR 
29269-29270, Docket No. 05-015-2, May 20, 2005). The Draft Strategic 
Plan described the process of developing the NAIS, in particular the 
timeline for full implementation, while the Draft Program Standards 
document presented our view of how the system would work when fully 
implemented.
    The current document, entitled ``Administration of Official 
Identification Devices with the Animal Identification Number,'' expands 
upon certain aspects of the NAIS that were presented in the Draft 
Program Standards. Specifically, we describe the use of the AIN in 
conjunction with official identification devices in the NAIS; present 
performance and printing requirements for visual AIN tags and explain 
the process by which these tags will be authorized for use in the NAIS; 
and provide performance standards for radio frequency identification 
(RFID) tags or devices that may be attached to cattle or bison to 
supplement visual AIN tags. We also describe the AIN Management System, 
a Web-based system for distributing and administering AINs in the NAIS, 
and discuss the roles and responsibilities of key participants in the 
system.
    For producers who choose to participate in the NAIS, tags 
(generally eartags) imprinted with AINs will be an option for use with 
certain species, such as cattle, when visual, unique, individual 
official animal identification is necessary. These AIN tags will have 
to satisfy the requirements currently

[[Page 10952]]

contained in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) for tags used for 
the identification of animals. For example, eartags imprinted with AINs 
will have to meet the criteria for recognition as official eartags in 9 
CFR 71.1, including requirements that the eartags be tamper resistant 
and have a high retention rate in the animal. The document that we are 
now making available contains additional standards for AIN tag security 
(the tags must be tamper evident, i.e., impossible to remove and 
reapply without visual evidence of tampering), durability, readability, 
and printing characteristics.
    The document also describes the process by which APHIS will 
authorize AIN tags for use in the NAIS. During the initial, voluntary 
phase of the NAIS, AIN tags that meet USDA standards for AIN tags will 
qualify for ``USDA Approval Pending'' status. When the NAIS becomes 
fully operational, more complete testing and evaluation procedures and 
an approval process for official identification devices will be 
available. At such time, a designation of ``USDA Approved'' will be 
established. APHIS will reserve the right to evaluate identification 
devices independently, using resources within the Agency or through 
contractual services with universities or private research firms, to 
verify compliance with tag specifications, either before or following 
issuance of USDA Approval Pending or USDA Approved status. Official 
identification devices may lose their USDA Approval Pending or USDA 
Approved status at any time if APHIS determines that the devices are 
substandard.
    In addition to the visual AIN tags described above, which will be 
the official identifiers in the NAIS for certain species, producers may 
elect to incorporate supplemental identification methods or 
technologies. These supplemental technologies or methods may vary among 
species.
    Cattle are a priority in the initial rollout of the NAIS. RFID 
devices appear, at this point, to be the preferred technology among 
cattle producers for use as a supplemental identification method. The 
document that we are now making available to the public contains 
standards for RFID AIN tags. These standards cover ISO compliance, 
electronic read rates and ranges, expected tag life, transponder 
security, and transponder failure rates.
    As noted in the NAIS Draft Program Standards document, a key 
component of the NAIS is the AIN Management System. The AIN Management 
System is a Web-based system for distributing and administering AINs in 
the NAIS. Under the AIN Management System, AINs are allocated to 
companies that manufacture official identification devices or 
technologies. Other individuals and organizations may perform such 
roles as distributing these devices and technologies to producers, 
educating producers on their use, and maintaining records of AIN 
allocations.
    The current document offers a more comprehensive description of the 
AIN Management System than did the Draft Program Standards, focusing, 
in particular, on the roles and responsibilities of key participants in 
the system. These key participants will include AIN tag manufacturers, 
AIN tag managers, and AIN tag resellers.
    AIN tag manufacturers are companies that will be authorized by 
APHIS to manufacture approved identification devices. In order to be 
recognized as an AIN tag manufacturer, a company will have to enter 
into an AIN tag manufacturer agreement with APHIS and a marketing 
agreement with one or more tag managers and complete a training program 
provided by APHIS. AIN tag manufacturers will be responsible for the 
overall production and quality of AIN tags. They may only produce AIN 
tags with the AINs that have been allocated to them by APHIS and will 
have to maintain records of the tags that they distribute. AIN tag 
manufacturers may also be AIN tag managers.
    AIN tag managers are individuals, organizations, or companies that 
will provide AIN tags to other AIN tag managers or resellers or 
directly to premises. In addition to distributing AIN tags, other 
responsibilities of the AIN tag manager will include validating the 
PINs of premises that are to receive the tags; maintaining records of 
tags received from manufacturers and distributed to premises, other 
managers, or resellers; submitting these records to the AIN Management 
System; and educating customers on the proper use of official 
identification devices. In order to be recognized as an AIN tag 
manager, the individual or entity will be required to agree to certain 
terms and conditions set forth by APHIS, which include the completion 
of a training program provided by APHIS, and to enter into a marketing 
agreement with an AIN tag manufacturer.
    AIN tag resellers will perform the same functions as AIN tag 
managers, but will receive their AIN tags from AIN tag managers rather 
than directly from manufacturers. In order to be recognized by APHIS as 
an AIN tag reseller, the individual or entity will have to enter into a 
marketing agreement with an AIN tag manager and agree to APHIS' terms 
and conditions, which include the successful completion of a training 
program provided by APHIS.
    The document regarding the administration of official 
identification devices employing the AIN may be viewed on the Internet 
at http://www.usda.gov/nais or on the Regulations.gov Web page.\1\ You 
may request paper copies of the document by calling or writing to the 
person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. Please refer to 
the title of the document (``Administration of Official Identification 
Devices with the Animal Identification Number'') when requesting 
copies.
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    \1\ Go to http://www.regulations.gov, click on the ``Advanced 
Search'' tab and select ``Docket Search.'' In the Docket ID field, 
enter APHIS-2005-0117 then click on ``Submit.'' The document 
described in this notice will appear in the resulting list of 
documents.

    Done in Washington, DC, this 27th day of February 2006.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
 [FR Doc. E6-3036 Filed 3-2-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P