[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 185 (Tuesday, September 23, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54785-54786]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-22192]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2008-0106]


A Business Plan To Advance Animal Disease Traceability; Final 
Version

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: We are advising the public that we are making available a 
final version of our Business Plan to Advance Animal Disease 
Traceability. Based on comments that we received on our draft Business 
Plan, which we made available to the public for review and comment 
through a previous notice, we have amended the plan in order to provide 
greater clarity regarding the points of integration between the 
National Animal Identification System (NAIS) and existing State and 
Federal animal health programs and brand programs. We have also added 
more specificity regarding traceability strategies for several animal 
industries, an explanation of how the NAIS can help producers meet 
country of origin labeling requirements, and a detailed discussion of 
future plans regarding radio frequency identification of animals 
destined for import or export. We have also updated the plan to reflect 
the current budget for the NAIS, to adjust the benchmarks and target 
dates for implementation of animal traceability, and to make other, 
nonsubstantive changes. The final Business Plan retains the seven core 
strategies for harmonizing the NAIS with existing programs and methods 
that we outlined in our draft plan.

ADDRESSES: The Business Plan is available on the Internet at http://animalid.aphis.usda.gov/nais/. The document may also be viewed in our 
reading room. The reading room is located in room 1141 of the USDA 
South Building, 14th Street and Independence Avenue SW., Washington, 
DC. Normal reading room hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through 
Friday, except holidays. To be sure someone is there to help you, 
please call (202) 690-2817 before coming.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Neil Hammerschmidt, Coordinator, 
National Animal Identification System, 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 its ongoing efforts to safeguard animal health, the U.S. 
Department of Agriculture (USDA) initiated implementation of a 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). The purpose of the NAIS is to 
provide a streamlined information system that

[[Page 54786]]

will help producers and animal health officials respond quickly and 
effectively to animal disease events in the United States. The ultimate 
long-term goal of the NAIS is to provide State and Federal officials 
with the capability to identify all animals and premises that have had 
direct contact with a disease of concern within 48 hours after its 
discovery.
    On December 19, 2007, we published in the Federal Register a notice 
\1\ (Docket No. APHIS-2007-0148, 72 FR 71871-71873) in which we made 
available for review and comment a draft Business Plan to Advance 
Animal Disease Traceability. The Business Plan recommended seven 
strategies and options to enable existing State and Federal regulated 
and voluntary animal health programs, industry-administered management 
and marketing programs, and various identification methods to work in 
harmony with the NAIS, with the goal of creating a comprehensive 
animal-disease traceability infrastructure in order to facilitate 48-
hour traceback.
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    \1\ To view the notice, go to http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=DocketDetail&d=APHIS-2007-0148.
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    We solicited comments on the draft Business Plan through the NAIS 
Web site (http://animalid.aphis.usda.gov/nais/) for 118 days, through 
April 15, 2008. We received 183 comments by that date, from national, 
regional, and State industry groups, State departments of agriculture, 
national veterinary organizations, the operator of a horse racetrack, 
manufacturers and distributors of animal identification devices, 
veterinarians, extension agents, university professors, producers, and 
private citizens. In response to the comments we received, we have 
modified the draft plan in several places:
     We now specify throughout the Business Plan that the long-
term focus of the NAIS is full traceability within the cattle 
industries (both beef and dairy), based on the consistent recording of 
all animal movements. The draft Business Plan focused on implementing a 
``book-end'' approach, based on knowledge of the premises of origin and 
the most recent premises for the animal, with fewer references to the 
recording of animal movements.
     We now specify throughout the Business Plan that, while 
all producers can benefit from choosing to participate in national 
animal health safeguarding efforts, NAIS standards apply to the 
administration of disease programs.
     We now separate out implementation strategies for the 
sheep industry from those for the goat industry to reflect that they 
are separate and distinct industries and species.
     We have added an explanation of how NAIS participation 
provides producers with options for meeting forthcoming country of 
origin labeling requirements.
     We now explain future plans for requiring radio frequency 
identification (commonly referred to as RFID) of animals destined for 
import and export when such animals are subject to individual 
identification.
     We have added a formal acknowledgement of the importance 
of official brands, and a clarification that the NAIS is not in 
conflict with, or a replacement for, existing brand programs.
     We have updated the budget for the NAIS to reflect the 
allocation for fiscal year 2008, have adjusted the benchmarks and 
timelines for implementation of animal traceability by species and for 
registration of critical location points, and have made other, 
nonsubstantive changes throughout the plan.
    It is important to note, however, that the final version of the 
Business Plan retains the seven core strategies for harmonizing the 
NAIS with existing programs and methods that we outlined in our draft 
Business Plan.
    We are making the final version of the Business Plan available on 
the NAIS Web site. Paper copies may be obtained by writing to the 
following address: NAIS Program Staff, VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 
200, Riverdale, MD 20737.

    Done in Washington, DC, this 17th day of September 2008.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. E8-22192 Filed 9-22-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P