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USDA not implementing mandatory RFID cattle tags

USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service announced last week that it will not implement its Federal Register Notice requiring the use of radio frequency identification tags on all cattle and bison moved across state lines. 

The notice was to take effect at the start of 2023. R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard says the announcement is good news for U.S. cattle producers. 

“We have many producers that don’t have the equipment and facilities in order to tag all the animals they wish to ship across state lines,” he said.

Bullard said the World Trade Organization is encouraging all countries to adopt a national animal identification system pushing USDA to mandate RFID tags. 

He tells Brownfield while USDA is currently offering to provide the tags for free…  

“That will only last for a short period and suddenly U.S. cattle producers are going to find a significant increase in production cost,” Bullard said.

Bullard points to increased cost of electronic wands, computer software and hardware, the tags themselves and other equipment. He said USDA must provide a cost-benefit analysis before they are able to make such a mandate. 

R-CALF has a pending lawsuit against USDA claiming it formed an unlawful private committee with tag manufacturers to implement mandatory RFID tags. 

Bill Bullard Interview

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