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#6 A:  Here is the web site for the NAIS Goat Working Group:   http://AnimalID.org   This is not an ADGA group, but ADGA members as well as members from other goat registries have served on the committee.   It has worked to help ensure that goat breeders have input into any animal identification program affecting goats. It has also made specific requests to USDA to allow the options of using the forms of ID listed above, including ADGA tattoos. The USDA web site for NAIS is:  http://www.usda.gov/nais/

#7 A:  No. NASS is the National Agricultural Statistics Service and NAIS is the National Animal Identification System - a program under the Animal Plant Health Inspection Service agency. These are very different. Providing details about one's operation to NASS does not provide anything to USDA/APHIS nor NAIS. Congress mandates that an Ag Census be conducted every 5 years. It is important that small farms be accurately represented in these census figures. For more information, see http://www.agcensus.usda.gov/ Also add MORE INFORMATION Link to continue) Additional Sheep and Goat Inventory Surveys are provided at intervals between the 5 year Ag Census reports.

While they are under the same department (USDA - U.S .Department of Agriculture), they are entirely different. NASS is an agency within USDA and NAIS is a program managed by another agency (APHIS- Animal Plant Health Inspection Service). The NASS is prohibited by law from sharing private information outside their specific agency, even if the other agency is within USDA.

The NASS made a presentation to the ADGA Board in 2002, and make it clear that information collected through Agriculture Surveys is confidential information that is not shared with other agencies. The Board of Directors approved providing a membership directory for use by NASS in their development of a mailing list. The information contained is already available to anyone who is a member or may be purchased by non members. NASS uses a variety of sources to help develop contact lists for the surveys, in order to reach as many potential people as possible. A number of people have worked for years to get goats represented with national statistics programs. Previously goats were grouped under "other". We were finally successful in getting them listed separately, and now we even have meat, dairy and fiber listed individually. Due to this accomplishment and the numbers of goats reported in these surveys, goats are getting more recognition and consideration. Because of the significance of these numbers, we have a much better chance of getting goats added to various drug label uses, when previously they were not even considered. With the help of our friends and colleagues in the sheep and meat goat industries, we have even been able to have goats added for consideration for compensation for drought assistance in some areas. For example, in 2004, a total of 30,649 goat producers from 42 states received $8 million in disaster aid. This included goats raised for meat, dairy and fiber. Goats had previously not been included in the drought assistance program. In some states, they chose not to include them because there weren't significant numbers reported. If producers had reported the numbers, the picture could have been very different.

For more information about NASS, read additional material here:

http://www.nass.usda.gov/About_Nass/index.asp
http://www.nass.usda.gov/About_Nass/Confidentiality_Pledge/index.asp

#10 A:  The simple answer is no. We have received confirmation from USDA that Registries will have an opportunity to use AINs (a 15 digit standardized Animal Identification Number). We have further been told that there is no plan to require breed registries to do so. According to the USDA/APHIS, "…the option for breeds to use AIN as part of their breed registry is their choice. If they elect to do so, the policy for the use of AIN follows the policies defined by NAIS. It has always been defined by NAIS, that if one elects to use AINs, a PIN (Premises ID Number) is necessary as the tags are allocated/distributed to PINs". Further they indicate, "Our timeline to work with breed registries (page 50 of NAIS Business Plan) is for staff to have explained the AIN with the breed registries so they know how it "works" and if they elect to consider using it, we want to support them accordingly with proper training/information, etc."

The ADGA Board has had no discussions about requiring members to have a premises number in order to register their animals or use ADGA services. We have also not received anything from USDA requesting us to do so. Should we receive a request from USDA in the future, we will make every effort to discuss it at length before any decisions are made.

Several years ago, there was discussion about the possibility of adding Premises numbers to ADGA registration certificates, if requested by individual members. ADGA Directors were approached by members in states such as Wisconsin that are now required by the state to have a premises number (PIN) before they can enter shows. The members indicated that adding that information to their registration papers would assist them in meeting the rules of the state. There was also informal discussion of adding AIN numbers to registration certificates, if requested by individual members.

We're always looking for ways we can serve our members, and this informal discussion was prompted by that desire. For example, if we can assist members by adding this information to registration papers on request, that could allow them to continue to use our unique tattoo system in lieu of tagging their animals, should they need some sort of official ID for moving their animals to sales or shows (such as the rules for the National Scrapie Eradication Program). By adding the additional information to the registration certificate, it would then provide a database link to that animal that could meet the needs of a national ID system. We have also heard from many members who do not want to use ear tags for their animals. By providing a method to "connect" these numbers on a registration certificate in our database, they could keep the option of using tattoos for the identification. In essence, the number would be on the paper rather than in the ear, and the tattoo would remain the permanent ID method instead of an ear tag. Or, if they choose to use the 15 digit Scrapie Program tags or other approved tags, this information could be printed on the registration paper, if desired by the member. No decisions have been made by the Board, as this was all informal discussion. The Board would need to carefully consider such a policy before making any decisions.

A number of years ago, when the National Scrapie Eradication Program began, ADGA worked with USDA to help establish rules that would allow our unique tattoo system to be used for ID purposes of that program, if a copy of the registration paper accompanied the animal. While individual states can enact more restrictive rules, the federal program allows tattoos to be used instead of an ear tag. So, having animals registered can help keep that ID option open for our members to use.

Link to NAIS Business Plan Draft

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