NATIONAL AFFAIRS:
Senate May Restart Mandatory Animal ID Talks - Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) told reporters the massive ground beef recall sparked by video footage of abused downer cattle shows the importance of having a "comprehensive" animal ID system that covers all animals and provides 48-hour traceback to the farm or ranch. While that statement likely wouldn't raise too many eyebrows, Harkin didn't stop there. When pressed by reporters on the issue, Harkin said he wouldn't rule out congressional action to make national animal ID mandatory. "You know USDA could make it mandatory," Harkin noted. "Whether or not we're going to do that in law, that remains to be seen." Harkin also promised to hold hearings on national animal ID this spring and said such a program "wouldn't cost that much, either."
Ohio Farm Bureau Federation
http://ofbf.informz.net/admin31/con...ptid=218&brandid=3191&uid=754437871&mi=273342
Senate May Restart Mandatory Animal ID Talks - Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) told reporters the massive ground beef recall sparked by video footage of abused downer cattle shows the importance of having a "comprehensive" animal ID system that covers all animals and provides 48-hour traceback to the farm or ranch. While that statement likely wouldn't raise too many eyebrows, Harkin didn't stop there. When pressed by reporters on the issue, Harkin said he wouldn't rule out congressional action to make national animal ID mandatory. "You know USDA could make it mandatory," Harkin noted. "Whether or not we're going to do that in law, that remains to be seen." Harkin also promised to hold hearings on national animal ID this spring and said such a program "wouldn't cost that much, either."
Ohio Farm Bureau Federation
http://ofbf.informz.net/admin31/con...ptid=218&brandid=3191&uid=754437871&mi=273342