Multiple state cattlemen’s groups from major beef producing regions have partnered together to form U.S. Cattle Trace, a disease traceability initiative. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association also has an animal disease traceability committee that’s been working on traceability this past year. The Chairman is South Dakota cattle producer Todd Wilkinson. He says there have been efforts to improve the traceability timeline that have shown success.
He says having proper and effective traceability is important for both producers and consumers.
Wilkinson says his committee is working with the USDA and will be meeting with USDA Undersecretary Greg (eye-baw) Ibach today.
Wilkinson says his committee has worked through privacy concerns with traceability and want to make sure that information is secured with each state’s veterinarian and animal industry board. He says what’s unworkable would be premising identifying each pasture on a cattle operation.
