South Dakota Stockgrowers Association members are opposed to USDA efforts to mandate electronic radio tags for identifying cattle for traceability and disease concerns. They prefer the use of magnetic tags and reporting that information to the state veterinarian. The Producer Traceability Council is recommending a minimal amount of data is collected and transferred electronically to USDA. Stockgrowers ID Committee Chairman Kenny Fox says metal tags work better.

He says other countries like Australia have used the electronic tags and have had problems.

Fox says rather than electronically transferring data to USDA, it’s better for the state veterinarian to have that information to be able to act quickly should disease problems emerge.

Fox says the South Dakota Stockgrowers were kept from participating in the Producer Traceability Council because of their opposition to the radio electronic tags.