A letter signed by over 40 organizations across the U.S., including several from Texas, urges Congress to take action against the United States Department of Agriculture Electronic Identification (EID) tag mandate.
In May of this year, the USDA published a rule requiring cattle and bison producers, under certain conditions, to use electronic identification ear tags.
This rule enhances a 2013 animal disease traceability rule that required cattle producers to identify their animals but with choices from different identification systems.
The letter states, “The new USDA rule is an illogical, ineffective proposal that will unfairly burden small- and medium-scale producers, further consolidate our food supply in the hands of a few large meatpackers, and undermine our national food security.”
Signers of the letter explain that multinational meatpacking corporations and high-tech companies are pushing for this EID tag mandate in the name of animal health measures and food safety support.
“The real story is that it promotes international exports, thus maximizing the meatpacking companies’ profits, while the high-tech companies will make millions selling tags, readers, and related infrastructure, all at the expense of farmers and ranchers,” the letter continues.
Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller told Texas Scorecard that the new rule is another example of government overreach, as there are already excellent means of traceability.
He further explained that the rule will incur costs that the producer will eventually bear, such as manpower, lost weight gain, and the risk of injury or death when cattle are run through to put the tag in or to read the tag.
“It’s a solution looking for a problem,” said Miller.
Citing information from the recent agriculture census from 2007- 2022, the letter points out that when Michigan implemented EID tags for cattle in 2007, it lost 32 percent of its small cattle producers while the national average was only 25 percent.
“While bearing disproportionate costs, small producers will see few if any of the benefits through increased export markets,” explains the letter.
“While agency and industry representatives have repeatedly claimed that electronic animal ID is about animal health generally, no one has produced any data or analysis to show that the current system – which includes more affordable, low-tech options for producers – is insufficient to address animal disease.”
Texas organizations that signed this letter include the Independent Cattlemen’s Association of Texas, Homemade Texas, Texas Organic Farmers & Gardeners Association, and Central Texas Young Farmers Coalition.
The rule takes effect on November 5.
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