Below are the significant statutes, regulations, or programs enacted or being considered as of press time, along with necessary actions (such as to not support passage of pending legislation, or to repeal or amend existing legislation). When writing your representatives and senators that you are opposed to particular legislation, always add “and anything similar.”

As of March 2006

Federal
Enacted—Animal Health Protection Act of 2002, Enacted under the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002. This Act is used as the basis for NAIS and for gathering names and addresses of feed purchasers, which are currently being used to build animal ID databases, even though farms and individual residences are exempt from facility registrations under FDA rules.
Action—Amend or repeal. APHIS has gone beyond legislative authority.

Pending—HR 3170 and a pair of bills, HR 1254 and 1256, all in committee. These bills would establish mandatory individual electronic tagging and tracking systems.
Action—Do not support passage of these or similar bills.

States
Texas—HB 1361, codified as Tex. Ag. Code §161.056, allows the Texas Animal Health Commission to develop and implement an animal identification program consistent with USDA’s NAIS. TAHC has started mandatory premises ID, originally to be effective July 1, 2006, but delayed due to pressure from citizens.
Action—Amend or repeal.

Maine—Agriculture Committee considering supporting animal ID.
Action—Do not support passage of these or similar bills.

Karin Bergener is an attorney living and practicing in northeast Ohio. She raises poultry for the love of it, for the eggs, and for show. She also has a horse for pleasure riding and driving.