The U..S Department of Agriculture initiated the implementation of the National Animal Identification System (NAIS) in 2004 to safeguard animal health.

NAIS is supposed to be a cooperative State-Federal-industry partnership to standardize and expand national animal identification programs and practices to all livestock species and poultry. But, there's a catch.

The NAIS system still relies on beef producer private records - the same as the current system - it's just more expensive to operate.

Worse yet, the NAIS puts an increased cost and a large financial burden on small beef producers, those with less than 50 head of cattle. This same group accounts for 70% of the beef produced in Texas.

When I talked with officials at both NAIS and the Texas Department of Agriculture and asked specific questions comparing the current system and NAIS I learned there were no differences between the two, especially in trace-back. Everything in NAIS depends on producer private records, the same as the current system.

I do not support the NAIS implementation because it adds considerable cost, does not improve trace-back, and places an unreasonable burden on small beef producers.