Animal Identifcation: Benefits and Costs for American Indian Livestock Producers

NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: The potential for bioterrorisim to affect the U.S. food system through the propagation of animal disease has led to calls for extensive or comprehensive animal identification systems that will enable investigators to trace the origins of infected animals and so facilitate effective responses to address such problems. These concerns are twofold. Spreading animal diseases may cause serous economic disruptions for the agricultural sector and, conceivably, shortages and higher prices for consumers. Foot and mouth disease, for example, can decimate cattle and sheep and impose billions of dollars of costs on farmers and ranchers. The second concern is the potential for serious adverse effects on human health. This research project will provide new and important information that will enhance the ability of cattle livestock producers and the Tribal Council on the Fort Peck Reservation to respond effectively and profitably to market and potential regulatory requirements for the implementation of animal identification systems for cattle. By developing a model that can be used nationally for assessing the financially optimal approach to animal identification for American Indian producers, the project will also enhance the efficiency and profitability of cattle operations on other Reservations throughout the United States.

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APPROACH: This project will apply current state-of-the-art analytical and empirical techniques to assess the implications of adopting alternative animal identification systems for American Indian producers. New data will be developed on the costs and potential benefits of these alternative systems through a survey of alternative animal identification systems. It is expected that this project will not only provide important new information to American Indian farms and ranchers but will also result in publications in peer-reviewed refereed journal articles.
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PROGRESS: 2006/07 TO 2009/06 <BR>
Fort Peck Community College partnered with Montana State University to provide new and important information that will enhance the ability of cattle livestock producers and the Tribal Council on the Fort Peck Reservation to respond effectively and profitably to market and potential regulatory requirements for the implementation of Animal Identification systems for cattle. Data has been collected and compared a list of various companies that are developing Animal ID technologies throughout the United States and foreign countries. A survey was developed to facilitate data collection from sale barns, sale rings, and feed lots to identify potential requirements for Animal Identification. This data is currently stored in a database, and was disseminated through outreach extension workshops. Beginning in October 2008 through May 2009 Fort Peck Community College hosted four different workshop to release research results. A total of 49 attended those workshops. <BR>PRODUCTS: This research project produced information of considerable value to the American Indian livestock producer. In addition, it must be noted that the project also has the potential to make substantial contributions to the scientific body of agricultural economics knowledge on the choice of marketing strategies and potential gains from Animal Identification. <BR>OUTCOMES: Data collection of animal identification systems from the United Kingdom, France, Canada and Ireland and extensive literature reviews were conducted to carry out the research of this project. These findings made it possible for the MSU research team to participate in the NAIS study and allowed for the FPCC and MSU research teams to provide information on the costs and benefits associated with the National Animal Identification System to 49 American Indian Producers, which is nearly one half of the American Indian producers on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation. <BR>DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES: The findings of this project were disseminated to American Indian producers and tribal members of the Fort Peck Reservation and other reservations through (a) a series of extension outreach seminars, (b) a series of briefing papers. The workshops and briefing papers addressed the following issues: Identify different technologies available for Animal ID; examine implications of each Animal ID system for marketing opportunities for producers on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation; assess the implications of a mandatory Animal ID system and the impacts on costs of production for producers on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation <BR>FUTURE INITIATIVES: Educational programs designed for advancing and promoting agricultural interests, have been part of institutional planning for the past ten years, and are a major part of the five-year strategic plan. The development and implementation of this program is based on research and survey results conducted throughout the institutional service area. The creation of this program will in itself be continuous, as producers become educated in animal identification for their livestock operation and legislation changes.
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IMPACT: 2006/07 TO 2009/06<BR>
This research project will provide new and important information that will enhance the ability of cattle livestock producers and the Tribal Council on the Fort Peck Reservation to respond effectively and profitably to market and potential regulatory requirements for the implementation of animal identification systems for cattle. American Indian producers were able to increase their knowledge regarding the NAIS system and the impacts it could have on their farming and ranching operation. The developed can be used nationally for assessing the financially optimal approach to animal identification for American Indian producers, the project will also enhance the efficiency and profitability of cattle operations on other Reservations throughout the United States.