NAIS in the Southeastern Livestock Network By Jim

NAIS in the Southeastern Livestock Network By Jim Akers

Uses of Electronic ID • • • Value Added Feeder Calf Marketing Slaughter cow value added Farm Record Keeping NAIS Pilot Carcass data programs Value added heifer marketing

What/Why SLN • SLN is an LLC formed by the cattleman’s associations in 10 SE states. • LLC to provide the ability to operate as a business, receive and distribute funding • Decisions made by members from many sectors: LMA, Cattleman’s, Farm Bureau, State Animal Health, Extension

Goals • Insure consistency across the region by facilitating communication at all levels. • Insuring that the concerns of all sectors of production and marketing are heard on the national scene. • Providing an affordable and simple data system that gives producers flexibility and control of data. • Enhance the market potential of data to drive producer understanding and participation.

Value Added Feeder Calf Sales • KY CPH 45 and others – EID as a means of efficiently managing comingled sales. – EID provides an ability to have unique and standardized tracking of animals without taking away the visual identity of a program tag. – EID allows for confidential, secure sharing of data along the production/marketing chain.

Value Added Slaughter Cows • FPL Foods, LLC – End product user on USDA NAIS Pilot – Now offering market incentive for regular sale participation. – Producer signs affidavit declaring farm of origin. – Cow tagged with EID to insure integrity. – Premiums paid for end product. – SLN system manages data for all parties.

NAIS Pilot • 10 Cooperating states in SLN • Each state will host at least one demonstration sale and educational event. • Slaughter cows will be tagged with EID • Tracked through the market to the processor. • Data utilized to demonstrate how traceability can work… regulatory/market.

Other Programs • Farm Record Keeping • Bred Heifer Marketing • Carcass Data Collection • EID has provided the standardization that was needed to allow efficient management of these. • Accumulated records can be used at chute side with minimal effort • Easily tie records that come in the future back to the right animal and producers in the system.

Summary • SLN is working to insure that the small producer and market in the SE is not disadvantaged by the implementation of NAIS. • Working to insure that SE producers have an option to take advantage of the premium that exists early in the implementation of NAIS. • Setting a precedent for reasonable costs of products and services and the business rules that should govern data sharing and use.

Southeastern Livestock Network, LLC Jim Akers Executive Director jakers@uky. edu (859) 278 -0899