A 20-member cattle advisory committee, representing various segments of the state's cattle industry, met several times last year to come up with the recommendations contained in the 43-page report, released Jan. 12 by the Washington State Department of Agriculture.

"Though implementation of a voluntary NAIS (National Animal Identification System) at the federal level has been delayed, the cattle advisory committee feels it is important to move ahead on a voluntary program in Washington," the report said.

In drafting the recommendations, advisory committee members looked at what other states plan to do to implement an ID program and selected four demonstration projects within the state. The goal of an ID program is to track animals quickly in case of a disease outbreak and to help producers meet export requirements, the report said.

"It's important for folks to know that each recommendation had the unanimous consensus of the committee," said Jack Field, executive vice president of the Washington Cattlemen's Association, based in Ellensburg, and a member of the cattle advisory committee. "In my mind, they are very workable recommendations."

Despite the committee's consensus, the Cattle Producers of Washington continue to wonder if the state stepping out in front with an ID program is prudent when the feds haven't finalized their guidelines, said Ted Wishon, a Colville cow-calf producer, CPoW president and an advisory committee member.

Source: Capital Press