The Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) has taking the first step toward implementing the National Animal Identification System through a new Web site: www.ohioanimalid.com.

"With emerging animal diseases like BSE (or "mad cow disease") and the threat of agroterrorism, the need for a national animal identification system is paramount," says Fred Dailey, ODA director. "We are working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), other states, and industry to develop and implement a uniform, national system. Until the national system is complete we are doing what we can to take a proactive approach in our state."

Dailey says he encourages Ohio livestock producers to visit the site, which was put into operation April 14, and take the first step of registering their premises.

The site serves as a resource for information, voluntary premises registration, and animal identification for Ohio livestock producers. It contains a link to online premises registration, as well as a premises registration form that can be filled out and mailed, faxed, or emailed to ODA. The site also contains background information on premises registration, national animal identification, and species information.

The National Animal Identification Program is intended to identify specific animals in the U.S. and record their movement through the marketing system over their life spans. It is being developed by USDA and other state agencies in cooperation with the livestock and poultry industry to enable 48-hour traceback of the movements of any diseased or exposed animal. This will help to ensure rapid disease containment for protection of the livestock industry from accidental disease incursions or agroterrorism.