Increasing the frequency of RFID could be as revolutionary for the dairy industry as FM was for radio. A company called Eriginate has developed the technology to move RFID at the speed of commerce by using ultra high radio frequency (UHF) to tag identify large groups of moving animals, compared to the common electronic systems today that use low frequency … Read More
USDA Ends National Animal ID System
USDA is abandoning the National Animal Identification System (NAIS) and changing strategy to a state-based system. “After concluding our listening tour on the National Animal Identification System in 15 cities across the country, receiving thousands of comments from the public and input from States, Tribal Nations, industry groups, and representatives for small and organic farmers, it is apparent that a … Read More
National DHIA Hosts Annual Meeting
With a theme of “Sustainability through data-driven decisions,” National Dairy Herd Information Association (DHIA) held its 44th annual meeting March 4-5, in Boise, Idaho. Session topics included milk recording, management and analysis, animal identification systems, genomics, dairy beef quality assurance, worldwide dairy update and new economic realities. “National DHIA is not talking sustainability; we are continuing on long-standing actions toward … Read More
IDairy Urges Mandatory Animal ID
IDairy was on Capital Hill today, urging members of Congress to reconsider a mandatory National Animal Identification System (NAIS) to serve as a collective insurance policy in the event of an animal disease emergency. Dairy producer Karen Jordan, DVM, from Siler City, North Carolina, testified that the dairy industry “collectively believe(s) that our industry will be best served when all … Read More
IDairy Urges Use of 840 Tags
IDairy, a coalition of 6 dairy organizations, reminds dairy producers that 840-RFID tags are an easy way to provide customers, and ultimately consumers, with the proper Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) documentation. The new COOL regulations went into effect on September 30, and retailers are now required to notify their customers of the country of origin of beef and veal. … Read More
70% Registered with NAIS
IDairy is pleased to announce that 70% of the United States’ 59,000 commercial dairy producers are estimated to have registered their premises as part of the National Animal Identification System (NAIS). Today more than 42,000 dairy producers are estimated to have registered their premises under NAIS. During the past year, IDairy worked with state and federal officials to promote dairy … Read More
Idaho Dairy Goes Ruggedly Wireless in the Corral
The idea of gaining two extra hours in dairy farm management each day without working extra hours seems like a dream, right? What about cutting the time employees spend searching for animals… in half? Well, Scott Haag at Box Canyon Dairy in Wendell, Idaho says a set of MobileDemand rugged tablet PC’s makes those dairy farm dreams an everyday reality. … Read More
100,000 Tagged Registered Jerseys
Attention Registered Jersey breeders! Is one of your herd destined to be the 100,000 Registered Jersey identified with Allflex double-matching approved ear tags during 2008. If so, you will win a year’s supply of Double Matched Pair sets of JerseyTags™ with HDX High Performance EID tags, up to a maximum of 500 sets, plus a stick reader from Allflex USA … Read More
Meeting Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer
Our Secretary of Agriculture, Ed Schafer, made his first major public policy speech today at the Cattle Industry Convention. Thanks to Andy Vance, Buckeye Ag Network, for snapping a picture for me. It was a pleasure for the ag media to get to meet Schafer. For many of us, it’s our first opportunity and I’m sure not our last. I … Read More
National FAIR Recognized by USDA
And the news from the Holstein Association USA is also outstanding – the Association is one of the first to be recognized by USDA as an official Animal Tracking Database. A cooperative agreement has been signed between USDA and Holstein Association USA giving National FAIR (Farm Animal Identification and Records) official approval as a compliant Animal Tracking Database under the … Read More