NAIS in the Southeast

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 co-

mingled 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 AkersExecutive Directorjakers@uky.edu(859) 278-0899