Ranchers Urged to Ready Themselves for Nov 5 EID Requirement
If you expect to move cattle to a different state in November, the California Cattlemen’s Association is urging you to start planning now for a new USDA traceability rule that may require you to use an electronic identification device (EID) in some of your cattle.
In 2013, a USDA Animal Disease Traceability rule required that all sexually intact cattle over 18 months, rodeo and exhibition cattle and dairy cattle moved interstate have official identification.
This is the point where I always like to make sure that we’re all thinking the same thing. Interstate means between states.
Now let’s get back. That was 2013. Now there is a new rule. Under this new 2024 Animal Disease Traceability rule, starting on Nov. 5, all sexually intact cattle over 18 months, rodeo and exhibition cattle and dairy cattle moved interstate must have an official ID with an EID. The only EID technology approved by USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service at this time is an 840 tag.
Members of the California Cattlemen’s Association did vote in support. In short, they say the change is going to require tags to be electronically readable on top of visually readable.
A webpage with information to answer questions and help producers prepare for this change is now available on the CCA website: https://calcattlemen.org/eid/
