10-12-2004 |
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The West Virginia Department of Agriculture (WVDA) is promoting its new Premise Identification Program at fairs, festivals and meetings throughout the state. The goal of the program is to create a record of every farm in the state. According to Commissioner of Agriculture Gus R. Douglass, the program is a watershed initiative in the way this country manages its livestock herds. Information gathered for the program "will be used exclusively for dealing with animal health emergencies and nothing else." Premise ID numbers are part of a larger, nationwide animal ID system that will go into effect next year. The system will use radio frequency chips to identify and track animals as they move in commerce. The system will facilitate a 48-hour traceback of any sick animal, thus protecting America's food supply and our nation's ability to market our agricultural products in other countries. Representatives from WVDA's Animal Health Division will attend the following events to answer questions and to collect basic information from farmers about their operations:
Contact: Buddy Davidson The West Virginia Department of Agriculture protects plant, animal and human health through a variety of scientific, regulatory and consumer protection programs, as mandated by state law. The Commissioner of Agriculture is one of six statewide elected officials in West Virginia. Currently, Commissioner Gus R. Douglass is the longest-serving agriculture commissioner in the nation. For more information, visit www.wvagriculture.org. |
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