USDA To Hold Public Meeting on Privatization of Animal Movement Tracking Database

Veterinary Services

October 05 , 2005

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service will hold a public meeting Wednesday, Oct. 12, to discuss the development of a privatized animal movement tracking database under the National Animal Identification System (NAIS). The meeting will take place in Kansas City, Mo., at the Radisson Hotel and Suites Kansas City–City Center, 1301 Wyandotte Street, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and is open to stakeholders and the public.

John Clifford, APHIS deputy administrator for veterinary services, will open the meeting with a presentation addressing the required system specifications and user requirements necessary to support animal health surveillance programs and traceback investigations. “USDA realizes that the move toward privatization of the animal tracking database is an important change in implementation of the NAIS and is anxious to receive comments from our stakeholders in order to make the process as successful as possible,” Clifford said. Attendees who sign up to comment will do so after Clifford’s presentation.

Sign-in will begin at 7:30 a.m., and seating is available on a first come, first served basis. Individuals wanting to comment must sign in as they will be called upon to speak based on the order in which they sign in. Please send written comments no later than Oct. 20 via e-mail to Animal_ID_publicmtg@aphis.usda.gov. Also a transcript of this meeting will be available at http://animalid.aphis.usda.gov/nais/newsroom.

The main meeting room has a seating capacity of up to 300 people. An overflow room will be available with additional seating for 100 people and will have audio capability only.

The meeting will begin promptly at 8:30 a.m. After opening remarks by the moderator, Clifford will give his presentation followed by comments from attendees. Individuals who sign up to comment will be given three minutes to speak. A lunch break is scheduled from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Remaining comments will be heard after lunch, followed by a question-and- answer session. The meeting will conclude no later than 3:30 p.m. with a closing statement by Clifford.

Notice of this public meeting was published in the Sept. 20 Federal Register.

NOTE TO STAKEHOLDERS: Stakeholder announcements and other APHIS information are available on theInternet. Go to the APHIS home page at http://www.aphis.usda.gov and click the “News” button. For additional information on this topic, contact Dore Mobley at (301) 734-7255 or e-mail dore.m.mobley@aphis.usda.gov.

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