RAPID CITY, S.D. – County Commissioners in four South Dakota counties have approved resolutions calling for elected officials to stop the federal mandatory livestock electronic identification program.
According to South Dakota Stockgrowers Association animal identification committee chairman Kenny Fox, Belvidere, Harding, Perkins, Jackson and Haakon counties have approved resolutions to that effect.
Under the rule initially announced last April and that went into affect Nov. 5, Â the following classes of cattle and bison are required to have visibly readable EID tags for interstate movement: — Sexually intact cattle and bison 18 months or older. — Dairy cattle of any age. — Cattle and bison of any age used for rodeos, shows, or exhibitions.
Over the past eight years, multiple efforts by R-CALF USA, United States Cattlemen’s Association and others, to overturn the USDA ruling have failed.
According to Fox. the majority of respondents from the most recent public comment period (ahead of the Nov. 5 implementation) were in opposition to the rule. Now, he’s hoping to get the matter before incoming President Trump who he believes will withdraw the mandatory electronic identification rule.
A joint resolution in Congress to block the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) rule mandating electronic identification (EID) eartags for bison and cattle moving interstate has been put before Congress. Resolutions of disapproval were also filed under the Congressional Review Act (CRA), a tool Congress created to overturn certain federal agency actions.
