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Still Testing RFID, Bluetooth, and Other Tech in US Livestock Industry

Bluetooth Cattle Ear Tag - "Moo."Last week a trade show in Chicago looked at using tagging technology for livestock in the US. The ID/INFO EXPO 2004 brought together by the National Institute for Animal Agriculture took place May 18th through 20th.

The need for tracking is resolutely understood. After mad cow disease surfaced last December, nobody denies that we should have better visibility and tracking of cattle and other livestock here in the US. Tracking is firmly in place in Japan and Australia. And other countries are bringing systems online.

Yet it is still an uphill battle for the US market. Competing technologies and concerns about farmer's privacy top the list of challenges. RFID, Bluetooth, Retinal scans, and even DNA tracking are proposed methods of keeping track of animal products from "farm to fork".

Five hours of technology seminars were introduced in 10 minute segments - that's 30 presenters from AgInfoLink to VeriPrime, Inc. covering 30 different methods of tracking animals.

With $18.8 million of initial funding and another $33 million more earmarked for 2005, the National Animal Identification System (NAIS) is going to happen. It's just that nobody knows quite what it will look like yet.



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