W053-A Sampling of Thoughts and Opinions on Electronic Identification

Over the years, the Center for Profitable Agriculture (CPA) has been involved with the USDA “Value-Added Development Grant” (VADG) program in various and numerous ways. In 2003, the Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation submitted a proposal to the VADG program for funding to assist in the development of a beef cattle marketing alliance in a 14-county area of the Upper Cumberland region of Tennessee. The project was funded for implementation through March 2005, and the CPA was included in the project as a cooperating partner.

One of the primary roles of the CPA in the project was to conduct an assessment of thoughts and opinions on electronic identification and other issues from beef cattle producers in the targeted region. This document summarizes a survey conducted of participants in a series of organizational farmer meetings in the region during the late winter and early spring of 2004. The purpose of the survey was two-fold: 1) to evaluate the cattle producers’ thoughts and opinions on electronic animal identification and 2) to establish a benchmark of statistical characteristics of the cattle producers targeted as participants in the alliance. The information here will assist the project leaders in assessing potential alliance members’ thoughts on electronic identification and other issues.

The report begins with an overview of animal identification and an update on the national animal identification plan, followed by a brief description of the project and results of the survey.