The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA) has mailed out animal premises identification numbers to numerous livestock and domestic animal owners.
PDA assigned and mailed the ID numbers in anticipation of its role in administering a national animal premises ID program. The mailings were based on the Department’s database of animal operations that may be currently participating in animal health programs administered by PDA, or which are currently licensed for animal activities regulated by the Department.
Numbers assigned should reflect addresses where animals are kept.
The animal premises ID number is intended to replace all certification and licensing numbers that the Agriculture Department has assigned to the animal owner. But for now, an animal owner who has been assigned an animal premises number is not required to do anything additionally as a result of receiving the number.
The Agriculture Department has provided Farm Bureau with the following Question and Answer material on the premises ID program:
Premises Identification Questions and Answers
1. What is premises identification?
Premises identification involves assigning a unique 7-character ID to a location where livestock are housed (farms, markets, exhibitions, etc.).
2. What information is collected to register a premises?
Premises identification requires only the physical location (such as the address), the type of location (farm, market, etc.), species present and contact information for the person most knowledgeable about the livestock at the location. As farms change ownership, the farm’s ID number will remain the same.
3. Does a producer report GEO coordinates to register a premises?
No. Most premises are registered using the postal address. In cases where there is no address, GEO coordinates and driving directions to the premises can be used. GEO coordinates allow animal health officials to locate farms on the map without an address.
4. If I register my premises, can the government track me?
No. A premises is a location on the map, and does not provide any tracking capability of either livestock or people living at that location. The information associated with a premises is minimal and does not involve livestock ownership information.
5. Why do all livestock premises need to be registered?
Upon discovery of a disease in the commonwealth, animal health officials will be able to immediately contact identified locations near the outbreak, giving them symptoms to look for and biosecurity measures to protect their livestock. Knowing all the locations and the type of livestock at a particular location will also limit the impact on many producers not affected by the disease.
6. If I register my premises, will the government know how many animals I own and sell?
No. Premises registration does not involve recording of animal ownership and reporting of numbers of livestock at a location.
7. Is premises identification the same as the National Animal Identification System (NAIS)?
No. Pennsylvania’s premises identification program coincides with the initial phase of NAIS, but does not cover the scope of NAIS. Whether or not NAIS becomes mandatory, and whatever form it eventually takes, Pennsylvania will still use the premises identification program as an effective and efficient tool for tracking and eliminating animal disease.
8. How do producers receive a premises identification number?
The Department of Agriculture, working with Penn State University, has created a Web site and toll-free number for premises identification. To obtain a premises number or add an animal species to a premises, producers can call 1-877-722-4724 or visit http://farminfo.psu.edu.
9. I don’t house live animals, I am a processing plant, veterinarian, clinic, etc. Do I need a premises identification number?
Processing plants and vet clinics are assigned non-producer participant numbers. These locations will be included in any animal disease outbreak response in their area.
10. What do I do with my premises identification certificate?
The certificate needs to be kept in safe keeping for the present time. The number will be used for lab submissions, certificate of veterinary inspections, and eventually will be recorded by auction markets when animals are sold.
For more information:
Call 717-772-2852 or visit
www.agriculture.state.pa.us and click on
“Pennsylvania Premises Identification.”
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