WLIC Elects New Board Members (3/2/07)
The Wisconsin Livestock Identification Consortium (WLIC) membership elected new board members and officers during its annual meeting held this week. New board members include Chuck Adami, Equity Cooperative Livestock Sales Association; Dr. Ole Meland, Accelerated Genetics; and Mike Salter, Wisconsin Pork Association. Patrick Fitzgibbons, representing Peck Meat Packing, was re-elected to the board. Deb Reinhart, Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin, was re-elected board chair. Other officers include Patrick Fitzgibbons, vice chair; Kevin Jorgensen, East Central/Select Sires, secretary; and Gary Sutherland, Wisconsin Independent Livestock Dealers, treasurer. The board also includes directors Linda Hodorff, Wisconsin Holstein Association; Calvin Larson, Wisconsin Horse Council; Jay Mattison, ReQuest, Ltd.; Mike Bishop, Wisconsin Sheep Breeders Cooperative; and Terry Quam, Wisconsin Cattlemen’s Association. Honored at the meeting were retiring board members Gary Tauchen, Keri Retallick and Tod Fleming.
Reinhart emphasized the continuing importance of WLIC’s leadership role with animal identification given the recent outbreaks of tuberculosis in Minnesota and other states. “While we have a foundation for a trace back system in our state, we still have work to do to protect the Wisconsin herd. Animal ID is still primarily an animal health issue and 48-hour trace back is key.” she said. “Visiting with other industry leaders, there seems to be consensus about a need for strong leadership and WLIC can facilitate that effort.” Wisconsin has registered nearly 55,000 livestock premises, 15% of the nation’s total. To date, 29,000 premises renewals have been processed and 26,000 cows are signed up as part of the state’s voluntary animal ID cost sharing program. WLIC’s focus for 2007 will be voluntary animal ID and tracking.
Speaking to the WLIC members, Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) Secretary Rod Nilsestuen acknowledged there seems to be many hurdles nationally to implementing animal ID and went on to underscore the need to proceed with having the safeguards in place to quickly address an animal disease outbreak or risk lasting damage to the state’s markets.
State’s Animal Identification Movement Gains Momentum
A nonprofit organization, WLIC was founded in early 2002 by leaders in livestock organizations as a grassroots effort to protect their livelihood and the state’s livestock industry from undue financial hardship in the event of an animal disease outbreak. WLIC’s immediate stakeholders include producers and hobby farmers, livestock transporters, industry organizations, processors, livestock markets and auctions, packing plants and animal health officials. The Consortium and its members are committed to staying involved in the development of national animal identification and tracking efforts and working to ensure that the needs and concerns of the Wisconsin livestock industry groups are addressed. While a nationwide structure is needed, key Wisconsin livestock leaders continue to recognize that a regional focus around common implementation issues should be pursued.
More information on WLIC or animal ID is available online at www.wiid.org
Reinhart emphasized the continuing importance of WLIC’s leadership role with animal identification given the recent outbreaks of tuberculosis in Minnesota and other states. “While we have a foundation for a trace back system in our state, we still have work to do to protect the Wisconsin herd. Animal ID is still primarily an animal health issue and 48-hour trace back is key.” she said. “Visiting with other industry leaders, there seems to be consensus about a need for strong leadership and WLIC can facilitate that effort.” Wisconsin has registered nearly 55,000 livestock premises, 15% of the nation’s total. To date, 29,000 premises renewals have been processed and 26,000 cows are signed up as part of the state’s voluntary animal ID cost sharing program. WLIC’s focus for 2007 will be voluntary animal ID and tracking.
Speaking to the WLIC members, Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) Secretary Rod Nilsestuen acknowledged there seems to be many hurdles nationally to implementing animal ID and went on to underscore the need to proceed with having the safeguards in place to quickly address an animal disease outbreak or risk lasting damage to the state’s markets.
State’s Animal Identification Movement Gains Momentum
A nonprofit organization, WLIC was founded in early 2002 by leaders in livestock organizations as a grassroots effort to protect their livelihood and the state’s livestock industry from undue financial hardship in the event of an animal disease outbreak. WLIC’s immediate stakeholders include producers and hobby farmers, livestock transporters, industry organizations, processors, livestock markets and auctions, packing plants and animal health officials. The Consortium and its members are committed to staying involved in the development of national animal identification and tracking efforts and working to ensure that the needs and concerns of the Wisconsin livestock industry groups are addressed. While a nationwide structure is needed, key Wisconsin livestock leaders continue to recognize that a regional focus around common implementation issues should be pursued.
More information on WLIC or animal ID is available online at www.wiid.org