Vision Statement

Proactive  

The Wisconsin Livestock Identification Consortium (WLIC) is implementing a nationally compatible state based disease traceability in Wisconsin, which consists of three major steps:

1. Premises Registration
2. Animal Identification
3. Animal Tracing

Livestock premises registration is the foundation for a disease trace back system.  

The Right Thing To Do 

Producer-driven 

WLIC provides the opportunity to bring all segments of the production industry together to focus specifically on the issue of disease traceability.  It is imperative that all species groups work together on this issue. Our greatest asset is the cooperation of many A system with proper trace back and trace forward capabilities provides timely response to minimize the economic impact in the event of an animal disease outbreak. 

Collaboration 

The WLIC is a multi-species effort led by Wisconsin’s livestock and industry organizations in cooperation with DATCP, USDA and UW Extension.   A state data base of locations where livestock are produced, raised, and kept will aid animal health officials.  

Livestock Premises Registration  

Each livestock premises registration brings us closer to the day when Wisconsin's livestock industry will be prepared to respond within 48 hours in the event of an animal disease outbreak.   

WLIC’s Vision:

The Wisconsin Livestock Identification Consortium (WLIC) will implement an animal identification and information system following nationally established standards. This will support the protection of animal health by fostering cooperation and understanding. 

Mission: 

WLIC’s mission is to create a secure, nationally compatible livestock identification system for the purposes of protecting animal health, safeguarding market access, and offering opportunities to enhance the marketability of Wisconsin livestock products.  

Position Statement regarding implementation of a National Disease Traceability System 

Whereas:

The Wisconsin Livestock Identification Consortium and its members have been actively involved in the development and implementation of a livestock disease traceability system that will protect the Wisconsin livestock industry from a potential disease outbreak. 

Therefore:

WLIC and its members support the implementation of a disease traceability system that allows animal health officials to more rapidly conduct a disease investigation and locate the origin of the diseased livestock and any locations that exposed livestock may have moved through.  WLIC and its members support a system that adheres to the following base requirements: 

1. WLIC and its members support the control and implementation of a livestock health system. Implementation would consist of a state based information system, and a state run outreach and education program.  This implementation must be conducted through a cooperative effort between livestock industry groups, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, and USDA.
2. The state based system must be compatible with national standards for premises ID, animal ID numbering system, and identification technology when established by the USDA. 
3. WLIC and its members support mandatory implementation of premises registration for all livestock species groups as long as the collected information is not subject to the Freedom of Information Act, and premises registration is provided at no cost to the livestock producer.
4. WLIC and its members support the identification of livestock and recording of livestock movements for purposes of disease traceability.
5. WLIC and its members recognize that some level of mandatory implementation of livestock identification and recording of livestock movement may be necessary to protect the livestock industry. Mandatory ID requirements need to be based on a risk assessment that includes type of livestock species, classes of livestock and types of movement that pose the greatest risk of spreading a disease.
6. Implementation of animal ID should focus on enhancing existing animal health and industry programs by adopting national standards for premises and animal ID and incorporate these throughout regulatory and industry programs.
7. WLIC and its members support a cost sharing program for ID devices with producers and cost sharing of data collection infra-structure with industry partners.