02/22/06 Agreement on animal ID confidentiality

02/22/06 Agreement on animal ID confidentiality

Washington Ag February 22, 2006 Livestock industry representatives and the media are both now in support of legislation that would provide livestock and poultry producers confidentiality of information they would have to submit to the state as part of a national animal identification system. Roland Thompson of Allied Daily Newspapers of Washington urged support for Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2651 at a Senate Ag Committee hearing this week. Thompson: "And it always has been for us in the newspaper business about the accountability of the Department of Agriculture. We were not interested in the underlying data. It was the actions the agency would take with it. And we have gotten there. This bill addressed our concerns. It addresses their concerns. I think it is good law and I hope you pass it into law." Jack Field of the Washington Cattlemen's Association told the committee that confidentiality of information is the biggest concern of producers, so by offering protection of information; Field: "We will have a lot more participation and we will have a lot better system. This well be an excellent tool for producers and regulators." The bill, which the committee sent on to the Rules Committee with a do pass recommendation, would not prevent the disclosure of information used in reportable animal health investigations under state animal health statutes once those investigations are complete. I'm Bob Hoff.
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