November 9, 2024

EID Enforcement Must be Suspended Immediately

Livestock Marketing Association urges USDA to suspend enforcement of the electronic identification, or EID, rule immediately. The current state of tag availability in various states is setting this transition — and the livestock industry — up for failure. Our policy is clear in both opposing any move to mandatory individual identification of feeder cattle and demanding any mandate on currently covered animals be fully funded by USDA. This includes readers, infrastructure, tags, tag application, data collection and data management. Despite our extensive efforts in working with Congress, USDA and state veterinarians to ensure this program is handled effectively, major issues remain with the allocation and availability of USDA-provided EID tags needed to comply with the rule. Since this sets up an unfunded mandate on cattle producers, enforcement must be suspended. We will continue to work with Congress, state veterinarians, our member auctions and USDA to impact change on this issue. You can read our most recent letter to USDA by clicking this link.

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June 20, 2024

Wade Leist Wins World Livestock Auctioneer Championship

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May 30, 2024

Mike VanMaanen Elected President of Livestock Marketing Association

Auction market owner from Missouri will serve two-year term leading the national, member-led organization.

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May 17, 2024

Livestock Marketing Association Announces 2024 Scholarship Recipients

Nine students have been selected to receive $2,500 scholarships from the Livestock Marketing Association, or LMA, Scholarship Program.

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May 2, 2024

USDA’s Electronic Identification Rule

Announced on April 26, 2024, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) rule, “Use of Electronic Identification Eartags as Official Identification in Cattle and Bison,” will require tags to be both electronic and visually readable in order to be recognized as “official identification” under the existing Animal Disease Traceability (ADT) program. This will eliminate the use of metal brite tags, commonly referred to as NUES tags, and ear tags without electronic readability as “official identification” for cattle and bison covered by the ADT rule. While electronic tags will be required soon, these tags also can be read visually.

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