A group of nearly a dozen members of Congress on Nov. 16 called on the USDA and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to postpone the effective date of the electronic identification (EID) mandate.
The lawmakers said the final rule garnered much opposition and is under legal challenge and should not go into effect until the challenges are resolved. The final rule amended Animal Disease Traceability regulations to mandate EID eartags as official identification for certain classes of cattle and bison traveling interstate.
The rule went into effect on Nov. 5, although a legal challenge was filed on Oct. 30.
