Yes, one chicken, one pig, one goat – one of almost any animal needs to be reported to the Wisconsin Livestock Identification Consortium under the state’s mandatory Premise ID law.
Pat Fitzgibbons, executive director of the WLIC, says what’s different this year is they’re trying to renew EVERY premise id in the state this year. Normally Fitzgibbons says they’ve tackled that task a little at a time – half one year and half the next. But it was decided over a year ago to try and update all records at once. The Premise ID law is designed to protect all of Wisconsin’s animal agriculture in case of an animal disease outbreak that would require traceback.
“Knowing where animals are housed is critical in trying to control any animal disease outbreak,” Ftizgibbons says. A perfect example of that came last year when the state’s poultry industry faced devastating affects from Avian Influenza! “Someone with just a few chickens can be as dangerous in that kind of an outbreak as a poultry operation with thousands of birds,” Fitzgibbons notes.
The process is very easy – no cost – and completely private he says. Livestock owners that were previously registered will be receiving information on renewing sometime in March through the mail. For more details today – or to renew and update premise information – go to: www.wiid.org or call 888-808-1910.
Listen to Pat Fitzgibbons explain more about the program and the process!