Maryland Department of Agriculture Announces Animal Disease Traceability Rule Change Effective November 5, 2024

ANNAPOLIS, MD (October 25, 2024) The Maryland Department of Agriculture is notifying cattle and bison producers about an important update to the disease traceability rule announced by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). 

Starting November 5, 2024, OFFICIAL IDENTIFICATION (ID) for cattle will be required to be both electronically and visually readable. 

This updated requirement applies to animals moving within the state or across state lines when submitting official tests or vaccinations, such as. tuberculosis testing and brucellosis vaccination.

The following types of cattle are required to have electronic ID (EID) when crossing state lines:

• Dairy cattle of any age or sex
• Sexually intact beef cattle and bison aged 18 months or older
• Cattle and bison of any age used for rodeos, shows, or exhibitions

While a wand reader is not mandatory to read the printed numbers on the tags, it is recommended to reduce transcription errors and improve accuracy. Producers should also be aware that removing existing official ID tags from any animal is illegal. It is prohibited to place two 840 RFID tags with different numbers on a single animal, but management tags may be added as needed. Official 840 RFID tags are not reusable, and correct placement is essential for effective tag retention.

Additional information regarding the seven common myths and misunderstandings about the new regulations can be found here. For information or questions, producers can contact the Animal Disease Traceability team at the Maryland Department of Agriculture at (410) 841-5810 or animal.disease.traceability@maryland.gov.

###