The Pennsylvania Premise
Identification Information Web site

The first step in implementing a national animal identification system (NAIS) is identifying and registering premises that are associated with the animal agricultural industry.

Why is Premises Registration the First Step of the NAIS?

The identification of premises that allow for the commingling of animals (production points) is the foundation of the NAIS and must be established before animals can be tracked. Knowing where animals are located is the key to efficient, accurate , and cost-effective epidemiological investigations and disease-control efforts. USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), working with State and Tribal cooperators, will assign unique premises identification numbers to actual locations involved in livestock commerce or the movement of animals or poultry. In the event of an animal disease outbreak, animal health authorities will have the premises location data at their fingertips to ensure that disease investigations progress rapidly and efficiently.

The Integration of Animal Identification

After premises are registered, another component of the NAIS - animation identification - will be integrated into the system. Unique animation identification numbers will be issued to individually identified premises. In the case of animals that move in groups through the production chain - such as swine and poultry - producers themselves will be able to assign unique identifies to each lot based on a standard protocol. (During a transition period, certain current animal identification methods will also be accepted into the NAIS.)

After both premises and animals are identified in this uniform manner, the ultimate goal of the NAIS - animal tracking - will become possible. When identified animals travel through the production chain or to fairs or exhibition sites, their numbers will be linked to each identified premises where they are moved or mixed with animals from other premises. In this way, a travel record of each animal will be created through the input of State, Federal, and industry participants.