Website Main Menu

Montana Voluntary Premises Registration


The premises registration program in Montana was developed in compliance with the National Animal Identification System (NAIS).

NAIS:

NAIS is an information system developed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to facilitate rapid and effective response to an animal disease event in the United States. The goal of the system is 48-hour traceback in the case of an animal disease outbreak. The focus of NAIS is protecting animal health. The benefits of NAIS are:

  1. Improved emergency response to an animal health event
  2. Protection of livestock from the spread of disease
  3. Maintenance of consumer confidence in the food supply
  4. Marketability

NAIS is comprised of three components:

  1. Premises registration
  2. Animal identification
  3. Animal tracking

Current Focus:

The current focus in Montana is premises registration. Premises registration is necessary to establish traceability in Montana’s livestock industry. Traceability allows timely response to minimize the economic impact of an animal disease event. The goal of the USDA and the Montana Department of Livestock (MDOL) is 48 hour traceback capability.

A premises identification number (PIN) is a unique geographic identifier. The benefits of obtaining a PIN are:

  1. You will be notified quickly when a disease outbreak puts your animals at risk.
  2. You will receive the information you need - when you need it most - to protect your animals and your investment.
  3. Containment of a disease outbreak quickly and effectively.
  4. Limit the impact of an outbreak on your operation - even stop disease before it reaches your animals.
  5. Maintenance and expansion of both domestic and foreign markets.

 
Participation in the Montana Voluntary Premises Registration program and NAIS is voluntary. Your level of participation is also voluntary. Registering your premises does not obligate you to participate in the animal identification or animal tracking phases of NAIS.

How to Register:

Register your premises by downloading our postage paid registration form to submit by mail or fax to (406) 444-1929

The information you provide when you register your premises will be stored in a confidential database that will only be accessed by an animal health officials in the case of an animal health event.