Company_Agreement_for_Ear_Tags.pdf

Company Agreement for

Approval to Produce Official Eartags for Sheep and Goats

ARTICLE 1 - BACKGROUND

The official identification of sheep and goats in commerce is necessary to protect and improve the health, quality, and marketability of U.S. sheep and goats through the tracing of exposed and diseased sheep and goats. Allowing eartag manufacturers to produce official eartags for the identification of sheep and goats in interstate commerce, will make eartags that meet producer needs available to producers who want to use eartags other than those issued by the U.S.

Department of Agriculture (USDA).

ARTICLE 2 - OBJECTIVES

1. To provide a variety of effective options to producers for the official identification of sheep and goats.

2. To insure the privacy and security of producer information.

3. To insure that accurate records are maintained of all official eartags produced and shipped.

4. To minimize the risk of fraudulent eartags being produced.

ARTICLE 3 - TAG COMPANY RESPONSIBILITIES

_________________________________agrees to:

Work with USDA, Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to meet the needs of the U.S. sheep and goat industry, including providing the option to producers to use the types of eartags they currently use and prefer for the purpose of official identification; maintaining the privacy of producer information; setting up appropriate quality assurance procedures to insure accuracy of records and distribution of correctly printed eartags only to authorized recipients; and taking steps to prevent counterfeiting of eartags.

Submit for approval by APHIS the following for each eartag type in which approval is requested:

o The specifications and materials used to make the eartag;

o Any name, stock number, etc., used by the company to identify the types of eartags;

o The company’s quality control plan and evidence of their ability to produce the eartag;

Company Agreement for Approval to Produce Official Eartags for Sheep and Goats o All data that ___________________________________has regarding the retention, legibility, durability, and any other factors that may effect eartag quality or utility;

o At least 25 sample eartags for each type of tag for which approval is requested, including at least 10 eartags of each color requested, that are marked as required by APHIS; and o Additional sample eartags or information when requested by APHIS for evaluation;

o For RFID tags and other tags utilizing “840” AINS the “AIN Tag Manufacturer

Application” form if not previously submitted for the device.

Only produce official eartags of the eartag type and color and with the printing that has been approved by APHIS.

Send official eartags only to either a State or APHIS representative, a premises owner at the address to which the premises number or eartag sequence was assigned by a State or APHIS representative, as verified through the APHIS web page interface, or as directed by APHIS.

If requested provide a monthly report of all eartags produced for each State, including the eartag sequences produced and the names and addresses to which the eartags were shipped, in a data file in excel or another electronic format acceptable to APHIS on a read only CD.

Verify through the APHIS web page interface the premises identification number to be placed on the eartag, the shipping address to which that number is assigned; and enter the sequences of eartags shipped into the Scrapie National Generic Database through a web page interface or other means specified by APHIS.

Produce eartags that are readily distinguishable as USDA official sheep and goat eartags, carry the alphanumeric sequences, symbols, or logos specified by APHIS, and that have a means of discouraging counterfeiting and for identifying the distributor and manufacturer of the eartag, such as use of a unique copywrited logo or trade mark.

Eartags for use on animals sold for slaughter only will be medium blue and marked with the words “For Slaughter Only.” Small eartags may use “MEAT”.

Not to produce duplicate production numbers for any one premise unless the producer specifically requests a duplicate eartag number for double tagging or to replace a lost eartag. A record of any such request must be maintained and provided to APHIS on request.

Use the U.S. shield only on eartags that have been approved by APHIS for use as official identification for sheep and goats and that meet all of the requirements listed here in.

Accept and maintain copies of consumer complaints and make them available to APHIS on request and to submit a monthly summary report to APHIS of any producer comments regarding the official eartags they have produced including but not limited to problems with retention, infection, wear, legibility, or accuracy.

Submit a request to renew approval to produce devices for each fiscal year. The request must be made by September 1 for the following fiscal year and shall include the list of devices types, print formats, and device colors the company is requesting to continue to produce. Companies’ that only have devices initially approved in the current fiscal year do not need to submit a renewal request until the following September 1st.

Keep all information that is provided to the company by APHIS in any manner including through the web page interface or by producers confidential, to used the information only for the purposes specified in this agreement, that the producer addresses obtained will not be used for any purpose other than the shipment of eartags, and not to provided this information to any other person or entity.

ARTICLE 4 - AMENDMENTS & TERMINATION

This agreement may be suspended or terminated by APHIS at any time if any of the requirements of 9 CFR part 79 are not met. ______________________________________ may be subject to civil or criminal penalties for any violations of 9 CFR parts 54 and 79. Additionally, if a company’s eartags do not show adequate retention and durability in field use or if any of the requirements of this agreement are not met, APHIS may withdraw approval with 60 days written notice.

This agreement may be amended or terminated by __________________________________ upon submission of a written request for consideration no less than sixty (60) days prior to the proposed date of amendment or termination. Upon termination the tag company will provide copies of all records to APHIS of eartags produced and/or shipped. Any eartags marked with the U.S. shield that are in the possession of the tag company on the date of termination shall be disposed of as directed by APHIS.

ARTICLE 5 - EFFECTIVE DATE & DURATION

This agreement will be in effect upon date of approval of the tag company’s application to produce official eartags and will continue for five years from date of approval.

COMPANY NAME: ________________________

ADDRESS:____________________________________________________________________

PHONE NUMBER: _______________________________________

NAME OF LEGALLY RESPONSIBLE PERSON: ______

TITLE: ______________

SIGNATURE: DATE: