(NAFB.com) – The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association filed comments on the USDA’s proposed traceability rule. The rule would emphasize the importance of electronic animal identification to protect the cattle industry from the threat of a foreign animal disease. USDA’s proposed rule would apply to cattle 18 months or older only when moving interstate. “Traceability is about risk protection and ensuring we have the tools to quickly identify and respond to an outbreak while strengthening consumer trust in our high-quality beef,” says NCBA President Todd Wilkinson. “Our comments emphasize protecting U.S. cattle herds from the threat of a foreign animal disease while also protecting producers’ private data, limiting the cost of tagging devices, and operating at the speed of commerce.” Without a national traceability system in place, the impact of a foreign animal disease outbreak would be magnified. The system would also support cattle producers in quickly returning to normal operations after an outbreak.