Way to Track U.S. Cattle Isn't Ready for Quick Use (NY Times)

狂牛病

USDAが頭に入れている牛のトラッキング・システム導入には1〜2年はかかりそうという記事。その詳細についても書かれてあった。やはりRFIDを使うみたいだ。

The new identification plan, described on a government Web site, www.usaip.info, calls for farms and other premises that handle animals to have identification numbers by July 2004, and animals themselves to be numbered by July 2005. The animals' numbers will be on ear tags that will probably emit a radio frequency that will be read by the same kind of devices, like E-ZPass, that have begun replacing toll booths on some highways. The tag numbers may also be printed so a person can read them.