Colorado Springs, CO (March 13, 2008) – Earlier this week, Dr. Ted Schroeder, Ag Economist for Kansas State University, announced the release of a study entitled “Electronic Animal Identification Systems at Livestock Auction Markets: Adoption Rates, Costs, Opportunities, and Perceptions.”

According to the eight-page summary of the report, “the objectives of the project were to determine livestock market manager perceptions about animal identification systems, estimate costs of adopting animal tracking systems in auction markets and access factors related to adoption of animal ID systems in auction markets.”

The study was conducted by Kansas State University with the North American Institute for Beef Economic Research. In the study, 189 livestock auction markets completed surveys last winter. According to Scott Stuart, NLPA CEO/President, the National Livestock Producers Association assisted Dr. Schroeder in the development of the study.

“Dr. Schroeder and his colleagues spent time with NLPA and many of its members to glean meaningful information on the challenges and opportunities we see in a national animal identification system” Stuart said.

“NLPA is pleased that Dr. Schroeder and his team completed this study as it provides good information to livestock markets concerning NAIS,” Stuart said. “I encourage all of our members to review the report. It has detailed cost analysis information and has some interesting findings in regard to the perceptions of NAIS by market owners and the actual effects identification systems have had on markets already implementing some of the ID technology.”

Both the full report and the summary of the report are available at http://naiber.org/publications.htm