The legal battle is still ongoing. A change in the government’s legal representation has delayed the process
BILLINGS, MT – The recent mandate requiring electronic identification (EID) ear tags for cattle has sparked significant concern among livestock producers, leading to both legal and legislative efforts to reverse or block the rule.
R-CALF USA, a national cattle producers’ organization, has taken legal action against the mandate. “We filed a lawsuit against that before the November 5, effective date of the lawsuit, and after we filed the lawsuit, the government came back and said, well, you haven’t proven any injuries. Well, we hadn’t had any injuries because the law wasn’t in effect.
“As a result of that, we withdrew our initial complaint and filed an amended complaint after the November 5, effective date of the new EID mandate came into effect,” said R-CALF USA, CEO Bill Bullard.
Since implementation, producers have been required to purchase electronic ear tags for their cattle, which has led to financial challenges for many in the industry. Bullard highlighted that these extra costs have burdened ranchers, especially smaller operations already dealing with tight margins.
The legal battle is still ongoing. A change in the government’s legal representation has delayed the process.
USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is likely to be finalizing the rule requiring electronic identification (EID) ear tags for certain cattle and bison crossing state lines in March. This rule, which was proposed in 2023 and finalized in 2024, requires tags to be both visually and electronically readable for interstate movement of specific cattle and bison categories.
Despite this, R-CALF USA continues to push forward with the amended complaint, aiming to challenge the rule in court.
Alongside the legal efforts, support from lawmakers is also growing. Senator Mike Rounds of South Dakota and Congresswoman Harriet Hageman are working together on proposed legislation that seeks to prevent the Secretary of Agriculture from enforcing mandatory electronic ID requirements on cattle.
The ongoing debate reflects a wider concern in the cattle industry about government mandates and their impact on independent producers. While the rule was introduced to improve traceability and disease management in livestock, many producers argue that it adds unnecessary costs and complexity to their operations.
