AGRICULTURE REPORT - Identification System Proposed for U.S.

AGRICULTURE REPORT - Identification¹ System Proposed² for U.S. Farm Animals
By Mario Ritter

Broadcast: Tuesday, May 17, 2005

I'm Gwen Outen with the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.

 
 
The United States Department of Agriculture wants to develop a system to follow the movements of cows, chickens and pigs in the country.

Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns announced plans for the National Animal Identification System earlier this month. A detailed³ program or set of rules has yet to be approved. Mister⁴ Johanns said the Bush administration⁵ is now proposing⁶ ideas for the system. He also said the Agriculture Department is seeking comments from the agricultural community.

The administration would like the meat industry and farmers to start keeping records of animals on their own. Then, in two thousand nine, complete records of each animal's movement would be required. Mister Johanns said the goal of the system is to identify within two days any animals or places that may be linked to disease⁷.

The system would require that records be kept for three kinds of information. Farms and animal holding areas would need to be identified. Individual animals or groups of animals also would be identified. So would the movements of animals from place to place.

State and federal⁸ officials would be able to use this information to help guard against or control animal disease. Mister Johanns says a National Animal Identification System would be a tool to fight threats, even before they happen.

However, some farmers and industry representatives have expressed concern that the information will be made public. The Agriculture Secretary has said the information will remain private. But, it is unclear how freedom of information laws will affect the system.

The Department of Agriculture says the system could cost at least eighty million dollars a year. But that does not include equipment that farmers will need to record and store information.

It is not clear how all animals will be identified in the system because the rules have yet to be written. Reports say each cow will have its own number. Pigs and chickens will probably be identified in groups. Other animals like fish also are being considered.

The proposed system would represent a new way to guard against animal diseases⁹ like bovine¹⁰ spongiform encephalopathy, or B.S.E. Japan says concerns about B.S.E. are one of the reasons it continues to ban American beef.

This VOA Special English Agriculture Report was written by Mario Ritter. This is Gwen Outen.

1 identification   

n.视为同一，证明同一，确认

参考例句：

• He's made a formal identification of the body.他正式确认了死者身份。
• We should have identification card on the person when we go out.我们外出时应随身携带身份证。

2 proposed   

被提议的

参考例句：

• There is widespread discontent among the staff at the proposed changes to pay and conditions. 员工对改变工资和工作环境的建议普遍不满。
• an outcry over the proposed change 对拟议的改革所发出的强烈抗议

3 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

4 mister   

n.(略作Mr.全称很少用于书面)先生

参考例句：

• Mister Smith is my good friend.史密斯先生是我的好朋友。
• He styled himself " Mister Clean ".他自称是“清廉先生”。

5 administration   

n.经营，管理；行政，行政机关，管理部门

参考例句：

• Who is in charge of the administration of your company?你们公司的行政工作由谁负责？
• The teachers are responsible to the school administration.教师向学校行政负责。

6 proposing   

v.提议，建议( propose的现在分词 )；打算；提供（解释）；提出（行动，计划或供表决的方案等）

参考例句：

• The bridegroom ended his speech by proposing a toast to the hosts. 新郎向主人敬酒结束了他的讲话。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He acted as pioneer in proposing the method. 他是率先创导这一方法的人。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

7 disease   

n.疾病，弊端

参考例句：

• The doctors are trying to stamp out the disease.医生正在尽力消灭这种疾病。
• He fought against the disease for a long time.他同疾病做了长时间的斗争。

8 federal   

adj.联盟的；联邦的；(美国)联邦政府的

参考例句：

• Switzerland is a federal republic.瑞士是一个联邦共和国。
• The schools are screaming for federal aid.那些学校强烈要求联邦政府的援助。

9 diseases   

n.疾病( disease的名词复数 )；弊端；恶疾；痼疾

参考例句：

• Smoking is a causative factor in several major diseases. 抽烟是引起几种严重疾病的病因。
• The illness frequently coexists with other chronic diseases. 这种病往往与其他慢性病同时存在。

10 bovine   

adj.牛的；n.牛

参考例句：

• He threw off his pack and went into the rush-grass andand munching,like some bovine creature.他丢开包袱，爬到灯心草丛里，像牛似的大咬大嚼起来。
• He was a gentle,rather bovine man.他是一位文雅而反应迟钝的人。