Where Food Comes From and U.S. CattleTrace: Strengthening Traceability for a Safer and Stronger U.S. Cattle Industry
- 3 days ago
- 4 min read
Where Food Comes From (WFCF) has partnered with U.S. CattleTrace, a producer-led, private industry database, to strengthen cattle traceability and support a secure U.S. beef supply.
This partnership helps protect the nation’s herd, supports animal health officials during disease outbreaks, and allows producers to continue business operations with minimal disruption.
What Is U.S. CattleTrace?
U.S. CattleTrace is a voluntary, producer-governed animal disease traceability system designed specifically for the U.S. cattle industry.
Unlike traditional point-to-point traceability systems, U.S. CattleTrace enables contact tracing, allowing animal health officials to identify animals and locations that may have been exposed during a disease event. This capability is critical for responding to highly contagious diseases such as Foot and Mouth Disease.
Key Features of U.S. CattleTrace
Producer-led governance
Private, non-profit industry oversight
Minimal data collection
Secure, outbreak-only data access
Why Cattle Traceability Matters for the U.S. Beef Industry
The United States does not have a centralized federal cattle database. In the event of a fast-moving disease outbreak, delays in traceability can lead to unnecessary herd loss, market disruptions, and halted cattle movement.
U.S. CattleTrace helps address this gap by providing:
Faster, more targeted disease response
Improved coordination with animal health officials
Reduced economic and operational disruption
How Where Food Comes From Supports U.S. CattleTrace
Where Food Comes From serves as the behind-the-scenes administrator for U.S. CattleTrace.
WFCF provides the technical infrastructure and operational expertise needed to manage traceability securely while ensuring producers retain control, governance remains producer-driven, and data privacy is protected.
Protecting Producer Data and Independence
U.S. CattleTrace was designed with producer trust as a core principle.
Only four data points are collected:
Animal ID
Date
Time
Geo-coordinates at the time of a sighting
No personally identifiable information is stored. Data is accessed only during a confirmed disease outbreak and only by authorized animal health officials.
Supporting Animal Health and a Secure Food Supply
By combining WFCF’s traceability administration with U.S. CattleTrace’s industry-led system, the partnership strengthens:
Animal disease preparedness
Decision-making during outbreaks
Continuity of cattle movement and commerce
This proactive approach helps protect the U.S. cattle herd while supporting a stable and secure beef supply.
Benefits of Participating in U.S. CattleTrace
Producers who participate in U.S. CattleTrace gain:
A voice in shaping the future of U.S. cattle traceability
Improved readiness for animal health events
Potential operational efficiencies
Support for domestic and international market access
Q&A: Insights from U.S. CattleTrace's Callahan Grund
How does U.S. CattleTrace differ from other traceability systems used in the U.S.?
U.S. CattleTrace is unique in that it began as a grassroots, producer-led effort, built by producers for producers with the sole intent of creating a voluntary, nationally significant animal disease traceability system.
Traditional systems in the U.S. are largely linear, point-to-point tracing tools that track individual animals or groups. While effective for diseases such as tuberculosis and brucellosis, they are not designed for rapidly spreading diseases.
U.S. CattleTrace’s contact tracing search engine allows animal health officials to identify not only affected animals, but also known contacts during a specific timeframe, helping limit the spread of disease and reduce disruption.
How does U.S. CattleTrace balance transparency with producer independence?
Data security and producer independence are foundational principles of U.S. CattleTrace.
During the CattleTrace Pilot Project, the producer governance board worked with animal health officials to identify the minimum essential data needed for an effective traceback. This led to the decision to collect only four data points, with no personally identifiable information.
This approach protects producer autonomy while still providing animal health officials with the tools needed to respond effectively during a disease outbreak.
How does U.S. CattleTrace assist animal health officials during disease outbreaks?
U.S. CattleTrace provides limited-scope, event-specific contact tracing that is only accessed in the case of a confirmed outbreak.
The system helps narrow the focus of tracing events, allowing for faster response times and helping prevent further spread. The producer-led board works collaboratively with animal health officials to support effective disease response while ensuring data remains secure.
What are the benefits of private, industry-led traceability versus relying solely on USDA systems?
One of the key benefits is data privacy and producer confidence.
Because U.S. CattleTrace operates as a non-profit, industry-governed organization, producers can be confident their data will only be used judiciously and solely in the event of an animal disease outbreak, helping protect both the industry and individual operations.
What does this partnership mean for producers hesitant to share data?
The partnership allows producers to participate in traceability while keeping data ownership in their hands.
Through secure API connections with trusted data sources, information remains with producers and is only accessed if a disease outbreak occurs, eliminating the need for daily data uploads while maintaining readiness.
How does U.S. CattleTrace contribute to a secure food supply?
U.S. CattleTrace supports a secure food supply by managing a nationally significant, voluntary animal disease traceability system through an industry-led, non-profit enterprise.
This approach helps protect the nation’s herd and the U.S. share of the global protein market while minimizing disruption to day-to-day operations.
Why Where Food Comes From Chose U.S. CattleTrace
“U.S. CattleTrace is producer-driven, industry-governed, and built specifically for U.S. cattle production. That focus made it the right partner for Where Food Comes From.This partnership supports meaningful traceability while maintaining producer trust, transparency, and responsible data stewardship.Together, we’re helping the industry prepare for future animal health challenges without relying on a centralized federal database.” John Saunders, CEO of Where Food Comes From
Strengthening the Future of U.S. Cattle Traceability
The partnership between Where Food Comes From and U.S. CattleTrace represents a scalable, industry-led approach to cattle traceability, one that protects animal health, supports producers, and strengthens the long-term resilience of the U.S. beef supply chain.