Advanced ID says it has been in talks with representatives in several countries, including China, to provide products for livestock tagging trials.

New outbreaks of Mad Cow Disease and Bird Flu have increased interest in programs that help protect the safety of the world's food supply.

Advanced ID has previously announced a complete UHF RFID product line for tagging and tracing cattle, sheep, pigs and birds. Trials have been underway for at least two years in several countries where mandates and the private sector are working towards legislation.

According to Dan Finch, Advanced ID's President and CEO, "We are encouraged with the prospect of new UHF RFID livestock tagging trials in several countries. We are working very diligently through our Thailand subsidiary. It is important that we convince government officials in charge of food safety in all countries that the Advanced ID solution is the most technologically sound and cost effective program that can be implemented immediately. As in most countries, the fear of bird flu and mad cow disease is a highly discussed topic, and we are at the forefront of the identification process. It has taken longer than we anticipated, but this will happen as evidenced by the renewed interest today."

The livestock tagging trial in the Hunan Province in mainland China includes tagging pigs where the market potential is 500 million pigs, triple the market of any other nation. The trial in Taiwan includes tagging both cattle and pigs where the combined market is 66 million animals. The trial in Malaysia includes tagging cattle where beef consumption is surging and, in renewed discussions with Thailand, Advanced ID is working with the new Thailand government officials and are presenting the AIDO livestock solution in Chiang Mai in a government/industry meeting where technology issues concerning livestock RFID initiatives in Thailand will be discussed. The new government is now ready to renew the project that was shelved due to the political situation.