iFind Systems’s Wandering ShepherdTM Satellite Livestock Traceability Ear Tag Awarded Top 50 for Outstanding Agricultural Innovations

Novi, MI, January 14, 2010 --(PR.com)-- iFind Systems is developing the Wandering ShepherdTM “full movement traceability” Livestock Ear Tag, the next generation livestock ear tag that allows Government Agencies to fully track the whereabouts of all animals and will be of paramount value for tracing disease infected livestock.

The products winning the 2010 AE50 awards represent the best and the brightest developed around the globe for the agricultural, food, and biological systems industries. Winners to be announced at ASABE's Agricultural Equipment Technology Conference January 11, 2010 and showcased at the Ag Connect Expo January 13-15, 2010.

“Terrorists seeking to strike a blow at the U.S. economy need to look no further than the Nation’s heartland for a “soft“ target. An agro-terrorist attack could dramatically impact many aspects of American life” said Neil Helfrich, Founder of iFind Systems. “Agricultural experts say that today they are most concerned about the intentional introduction of foot-and mouth disease (FMD) into the food supply”.

“When considering acts of agro-terrorism, agricultural experts are unanimous in their assessment that FMD is the most lethal weapon. FMD attacks cloven-hoofed animals (e.g. cattle, sheep, swine, deer, elk, and goats), and it is regarded as the most contagious known virus (20 times more infectious than smallpox) with it’s up to 50 mile airborne transmission capability from animal to animal”, said Mr. Helfrich. “The USDA calculated that a foot-and-mouth disease outbreak could spread across 25 states in as little as 5 days and will not stop when it reaches the U.S. Canadian border”, explained Mr. Helfrich. “Economist’s estimate that a nationwide outbreak of FMD would result in immediate stoppage of our beef industry, which would cost between $750,000 and $1 million per minute for each operating business hour. The result would be too overwhelming for the livestock industry to absorb and would stagger the U.S. economy”.

”While agriculture may not be a terrorist’s first choice because it lacks the “shock” or “wow” factor of more traditional terrorist targets like flying planes into buildings, an increasing number of terrorism analysts consider it a viable secondary target,” continued Helfrich.

The Wandering Shepherd (www.wanderingshepherd.com) Traceable Livestock Ear Tag is the world’s first all satellite livestock tracking device that is in the form of an ear tag.

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