I'm really glad to learn about The Farm Gate. What a great idea Stu. Keep up the good work. I made sure my readers know about it today.

....Chuck is the creator of www.Agwired.com, and his kind words are certainly appreciated.
--Stu

After a careful review of the April 25, 2005 National Animal Identification System’s (NAIS) strategic plan put out by the USDA in conjunction with APHIS, I have been compelled to comment on the legitimacy, or lack thereof, of such a program.

As I see it, the NAIS strategic plan has many relevant issues associated with it and following is a summary of some of the major issues that have not been addressed adequately in the strategic plan:

1) The legitimate need for such a system;

2) The legality of implementing such a measure by means of executive order rather than through the legislative process;

3) The ability of the free market to correct its wrongs – Cost to benefit analysis;

4) Wildlife being excluded from all proposed regulation; and

5) Confidentiality.

According to statements made in the April 25, 2005 strategic plan, “the strongest driving force for developing the NAIS is the risk of an outbreak of a foreign animal disease.” This is a quirky position to take considering USDA’s strong support for reopening the Canadian border at the risk of importing another case of BSE. To constrain and regulate your own producers as a means to minimize risk while opening up the borders at the risk of importing the very thing you are trying to defeat is senseless at best. It is ironic that the big push to implement NAIS occurred immediately following the confirmation of mad cow disease in the U.S. when food safety became an intense issue here at home and with our trading partners. Yet, nowhere in the draft plan is the issue of food safety mentioned. It seems a bit overzealous to implement such a program when less intrusive measures are already in place to deal with these problems. In addition, the need for NAIS still remains in question when you consider that one of the most contagious diseases – foot and mouth disease - was in this country at one time and has been essentially eradicated for the better part of 6 decades. Brucellosis is another health concern that has seen substantially reduced detrimental impacts as a result of coordinated efforts on the part of producers and government officials without going to such extreme and overbearing burdens as NAIS will do. The only real goal of NAIS as stated in the draft plan is to “identify animals having contact with a foreign or domestic animal disease of concern within 48 hours of discovery.” It does nothing to prevent diseases from coming into our land nor does it alleviate food safety concerns.

It is interesting that those who stand to lose the most from disease outbreaks (producers) are largely against NAIS as a government mandated program. Moreover, with Food Safety being absent from the plan, it appears that the public at large must not be too involved in the issue either. Therefore, one could easily conclude that the only people showing overwhelming support for the program are government officials and academia personnel, neither of which should be in a position to force regulation on an industry without substantial support from those parties directly impacted. Otherwise, this becomes usurpation of power by those to whom it does not belong, which leads me to the next concern.

The strategic plan addresses the issue of authority by stating “the Animal Health Protection Act authorizes the Secretary of the USDA to carry out operations and measures to detect, control, or eradicate livestock pests or disease,” and “also provides ample authority to establish and implement either a mandatory or voluntary system of animal ID.” However, the industry, as mentioned above, is doing a good job of managing disease outbreaks under current legislation and regulation. Furthermore, the need to claim “ample” legal “authority” to implement NAIS says a great deal about what they don’t really have. For instance, USDA officials claim the Animal Plant Health Protection Act gives them regulatory authority. However, our government is a government of the people, for the people, by the people; not of the government, for the government, by the government. Mandatory implementation of NAIS by means of the Animal Plant Health Protection Act amounts to nothing more than Executive Activism or Legislating from the Throne, an act the Judiciary is currently under fire for in other arenas. Supposing that NAIS is such a good idea, then USDA officials and all other supporters should discontinue their rhetoric regarding executive authority and put their message before Congress. Provided their expansive oratory as outlined in the strategic plan is correct regarding all its virtues and broad support, they should have nothing to fear if it were to go through the House and Senate. All stakeholders could then be involved in the process.

NAIS is not only illegitimately mandated, but is proposed on the false assumption that a free market economy is incapable of correcting its wrongs without government intervention. Those who profess the NAIS proposal to be the only way of salvaging the reputation and credibility of the US livestock industry are ultimately demonstrating their fear and lack of faith in the same free market economy that made this country strong in the first place. Additionally, they are advancing the cause and embracing the principles of a socialistic society which cannot and will not sustain the advances made under our free market system.

I find it very appalling that on April 8th, 2004 the USDA blocked a Creek Stone Farms initiative (already in place prior to the Dec 23, 2003 BSE outbreak) which prohibited Creek Stone Farms from testing every animal processed at their facility over concerns that such measures were cost prohibitive and that market pressures would then indirectly mandate all other processors meet the same standards in order to stay competitive. Instead, the government will now directly mandate NAIS (48 hour trace-back). This action has a much greater cost in the form of bigger government, higher taxes, increased labor, and a more expensive product, which will negatively impact both producers and the public at large. But USDA officials claim this measure is necessary in order to resume trade with foreign trading partners. They have backed these claims with the argument that Canada, Australia, and other countries have already set the standard by implementing such a system and that we must do likewise to stay competitive. One should remind them that first, the Creek Stone Farms initiative is the free market at work, and second that Japan, our largest importer of US beef products, initially wanted a mandatory testing program not mandatory trace back, in order to resume trade. It looks as though the U.S. doesn’t want to be the leader in food safety, but rather the follower. The USDA apparently does not want US processors to set the standards, but is satisfied following the lead of foreign powers.

A study commissioned by the Kansas State Department of Agriculture and completed by Kansas State University economists James Mintert, Sean Fox and Ted Schroeder entitled “The Economic Impact of BSE on the U.S. Beef Industry,” demonstrates that by testing 75% of all U.S. cattle harvested (something the USDA has vigorously fought against), 25% of the Pacific Rim export markets could be easily recovered and testing would be a breakeven proposition.

Additionally, if half of those markets were regained by testing only 25% of cattle, returns would be up by $750 million compared to the $640 million it would cost to have every animal harvested in 2004 tested.

Although there has been no formal cost to benefit analysis completed on the project, I think it is plain to see that NAIS is a loser from top to bottom. Creek Stone very well may have the right idea as it allows for food safety and trade issues to be addressed without additional government intervention. Moreover, market forces may lead to traceability anyway. If it takes that route, changes should be the result of free market pressures, not an overbearing government, and pork barrel spending resulting from government mandates.

While free market corrections may be slow, they are in fact much more efficient and effective than all the well-meaning government quick fixes which more often than not create a larger problem to both the industry and the taxpayer down the road. There is a plethora of well-intentioned government programs already in place that demonstrate this. Commodity price support programs for example, are a great place to find evidence showing how well-intentioned government programs go awry when free market principles are circumvented.

Another shortfall of NAIS is the fact that with all the brilliant efforts made to control the spread of animal diseases, they have utterly and completely failed to incorporate wildlife issues into the plan. With all the hype over the Bird Flue and Exotic New Castle Disease running rampant, officials should be concerned about wild bird species being carriers of these or similar diseases to livestock species. As mentioned previously, Brucellosis was at one time nearly eradicated. However, there is evidence that associates increased cases in livestock with transmissions from native Buffalo and elk herds. According to APHIS, it is estimated that upwards of 50% of buffalo and elk residing in Yellowstone National Park are carriers of this disease. Based upon the effectiveness of current management techniques to control infectious diseases and the vulnerability of livestock to diseases spread by wildlife, it only makes sense that efforts to control, detect, and eradicate disease would focus on wildlife to livestock transmissions before excessive regulatory measures are placed on livestock producers alone. At a bare minimum, a management plan for control of wildlife disease transmission should be included in the plan with an emphasis equal to that placed on livestock.

To the strategic plan’s credit, confidentiality has been addressed as a concern to stakeholders. However, as of yet, there has not been a credible plan presented to rectify the problem and given the present circumstances with regard to social security numbers and other personal data being misused by unauthorized persons, it is doubtful this concern will ever fade.

Regardless of intentions, NAIS is not only ill-suited to achieving its specified goals, but fails in its attempt and ability to prevent outbreaks of infectious animal diseases, maintain consumer confidence, ensure adequate food safety standards, promote principles of economics that foster a free market, offer protection against socialism, and limit big government.

On the other hand, implementation of NAIS will be extremely successful in: legitimizing legislation from the throne by circumventing the legislative process; creating an additional multibillion dollar tax funded bureaucracy responsible for the implementation of NAIS and the system required to maintain it; Collecting, maintaining, and storing private data that the government should have no legal authority to be in possession of; Increasing the risk of private data falling into criminal hands; and effectively stifling the ability of the free market to efficiently correct it own problems.

It is for these reasons that the whole idea of NAIS should be rejected as 100% pure unadulterated garbage. As Creek Stone Farms has illustrated by actively seeking to test every animal prior to the BSE outbreak, individual market players will adjust their production practices to meet the demands of their customers out of their own self preservation instincts. Consumers are not without power either as they will vote for changes in production practices through the use of their purchasing power. Only the product of their choice will ultimately win the day, thereby eliminating the need for government mandates and intervention.

In an effort to promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, the free market should be free to operate uninhibited with new regulation and tax burdens. Implementing NAIS and preventing Creek Stone Farms and others from testing every animal or otherwise responding to changing consumer demands does not effectuate these goals. Government should never do for the people what the people can do for themselves. Finally, in the words of Thomas Jefferson, “Were we directed from Washington when to sow, and when to reap, we should soon want bread.” (Thomas Jefferson, Autobiography, 1821)

And according to Benjamin Franklin in his Historical Review of Pennsylvania, 1759 –
“They that can give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.”
With that said I believe the livestock industry and the USDA should stop attempting to legislate or regulate their way out of their problems and let the imagination and initiative of a free market continue to keep our economy strong and progressive.

Kenneth Ure
Beaver, UT

(Mr. Ure expresses a strong position about NAIS. While it is not the intent of The Farmgate to take a position, it affords the opportunity for you to certainly do just that. ---Stu Ellis, University of Illinois Extension)

Wow ! Kenneth hits the nail on the head! I think we've got too much gov't intervention, now..We don't need further. For example, look at how reports each week/month/quarter by the feds accect the prices of most of our grains in this country. Day of report, prices fall/rise based on "facts" that are usually later 'adjusted' based on errors in reporting etc. Bravo, Bravo !!!

I agree with Mr. Kenneth Ure that NAIS needs to be rejected.

If anyone else agrees and would like to get involved, we are forming a new organization to fight this at http://www.stopanimalid.org/

Has anyone seen higher prices for these calves that are in the program?

Hi all. I am currently in NC, but am a e-student in the Dairy Certificate program. I am also a native of Illinois, and I own 10 acres in Southern Illinois.

I feel that all the NAIS program will do is destroy the family farm and the homesteaders. Basically, I agree with the posts so far.

I have 1 yak, several ducks, and a handfull of chickens, and I will be required to comply. Granted, these are my "pets", and will never see any kind of food production, other than the chicken eggs for personal use. Why should I be required to register these guys? Is it to force me to have to buy my eggs, feathers, and wool?

NAIS is a slippery slope that needs to be avoided.

I really see no advantage to it, other than it gives the feds far more control of our lives than allowed by the Constitution. (I could go on, but I'll stop there.)

Oh yeah!! I am glad I found this blog.

I have read through the comments posted, and being very involved in this issue for the past ten years, I can tell you the NAIS is sorely needed.

Beef producers have seen such sustained high prices right now because we are in the absolute bottom of a cattle cyle and numbers are low. Coupled with the fact that beef demand is improving, we have been very fortunate to have strong prices.

If the BSE crisis had hit our country a few years from now, when are cattle numbers were much higher, it would have been financially crippling to the industry, in my opinion.

It has taken us two years to finally reopen the Japanese beef market. It was a very lucrative customer of American beef, and now we must win them back. It will take a little time to regain the lost ground and the market share that Australia has captured due to our absence in the market.

Cattlefax had estimated as much as $190 per head has been "left on the table" because these markets had their borders closed to US beef. Why were these markets closed? Because we couldn't provide traceback, herd of origin, or age verification on any of these cattle. The US is virtually the last of the large industrialized countries in the world to implement an individual animal id program. It's definitely time.

USDA had made the correct decision to not allow beef packers to test all cattle for BSE and allow them to export. Our export protocols need to be based on sound science, and testing all cattle for BSE is not sound science. It's been compared to testing a teenager for Alzheimers... it's just simply not detectable at that young age. However, if Japan wants age-verified cattle -- those under a certain age -- that can be accomplished under a NAIS-type program.

For this to work, it can't be a voluntary system. It must be mandatory, where everyone participates... even the smallest of producers. The small producers (like myself) who have a few head of livestock, travel to several county or state fairs throughout the year, probably pose one of the biggest animal health risks to our livestock populations. The well-traveled animal could cause quite a commotion if it had TB or FMD. By having a tracking system in place, we will be able to quickly lock down any threat to our nation's high standards of animal health and have a traceback completed within a few hours rather than a few days.

Thanks for the opportunity to comment.

The Europeans have had animal ID and trace back for years. They were convinced that such a system would help them prevent outbreaks of animal diseases and food borne human illness.

There are more cases of BSE and vCJD in Europe that anywhere else in the world. They still have occasional FMD outbreaks.

In the U.S. we don't have animal ID (yet). We have had one, maybe two BSE positive cattle. And at least one of those was an import. No FMD cases have been found in the U.S. in decades.

And now people are saying it is time for the U.S. to imitate the Europeans and implement animal ID. I question if that is the right way to go. Animal ID leads to a false sense of security.

We have controled BSE via feed regulations. We have controled FMD via strict regulations on imported livestock. We control Brucellosis by vacination and control point surveilance. We also control T.B. by surveilance.

No country has healthier livestock or a safer food system than the U. S. and we accomplished that without animal I.D. How much sense does it make to implement a European style trace back system that hasn't achieved the desired results when our less burdensome, less intrusive system has achieved better results?

I realize my view is somewhat simplistic. I can't help it. I'm from the Ozarks. Sometimes simple is the way to go. Two boards don't care if a nail was driven in by a hammer, or by a "pnuematic activated impact producing fastener installation system. The boards just care if they got nailed together.

I agree with Mr. Kenneth Ure. The NAIS is a really bad scheme which will put the homestead and family farms out of business. In order to have fresh eggs and milk we have a small herd of goats and several chickens and mandatory NAIS would be something that we could not afford to do nor would we want the invasion of privacy that it would bring. Let's do all we can to stop NAIS before it becomes law or at least limit it to the big corporate producers.

I have only a few horses and are living on a small fixed income-I am going to be forced to sell my pets, as i cannot afford to microchip them-about 100$+ each and buy the scanner, too.
So it's lose money, because no one will want my pets, and lose my pets, too.

I would like to know how this is gonna keep the food market safe? I mean if they find a sick cow(brought in to this country by this government I'm sure)it has aready been hauled to market, already been traveling across the county. It has then POSSIBLY infected every cow in that county and every cow will have to be killed to "insure" the desease doesn't spread. Wouldn't testing every cow be safer and less expensive? Wouldn't it be easier to control disease outbreaks if the government didn't allow the diseased animals in this country to begin with? How does registering my property make the food supply safer?

I would also like to know how my cow, my ONE cow, who will NEVER be sent to market, affects the food supply?

I would like to know why it is the big meat producers and the "chip" id makers who are the leaders in implamenting this program?

What about my privacy? What animal I have on my homestead is my business. I am not growing pot for crying out loud. I am growing my OWN food and friends.

Anyone read the Book of Revelations?

I am 100% against premisis and animal id.

I to am 100% against the NAIS program. I have a very small farm just a few horses, and poultry mainly for my own use, but I do sell eggs to a few friends. I firmly believe that this program has been created by the Large animal producers to create a monoply in the food supply AND to degrade the constitution of the United States. If we do not fight this program tooth and nail, we will loose a huge chunk of our constitutional rights.

I support identification for my horses, BUT only on a basis that I have that information for proof of ownership in cases of theft or natural disaster where they have strayed. I do NOT support being FORCED to have all my animals chipped and my property subject to tresspass JUST because I own a few animals. I will NEVER support a Mandatory National Animal ID act,just as I oppose the Mandatory National Human ID act.

Much has been said about NAIS and market driven identification systems. The following paper discusses the different goals of NAIS and market driven identification systems.

http://www.traill.uiuc.edu/beefnet/paperDisplay.cfm?ContentID=8453

I just read in a magazine about this whole thing and its got to be the most unrealistic thing I've ever read. How am I supposed to tag the 100's of birds born on our farm, most of which will be eaten, I'm not gonna spend $??? amount of money on a bird I'm just gonna eat!!!! Other than for feed. If I sold to the stores, or on a large scale, yes maybe, but the large scale manufactures already have precautions they take to keep us from being contaminated. This is so unrealistic. I thought we lived in the USA, I'm starting to think I live in Irac, or one of those eastern countries where there is no freedom. I wont register animals I'm just gonna eat myself, I'm not gonna spend $5 $10 or $100 to Id any of them, if this is not america, then I'll be moving elsewhere. This is just a stupid law, a way for someone else to make the big $$$$ The rich man gets richer and the poor get poorer and forced to buy from the rich, we do that enough as it is with fuel!!! Dont even get me started on that!!!! What ever happend to our country, I think common sense really has went right out the window on some things, this being one of them. I totally 100% disagree with this program, and I think our state reps and congressmen, if they wish to be getting our votes better do something about it, this is the USA, land of the free, that includes our little family members, and food that we ourselves raise for ourselves. Are we gonna have to get id's for our lettuce and tomatoes we grow too so they can track them????? Come on people!!!

NAIS Cattle ID Pilot Projects Not Needed, Since Proven Advanced Technology Already Exists
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/12/prweb325888.htm

While NAIS regional pilot projects merely promised some limited animal ID and tracking results after a few years of study, ScoringAg’s Web-based traceup / traceback database system delivers real time results in seconds – in operation now for all livestock species, using high-speed, wireless RFID and precise premises locations.

(PRWEB) December 27, 2005 -- ScoringAg’s livestock tracking and traceback system provides a true traceback and traceup for livestock movement and activities in real time throughout the animal’s life cycle – from the original producer to the packinghouse, and if needed on to the final consumer.

The key is ScoringAg’s unique premises identification: PIDC is a precise location ID based on uniform premises codes for all locations throughout the world, wherever livestock are raised, grazed, harvested, processed, and shipped. ScoringAg’s database provides for the linking of all other premises ID codes for all varying states and regions to accommodate livestock movement from one state and region to another, and all active locations nationwide and around the world.

Instead of waiting for hours or days for animal health history – which is the stated “goal” of the proposed NAIS animal ID consortium – all field data updates, including those that are available on the animal’s public page, are displayed instantly – in real time – as they occur, when and where the data is collected and uploaded – in the field or in chutes at auctions, feedlots, packing plants, and elsewhere. Only ScoringAg’s system is ready and able to deliver this level of secure information in just seconds to those in need during a catastrophic event. The animal’s public records page can also show other tags, brands or tattoos, or a photo of the animal if needed. This gives an additional means of animal ID when RFID ear tags are lost or stolen and only the animal’s unique identifying characteristics can give positive ID.

ScoringAg’s Web-based databank uses its secure Internet interconnections and servers to provide real-time traceup and traceback, as well as complete traceability and animal movement history, to geographically diverse livestock groups – from original producers through all production stages, using a system of checkpoints to account for tagged livestock as they move through the system. This traceup and traceback for agriculture and livestock entities and their products is secure and available to qualified users, from the producer to the consumer worldwide at all levels of the chain of custody, as required.

ScoringAg’s field data collection system records all animal activities with reference to its ID and current location. Actions taken on the animal, including such activities as birth, vaccination, medical treatment, feeding, sale, transport, etc. at each premises are recorded at the date and time that the actions occur, establishing a system of accountability in real time, to ensure compliance and the absolute identity of livestock within the system.

All animal and livestock types are accounted for in ScoringAg, such as beef and dairy cattle, horses, swine, sheep, goats, and more, as well as a wide range of wild and domestic animals (for example, deer, elk, alpaca, ostrich, buffalo, poultry, fish, aquaculture, and more). All market and industry sectors are included within ScoringAg’s system for a complete chain of custody in handling livestock: including producers, auction and market operators, direct and order buyers, feedlot operators, live animal transporters, packing plants, and wholesale and retail commodity operations.

The Web-based system collects and records specific data; such as, the animal’s RFID number, the premises number where that animal passed by an RFID reader with high-speed, wireless data transfer, and the exact time of the reading. The data in ScoringAg’s database is then formatted for secure Web pages, for display on secure screens for authorized persons (in the state where the data was collected) within seconds, if required. This data collection and reporting system uses the national phone infrastructure to relay data in real time (whether within the range of cell towers or not) from the high-speed RFID ear tag reader to ScoringAg Web servers with speed, precision, and accuracy, at extremely low cost.

ScoringAg.com and its traceback and traceup system for agriculture products, featuring Site-Specific Recordkeeping™ and PIDC location code, is one of the many divisions of ScoringSystem, Inc. Located in Sarasota, Florida USA, the company specializes in providing solutions with mobile data, via wireless PDAs, laptops, and Semacode-programmed Nokia, Siemens, and Sony Ericsson cell phones. Whether using RFID or barcodes for point-to-point traceup and traceback of livestock, from birth through the packing plants and on to the consumer; or tracking transport containers or perishable meats and other food consumer goods, www.ScoringAg.com makes managing data easier – and does it in an extremely cost effective manner from “Field-to-Fork.”

William Kanitz
ScoringSystem, Inc.
http://www.scoringsystem.com

For those of you all that are for this, you will see the small feed store go down, as now they will have to get your name, address, etc if one buys one sack of stratch for chickens,, if you buy any chicks, they has to be reported, as well now they want the commerical Hay folks to report, what field, who hauls, where is going, and who the buyer is, Which is only increase the price of hay if the hay people had to do this, what with the increase in fuel, power, and irrigations rates now this, the increase could drive the little folks right out of dealing with livestock,
the database,, who pays for this, all the reports? another added expense on the little folks, And WHy the GPS location? What is the purpose of that? How about the grandparnets that has that old pony for the grandkids? the Handspinner with her flock? the old lady with a small flock of chickens? What about the cost of these chips or tags? who pays for that? Those that want to export your cattle, go right ahead but leave the little feller along, How about the religous groups that want a intact animal unblemished? You think they would accept a animal with chip in it? How about the amish folks?
Now as for livestock disease, we have had outbreaks of various one and they have contained and controlled. If the USDA is so concerned about the food supply,, I suggest that every cow that goes to slaughter be tested for BSE. I would suggest that all food product and by products that imported the US be inspected and checked, The idea of US chickens being slaughtered in the US, shpped to China for processing and than return to the US to be sold to the US consumer is just crazy!
The UK has animal ID in place and it did not stop the FMD, until over ten million anamls were slaughtered, Nsis will not prevent theft of livetock,
I ask again, those that want this NAIS, be willing to pay for the tags I would have to buy, the help to tag and chip my stock, the scanner that I would have, the money for the reports that is required, if so, if you want to give all of us money out of pocket I suggest you tell the USDA that you will..
This is nothing more than about exporting meat and animals and they will be the only ones to profit from this on the backs of the little folks AGAIN,,,,,,,

We must stop this beast.

The Apache livestock sale is putting the rfid tags on all livestock that comes through the sale now. Apache Ok

We are opposed to the National Animal Identification System (NAIS). We are already in the Scrapie Program and have our flock tagged and our Premise ID, microchiping in addition to this is not only a financial burden, but intrusion on our personal privacy and a violation of the constitution concerning our right to personal property and privacy. The curtailing of normal movement of our livestock to work our farms, visit the vet and take part in events such as trail rides, 4H etc is another violation of personal freedom. GPS tracking is an outrageous violation of personal freedom and privacy, and should be stopped now and for all time. We can see no advantage to such intrusive and expensive overkill. This is not a health issue. We fear the destruction of the American way of life with family farms, 4H Clubs, Trailrides, Rodeos, movement of personal and family pets, etc. Costs of this program have already proven that the cost the American public will be huge amounts of money, excessive forms to fill out with increase the individual financial burden on many sales barns, veterinarians, feed stores, personal owners and many other unforeseen affects. Incentives are an insult and should not even be offered. This is one of the most unrealistic and unreasonable programs ever forced upon the American public, especially when other forms of control are already in place and affective. To our way of thinking implimenting of this program will only create further ways to intrude upon private lives and encourage further programs to destroy our American way of life.
Lloyd and Margrett Stretton

The only ones who will benefit by NAIS are the big corporate agriculture interests who will be able to sell their meat overseas once they have 48 hour trace-back ability. Small farmers and homesteader will be the ones to suffer from this idiotic plan. Corporations won't have their homes invaded by satellite surveillance or having to report every move they make with their animals, because they only deal with animals as a business. Animals are a part of our lives and as such, having to report every movement they make means reporting our movements, in many cases. Animal health issues are just a poor excuse to establish 48 hour trace back so corporations can sell to overseas markets. This month the Office of the Inspector General of the USDA, the very Department trying to force this plan on us, assured the American people that the BSE surveillance system was a success and that the public health risk of BSE in the U.S. is virtually zero. All of the other diseases that NAIS is supposed to protect us against are preventable, treatable or do not effect humans. Small farmers have as much right to make a living as big corporations. If corporate heads have to get by on 5 figure incomes, because they can't sell meat overseas, that's just too bad.

While this _might_ make some sense for food producers, especially the large ones, what the heck does registering and tracking HORSES have to do with the food supply????? We don't EAT horses in the U.S., they are not part of the food supply chain.

And how will registering and tracking farm animals prevent the spread by wild animals? Already West Nile is spread by wild birds. Will chipping and tracking domestic ducks prevent wild ducks from spreading something? Or eventually will the bureaucrats want to tag and track every wild bird, deer, racoon, possum, etc.?

The whole thing is a bad idea spawned by bureaucrats with nothing better to do than to build their empire and spend tax money.

Oh, and then there is the terrorism aspect. Washington is using that to go hog wild with their bureaucratic controls. They can't control illegal aliens but they want to control horses and chickens? Which is the bigger threat?

It appears that from all the hysteria over mad cow (three cows, imported- no human transmission in the United States) Avian Flu (no incidents and will come into the USA through wild birds anyway, or from our imports from China), threats of widespread disease-most of it imaginary; and the potential for terrorism, the USDA set forth a series of new rules that will be going into effect this year through 2008. The USDA relied on the work of a group called the National Institute for Animal Agriculture. The members of the NIAA are such well-known industrial entities such as Cargill Meat Solutions, Monsanto Company, Schering-Plough, and the National Pork Producers Council, plus many other large corporations, with nearly 25% appearing to be manufacturers and marketers of ID systems.

The ruling Agency docket number 05-015-1, Docket ID: Aphis-2005-004, is incredibly complex. The essence is that all farms, large and small will have a GPS ID and all animals will be identified, too. Doesn't really sound too bad....until one realizes that the large corporations, such as Cargill and the National Pork Producers do not have to identify their animals as individuals, they only need a farm ticket. But the small farmer must tag every animal and keep track of them at all times, reporting to the government whenever they leave the property, come back to the property, co-mingle with other animals (and identifying same), when they are born, when they die and why, when the tag is put on or implanted, if a tag is lost, and much more. The farmer is supposed to purchase a hand held scanner to ID all his animals, and have a computer and software to report to the government. This ruling doesn't take into account those without the physical, mental or financial where-with-all to do this. There are many, many more rules and regulations for the small farmer, none for large companies.

For myself, I cannot afford it. I raise horses and am not able to foot the expense, which this ruling says I must. How will I be able to sell my horses, when few want to buy into the government demands? I cannot imagine any parent wanting to buy a horse for their child and then not allowing that child to ride off the property, not wanting to bother with the resulting paperwork. And I cannot stand the thought of Big Brother watching me. What pleasure is there in going on a trail ride when one must avoid all other riders and their horses? (no co-mingling). To report to a government agency whenever I go, where I go, who I am with and when I will return- they ask too much! I am 60 years old and the only other person who wanted that much information was my mother! I am too old for that now. I can go for a ride in my car and no one asks me a thing. Yet, I take my horse for a ride and must answer to the Government. Cars kill thousands...Horses, rarely.

This ruling is going to harm the small farmer and force many out of business. My hay grower raises cows. He says he's going to quit his business and divide his hay fields into house lots. His son sells farm tractors, what will it do to him?

How many businesses rely on the small farmer for their income? How many will be forced to shut their doors? How many customers will be lost when they no longer have animals and are not buying products?

Real estate will suffer, too. There are many people, who would like nothing better than to retire to a farm. Why bother when the government is looking over your shoulder? And many like the bucolic ambience of living in the country and all that it entails. This will be very limited if the agribusinesses succeed.

I like buying as much of my produce as I can from the local farmers. It is fresher, better tasting and higher in vitamins than that bought at one of the supermarket chains. My meat does not have 12% solution added to kill off ecoli and other pathogens that are in the store bought meat. If I were to have a problem, I know my sources and go directly to them.

There are religious groups, such as the Amish, that in obeying this law will violate their religious beliefs. I have heard both Christians and non-Christians calling this “The Mark of the Beast”. What will happen when they are confronted by a government agent?

And, then, what happens to the gene pool when the only animals grown are the ones that get fattest the fastest? Or have some singular trait that the growers have chosen? Genetic diversity is one of the keys to a healthy population and this will be gone. One disease could wipe out the entire beef or pork industry, if this ruling goes through.

Then there is the terrorism card. Right now there are millions of animals scattered over millions of acres. If Cargill et al have their way, there will be millions of animals confined on feed lots, chicken houses and pig sties, wallowing in their own manure and being fed antibiotics, an easy target for a terrorist.

Farming today is a choice that many people make. It is a way of life that is centuries old. It is one of privacy and peace. People choose rural life to get away from the intrusiveness of the city and the suburbs. They want little from the Government, except the right to be left alone!

Has anyone checked the statistics for England and France? I did. I am but an amateur and even I could see a decrease in the number of farms since their laws were activated. Small farms are disappearing and the large combines taking over.

This ruling is like taking a sledge hammer to kill a gnat. It was ill planned without thought or caring to those it might effect. The only ones that will profit are the agribusinesses and the system manufacturers; the small farmer will lose again……and so will all of us.

I think you will all find this article very illuminating , and Yes, I have Justin's permission to post it. I would also suggest you all might want to read Mary Zanoni's article, and explore the stopanimalId and NONAIS sites!

PLEASE take the time to fight this---it will take all of us this time!

This will bring our country's economy crashing down! I think one of the purposes is to at last give the IRS a handle on the underground economy, which, thus far, has eluded them!

All the heritage breeds will be destroyed, shows and fairs will end, likewise rodeos, etc.
The only ones who stand to win here are the big businesses---and the rest of us will join the world where food costs 40% of your income, or more!
This is one person who will fight to the last breath---even though I have warned folks for nearly 40 years that this was NOT a free country any more! I am contemplating Latin America---along with my Amish friends, who will NOT comply with the "mark of the Beast"!

The Latest Tyranny: Tagging Terrorist Chickens

By Justin & Franklin Sanders
The Money Changer

APPENDICES:
Hard Questions About The National Animal Id System (NAIS)
National Animal Identification System (NAIS) - Fact Sheet

Have you heard about the National Animal Identification System (NAIS)? The radio ads feature a “farmer” telling us how hard it is to make a living farming today - harder than it was for Momma and Daddy. Worse yet, now we’ve got the risks of all these new diseases. But - golly, golly, gee -- the government is going to help. They’ve come up with a voluntary program to register our farms and animals to protect us and our animals from diseases. All good Americans will sign up.

Characteristically, the radio propaganda-speak beareth no likeness to the truth. To prove that for yourself, visit www.usda.gov/nais and click on the “Draft Strategic Plan” on the upper right hand side.

FOOD SECURITY

We all know that there is no pandemic or epidemic now sweeping through the livestock population would demand such drastic measures. If so, government’s first act wouldn’t be punching an ear tag into every chicken they could catch. Any eighteen-year-old mother who knows to hand testing a forehead for fever can tell you that tagging ears to fight disease is ridiculous. No, during epidemics government agents kill the infected animals and all animals in the herd. Then they spread out and test neighbouring herds and destroy those that test positive.

IF THEY’RE NOT FIGHTING DISEASE, THEN WHY NAIS?

Follow the money. Ask, Cui bono? Who benefits?

Agribusiness lobbied the USDA to create a system to protect them from legal liability if an epidemic does break out. More, NAIS would protect agribusiness market share, forestalling a public revulsion against their product by “confirming” that only a few animals were sick, rather than not thousands. NAIS enables huge agribusiness conglomerates that concentrate thousands of animals (and so concentrate the chance for spreading diseases) to point their finger at someone else.
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Here’s the scenario:

# People in Sheboygan get sick from something they ate.

# It’s determined the meat came from a local fast food joint.

# That fast food joint gets its meat from ABC cow factory.

# ABC cow factory buys cows from XYZ feedlots.

# Those feedlots had cows numbered 1q10 through 1q500 in their possession and those cows came from 15 small farms in suburban Tempe.

# Goodbye 15 small farms in suburban Tempe.

# Hello scapegoat for fast food joint, slaughterhouse, and feedlots.

To protect themselves these large corporations will effectively to put small farmers out of business. Not only the program costs (which fall on the farmer), but also the threat of fines and jail time for not complying will drive small farmers off the land. At the same time, NAIS sets up the same corporations as the only entities granted the ‘privilege’ to raise animals, since they, of course are the only ones who can be trusted to follow such a plan to protect the “national herd.”

EXEMPTIONS?

But I’ve just got a few chickens and a horse. Not me, right?

Wrong. The NAIS plans provide no exemptions whatever. One chicken, one horse, one cow, one sheep, one goat, one bison, one llama, one alpaca, one turkey, one duck -- all must register, premises & animals.

GOODBYE PROPERTY RIGHTS

The NAIS abolishes private property rights in farms and in animals. The NAIS, run by a branch of the USDA, considers “your” animals to be not yours, but part of “the national herd.” Plainly, they are right. If they can force you to register your farm and your animals, you do not own them. They own them because they control them. You are only inventorying property & animals for their true owner, the federal government.

MANDATORY MEANS MANDATORY

The NAIS’s schedule fixes January 2008 for “mandatory” enforcement. Mandatory means “forced” and “enforcement” means “putting into force.” Not of your own free will. The government will fine you, put you in jail, or seize your animals for raising animals without registering them with the government -- “raising animals without a licence,” I reckon they’ll call it. That’s right, 6,500 years of historical right will be abolished. From now on, you’ll be breaking the law for being a farmer without government permission.

What’s more, “The Department does not plan to issue ‘alerts’ to inform livestock owners of the requirements until April 2007, only eight months prior to the date when it will be mandatory to submit the GPS co-ordinates of one’s home and the RFID of one’s animal[s] to the USDA database.” (Zanoni, 3)

MORE GOOD NEWS

Who will pay for NAIS? You will. It does not favour the small farmer, but corporations with huge budgets. These conglomerates get to write off government registration fees, etc., but the write off means almost nothing to small farmers, who must first come up with the money to comply. The NAIS is free now, but will not be in the future. On their website, the NAIS states, “Even with public funding, there will be costs to producers.” There’s a time tax, too. States, tribes, producers, managers of livestock shows and events, market operators, processing plants, service providers and third parties will all have to provide labour for this system.

AND TAXES?

By registering with the NAIS you open yourself for future taxes. By registering your car, you pay taxes. By registering yourself as the owner of your home, you pay taxes. By registering yourself with a social security number, you pay taxes. Taxes for being a farmer and taxes on your animals will come, too.

THOSE FOR AND THOSE AGAINST

Tennessee (and probably your state, too) is now implementing the voluntary premises identification section of this plan. In your state you’ll see the Farm Bureau, the cattlemen’s association, and the extension agents lining up. With new government programs comes new government money. They’ll push NAIS compliance by holding out carrots of new money available only to those who register.

CAN WE DEFEAT NAIS?

You bet. There’s still hope we can defeat NAIS.

Dr. Mary Zanoni, a lawyer from New York, has filed official comments with the USDA Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) decrying the NAIS. She has also founded an organisation – Farm for Life. In her brilliantly argued statement filed in June 2005, she put this whole scheme in perspective.

“The security of America’s food supply and the resilience of livestock in the face of diseases are best served by decentralising and dispersing food production and processing, and breeding and maintaining livestock. If more citizens could depend on food raised and processed within, say, 100 miles of their homes, the danger of large-scale disruptions would be minimised, the costs of transport would be less affected by volatile fuel prices, and any food-borne diseases … would be contained by the system’s natural geographic limits. Similarly, if animals, such as cattle, for example, are kept in small herds of, say, ten to a hundred animals, infectious diseases will have much more difficulty in spreading beyond a discrete geographical area.

WHAT TO DO?

State cattlemen’s associations may be backing this idea, but chances are their members won’t. Chances are, the members have no idea what’s going on. How many farmers -- not “agribusinessmen” -- have you ever met that would think registering a chicken with the government is a good idea? Talk to them. Encourage them not to sign up their premises. “The USDA is using farmers’ supposed willingness to enter a ‘voluntary’ program as a justification for making the program mandatory,” says Zanoni.

This is the old government game where a pitiful, haggard, selfless government employee pleas to the camera, “Look, all these other farmers have signed up on their own because they’re good Americans and it’s just a few renegades ( read the majority of the population) holding out. If we’re gonna be safe, we’ve got to make this mandatory because we just can’t talk sense to these people who, after all, we’re only trying to protect. It’s for their own good”

# Write Dr. Mary Zanoni at mlz@slic.com and support her efforts by signing up for her $25/year newsletter to keep you informed about this program and those fighting it.

# Contact your state veterinary office and complain.

# Call your state senators and representatives and tell them you oppose NAIS.

# Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper.

# Organise a public meeting.

But first, educate yourself. Go to www.usda.gov/nais. Click on “Draft Strategic Plan” on the right side of the page under the “What’s New” heading and read the 24 page implementation plan for yourself. (NOTE: A Summary follows in Appendix 2 below.)

-- Justin Sanders

*************

Justin Sanders lives amongst the terrorist chickens, lambs, cows, and proletarian pigs on the Top of the World Farm He is raising three sons, none of whom yet has a government-approved tag.

Justin & Franklin Sanders are farmers and precious metals dealers with The Moneychanger in West Point, Tennessee, USA. They can be reached at moneychanger@direcway.com

One thing I have to disagree about in most of these comments is, it was not poorly planned. It was very well planned, by Monsanto, Cargill, Tyson, and the makers of those damn chips! It was planned so that the vast majority of the people it will effect will not even be aware of it until it is too late. It was planned so that these big companies can make their huge profits at our expense. It was planned to destroy our farms, our gene pools, our way of life.
NAIS strikes a huge blow to the constitution that our government has been sworn to uphold. It violates no less than 6 constitutional amendments.Instead of protecting the citizens from a virtual take over by these big conglomerates, our government is doing all they can to try to justify and enable the ones destroying us and our way of life.

NAIS is an unnecessary, expensive and intrusive program that will do nothing but line the pockets of large producers and companies that produce the technology and tags necessary to implement it. It will not create markets for any small producers nor will its failure decrease small markets. The small producer that sells at his local sale barn does not sell to large exporters. THey are not going to buy from small producers when this is implemented because the LARGE producer who only has to have a lot number can do as he already does and call the exporter and tell him to come pick it up as a lot. No record keeping no list of numbers just a single lot number. Nobody buying large numbers of cattle is going to buy from a group of small producers and have to keep track of the individual numbers of all those animals from all those farms. If somebody told you it would increase markets they forgot to tell you the rest-for large exporters buying large lots of animals for export. This program does not, never has, and never will do anything to further insure the health of the US livestock industry. There are already good programs already in place that work. Sorry guys but one cow does not make a major outbreak.If you want to talk about health, fund research. Want to know why the Japanese get bent out of shape with US markets? Because we dont carefully inspect the outgoing meat to ensure it follows their agreement-not because we dont have traceback. THe last fiasco with Japan could have been avoided if the meat had been properly inspected.If the exporters want better markets and more money then I suggest they get it the old fashioned way and earn it. We do not owe them a subsidy so they can get richer while we go out of business. Let their secretaries and programmers do all the reporting and let them pay for it. Sorry again but this program doesnt have to be mandatory to work. It has to be mandatory to work for them not me. At first I was happy to see this a voluntary program. Now I am just plain mad and think the whole fiasco should be scrapped. If selling to EU and Japan is so important to them let them move there and sell away. I live in America, sell in America and have freedoms and rights I am unwilling to sell for their markets. Last but certainly not least where is the budget for this program? I have written programs for state programs and the first thing the agency and the legislature wanted to know was "how much is this going to cost?" Does the USDA even know? Are they keeping it the second best secret in the US so we will get this passed and then have to swallow more national debt? Is this just going to be feel good politics-passed but unfunded? THat's dangerous because then you can ignore it when you want to and enforce it when somebody ticks you off. Which is it?

NAIS is just the high jacking of the USDA and FDA as strong arms for Mega Corporations. Isn't it interesting that only the Mega Producers and chip sellers will gain anything at all out of this spy program. Could the patents pendings or already in place on round up ready hay, flu resistent chickens, about 200 patents on other farm animals, not counting the white list or seeds/plants patented be the real motive behind NAIS? It will wipe out the little guy, give a monopoly to the big guys and we get to pay twice as producers and taxpayers for the privilege of being enslaved to GM products. Let's see if every plant and animal is patented then if my hen lays an egg I will have to pay a royalty to the mega group and of course they need to keep track of the monster foods and royalties. What better way than using the USDA and FDA to enforce their wishes.

Enforce the laws on the books and clean up the packing houses, mega corps. methods. Stop the schemes to import disease from China and Argentia and other places. Tag our animals and import from China...dumb. But if Mega Corporations want it then Mega Corporations get it from the USDA and FDA.

NO NAIS in the USA. Do not outlaw the freedom of producing our own foods free of Mega Corporations control. Do not outlaw the bill of rights or the constitution and enslave us all.

While this system is obviously designed to hamper and destroy destroy some farms / hobby ranches / homesteaders, and clearly needs to be fought and dismantled in its own right, the anacharist in me delights in the thought of millions of people reporting dozens, hundreds of animal movements every blessed day!!

(..my chickens love to run out on the road in front of the house, and that's a reportin offense..)

swamp 'em with data

There are several things the USDA needs to do before implimenting a system like the NAIS.
Firstly they need to rule against the feeding of animal wastes, rendered by-products of the slaughter industry and chicken litter to all cattle. With no regulation against this practice BSE is still a clear and present danger. No amount of tracking will help that.
Again, the USDA needs to make it easier, not more difficult for small producers to raise healthy herds and sell top-quality meats at the local levels--not make it more complicated. Let the large corporate producers sell to the export market, let them police themselves. But let the little guy fill in the void and sell clean, healthy quality meat to the local arena.

What the NAIS is, however, is the attempt of outside industry--the NIAA--to sway the USDA to remove all forms of competition from the food industry while lining their profits with the last dollars of the very farmers they are trying to crush.

Animal Identification--traceability--in and of itself isn't a bad thing. Being able to trace where a calf came from, how it moved through herds and who slaughtered it, and who sold it can be a value added bonus to the end consumer. Being able to track a valued stud if it is stolen or breaks free to service a neighbors mare wouldn't be so bad either--radio tag and a gps and follow the beast. But the NAIS has none of this practicality and doesn't really make any clear sense. At the local level traceability already exists. I know the farmers who raise the meat I eat. I see their herds, I talk with them. I buy the meat from them or butchers who sell it. I make this my choice, but the choice should be there for everyone to make.

And if we're woried about bioterrorism--decentralization is the way to safety not government databases and pooling resources. And it certainly isn't trucking our foods across the country from several corporate centers. America needs to wake up and begin supporting their own local markets before cow-towing to the USDA and their corporate cronies.

Thank you for helping to spread the word about this trampling of our Constitutionally guaranteed 4th Amendement rights. I have setup a web site and blog at http://NoNAIS.org to fight against NAIS. People are welcome to use any of my articles and images from it to further the fight to prevent NAIS from being forced upon us. Together we can spread the word and make a loud angry noise to stop this insanity foisted on us by the Govi-Corp.

-Walter Jeffries
Fighting NAIS at http://NoNAIS.org/
Farming at http://SugarMtnFarm.com/blog/

Walter:
Farmgate is not taking a political position on the Animal ID issue, other than to say it exists, and provide opportunity for comment by everyone. Your opinion is welcome, as is the opinion of others.
Stu

Many of us in Texas are currently fighting NAIS as actively as we can. We've hired an attorney who has farm animals, have an active informational website, www.tofga.org, and are organizing a bus trip for our legislators to visit a half dozen or so small farms to see the impact first hand.
However, if NAIS gets shoved down our throats, we should demand that dogs be included in the list of animals. They spread many more diseases than horses and are more widespread.
Here's the thought behind my madness. If USDA tries to make dog owners, like those that compete in the New York dog show, tatoo or chip their dogs, or if dog owners have to report to the government everytime they take their dog to the dog park, etc, etc, there will be an uprising like never before seen.
That should be the punch we need to knock NAIS out.
Tony

Why is it those of us who have a few goats, chickens and horses for our own use and comsumption are going to be tracked more closely than Illegal Aliens & Criminals. We will have to report a million times more of our where abouts with our animals then any of those people and we committed no crime. I also would like to know WHY my horses are listed in this, they are not meat for over seas !!