States Ready to Continue The Fight
Premise identification and animal identification have been hot topics in the agriculture community for years now. With recent announcements from USDA regarding the fate of the NAIS and premise ID, as well as articles questioning the current status of the program, I feel it is important to remind Hoosier producers of Indiana’s current position on premise and animal ID.
The premise ID program in Indiana is not “dead.” Although USDA does not require producers to enroll in the program, the Indiana State Board of Animal Health decided that with the risks of foreign animal diseases, and bio-terrorism, the premise ID mandate was needed in our state. According to Indiana state law, as of Sept. 1, 2006, any location involved with the purchase, sale or exhibition of livestock must possess a premise ID number. Some exhibitions, including the Hoosier Beef Congress, are requiring all exhibitors provide their number to register.
I've been concerned with the USDA backing off the mandatory aspects of NAIS, the states would be forced to pick up mandatory NAIS by the Federal Government. Hell, it doesn't even take the feds to pressure them as you see. Indiana is going ahead with Mandatory premise registration without the USDA pushing them. What's next, mandatory id?
Anyone who cares about freedom needs to be aware of these state efforts and fight them. Fight the good fight, write those state officials and let them know you think mandatory NAIS is wrong and not to push it. Our voices are the tools to fight this.
An ear tag never stopped a disease, people just think the ear tag does.
