No Mandatory Animal ID

Peterson again backs mandatory national animal ID

mandatory national animal identification system is coming, at least if House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson has anything to say about it. In perhaps one of the underreported stories of the National Farmers Union (NFU) convention, House Ag Committee Chairman Collin Peterson, in a phone call to NFU members gathered Sunday night in Las Vegas, that Congress is likely to impose a mandatory animal ID program after this year’s elections.

Peterson cited the recent bovine tuberculosis outbreak in Minnesota, and noted a similar recent outbreak in Michigan. Those examples, Peterson said, are why mandatory national animal ID is inevitable.

“We are kidding ourselves if we don’t understand that we need to have a mandatory ID system,” declared Peterson.

I've known all along that Peterson is a big fan of NAIS. I wonder why he says it will be after the election Congress will make it mandatory? I bet because he expects the Democrats to get control of the White House and both Houses of Congress. Keep this in mind when you vote this fall, find out where your Senators and representatives stand on this. Mandatory NAIS as envisioned now with tracking of every individual animals movement, horses, pigs, cows, goats, chickens, will put many producers out of business and greatly increase costs of the food supply. A simple Herd Identification system would be easier and cheaper but the powers that be don't want that. NAIS or bust appears to be the way they see it.

Collin Peterson wants to drive independent cattlemen out of business. I wonder how much the big meat packers have contributed to his campaign?

An eartag never stopped a disease, the politicians just think it does.

Is National ID Really Dead?

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.

It's even more important to write your Congressmen about NAIS and your opposition to it. Enough noise is being made in opposition to the USDA and it's NAIS that Congress now wants to pass a law implementing it against the people's will.

Congress To Include Livestock ID System In 07 Farm Bill

U.S. lawmakers intend to take on the responsibility of improving how the U.S. will operate a nation-wide livestock identification program - a tool to control outbreaks of animal diseases - when Congress writes the 2007 Farm Bill, even if that means delays, a key U.S. senator said Thursday.

Chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., told reporters: "This is an issue we're going to deal with in the Farm Bill," and added it is more important to delay the process and "make sure we do it right."

Keep writing, keep calling, we have to let our Representatives know that this is wrong and violates the constitution in many ways. Make noise, be heard.

An ear tag never stopped a disease, but it sure can create a lot of controversy.

Voluntary:
1 : proceeding from the will or from one's own choice or consent
2 : unconstrained by interference : SELF-DETERMINING
3 : done by design or intention : INTENTIONAL (voluntary manslaughter)
4 : of, relating to, subject to, or regulated by the will (voluntary behavior)
5 : having power of free choice
6 : provided or supported by voluntary action (a voluntary organization)
7 : acting or done of one's own free will without valuable consideration or legal obligation

Cattle might get individual ID numbers

U.S. livestock might soon receive individual identification numbers in a voluntary plan to prevent the spread of mad cow and other diseases.

NAIS Plan from USDA

• January 2009: Reporting of defined animal movements required; entire program mandatory.

I will point out the news story says the program will be voluntary, proceeding from the will or from one's own choice or consent, and the USDA's plan is it to be mandatory. Who is fooling who here. Do they really think I am this stupid to buy into their propaganda that NAIS will be voluntary? Just keep remembering magical word mandatory in the NAIS plan and don't buy the propaganda. The USDA will try anything to control the lives and property of what they consider to be their serfs, the farmers and ranchers of the US.

An ear tag never stopped a disease, but it sure drives the government propaganda machine.

Talk About Big Brother watching you- is anyone else upset about the NAIS?

I don't know, maybe its because I'm a little slow on the uptake, or maybe I don't follow national politics enough, but I just found out about the NAIS and I just can't even believe it! I called my daughter up as soon as I found out and she said she knew, she said they have been doing it in Europe already. For anyone out there who shares my ignorance, NAIS stands for the National Animal Identification System- a supposedly "voluntary" project aimed at "keeping our food supply safe" by tagging livestock with ID chips that can be tracked by satelite. I know this sounds like something out of a George Orwell novel, but the real plan is to make it mandatory by the year 2008.

The more people that open their eyes and find out about this the better. Glad to see more people being outraged by this. He even sees it's ultimate goal.

The really creapy thing about this is that they are also wanting to put ID chips in people, too.

Make more noise, let people know, we can change this.

An ear tag never stopped a disease, but it sure seems to motivate people.

Digital Angel Livestock Tag Sales Climb

"As we get closer to full implementation of a National Identification Program in the United States, retailers, producers and cattlemen, in general are preparing for the evolution into RFID technology as a standard in the livestock tracking industry," President and Chief Executive Kevin N. McGrath said. "Both in the United States and internationally, the use of RFID in livestock tracking continues to grow."

Now I've heard the theory that the tag manufacturers are the ones driving this whole NAIS business since they will be able to sell more tags that the government is requiring cattle producers to buy. I don't buy it. They are not the ones driving the policy. The big meat packers are driving the policy, the tag makers are just taking advantage of the situation and make a ton of money selling tags that will now be mandatory.

An ear tag never stopped a disease, but it will line the tag manufacturers pockets with lots of money.

AUSTRALIANS ANGERED OVER IDENTIFICATION RULES

Australian beef producers have hit out at the imposition of a mandatory livestock identification system, which they say erodes the sector’s competitiveness. The producers are angry that they have a mandatory system when other leading beef producers are introducing voluntary systems.

The USDA keeps pointing to Australia as the system we should emulate when it comes to National Animal Identification System (NAIS) but the Australians don't appear to be very happy with their system. The articles main concern deals with the statement I've read from the USDA that states "there won't be a mandatory ID program by 2009, as previously announced."

I hate to tell the Australians, but that statement doesn't mean there won't be a mandatory system, it just means there won't be one in 2009. The USDA might wait until 2010 or jump up the time frame and make it 2008. Mandatory NAIS is way to important to the meat packers for the USDA to abandon the whole concept unless a lot of pressure from people is laid at their feet. Contact your Congressmen out the NAIS issue and let them know your concern. Maybe together we can get this stopped.

Remember, an ear tag never stopped a disease, it just makes the Australians mad at us.

Why does NAIS have to be mandatory? Why can't we have a market driven voluntary system? One of the main reasons given for the formation of NAIS is that export markets demand this. If this is the case why not let the market drive the solution?

If foreign countries demand this the meat exporters should pay more money for meat that is source verified via ID. Using beef as an example, this premium would theoretically then be passed down through the feeder to the cow-calf producer and would give the cow-calf man a monetary incentive to source ID their cattle. This would then be a market driven way for all in the supply chain to make a little extra money per animal. The present mandatory system as now envisioned will only cost more money for all but the meat exporters who gain from the system.

That's why the meat exporters/meat packers are so behind this mandatory system. It is only a win-win situation for them and the cow-calf man will be the ultimate loser since the majority of the cost of the system will be on them.

The other big reason for the Mandatory NAIS is for disease track back purpose. A market driven voluntary system will accomplish the same thing as the mandatory one, assuming there is as much demand for source verified animals as we are led to believe, since most animals will be involved because the producers will want the market premium.

A voluntary system will do the same thing as the mandatory one without penalizing producers of the animals. The US is known worldwide for the health of its animal herds so the chimera of disease prevention is just that, a myth to sell the idea to society at large. We need to call the USDA n this myth and demand a voluntary system through our Congressmen. Write, call, visit do whatever you can to bring this issue out into the light of day for everybody to examine.

A ID number never stopped a disease, it just gives the government control over your life and property.