No Mandatory Animal ID

I think Mike John, President of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA), really needs to get a clue about what cattle producers want.

Livestock National ID Sign-ups S-l-u-g-g-i-s-h

The president of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association says in states where premises identification is not mandatory, enrollment has been painfully slow in establishing what will eventually become a national age, process and source verification system.

This, despite the fact many producers may already have the information needed for animal certification. "A very small percentage of producers have actually received a premises number," says 2006 NCBA President Mike John. "I don't know why that is. Every state has access to a Web-based premises allocation system. If people are worried about the government having access to that information, it already does."

If Premise Identification enrollment has been slow, maybe there is a reason for it. Like people think it's an unreasonable Government intrusion into their business. Of course in states where it's mandatory it's going well according to Mike John. Yea, you take a large stick and beat producers over the head and tell them they have to enroll in this "voluntary" program administered by the Meat Packers, through the US Animal Identification Organization, or they will be fined and wonder why enrollment is going well.

Mike John just doesn't get that he is a shill for the Meat Packers and is not working for the best interests of the Cattle Industry. I plan on being in the cattle business and I will wait until the USDA/NCBA/Meat Packers (they are all one outfit) forces me to get mine through law and do it under coercion. It's wrong and everybody knows it but whether we can turn this train or not is still in question.

An ear tag never stopped a disease, but it sure doesn't stop the government and their shills from pushing unwise policy down cattle producers throats.

Posted by Sarpy Sam in NCBA at 05:29 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)

NCBA Cattle: U.S. Animal Movement Database Rolled Out

The National Animal Movement Database, which will allow U.S. Department of Agriculture health officials to trace an animal or group of animals back to their source quickly, was rolled out Thursday.

Charles Miller, chairman of the directing organization called the U.S. Animal Identification Organization, said the system seeks and stores only four pieces of data: the premises identification number, the individual animal or the group number, the date of the "event" necessitating the input of information into the Web-based system and the "event" code, which identifies whether the event is the birth, first sale, slaughter or a list of other possibilities.

Another step towards the enslavement of all animal producers to the USDA's whims. Write your Congressmen, state officials and local papers. More voices are needed hearing opposition to this.

Remember, an ear tag, ID number, or premise ID, never stopped a disease, it just enslaves animal owners to the government.

Posted by Sarpy Sam in United States Animal Identification Organization at 05:25 | Comment (1) | Trackbacks (0)

So what is my favorite organization to hate, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), up to now. First they say they are abandoning the private database concept of National Animal Identification System (NAIS) when talking to the foes of NAIS, R-CALF, and then turns around and tells the U.S. Animal Identification Organization, the people who are setting up the private database, to continue it's work to build a consolidated database of all animals as envisioned. Sounds like they are trying to blow smoke up my ass if you ask me. Tell the foes of it what they want to hear and then continue on just as you are doing.

This whole NAIS issue needs to stay on the front burner where it can be seen by everybody and I am doing all I can to do this. NAIS does not mean food security. It means the death of small farmers and ranchers every where who can't afford the cost and abuse this system will bring to all of us, big and small. Remember, an ear tag, ID number, or premise ID, never stopped a disease. Proper health and nutrition by caring people, not factory farms, provide disease prevention.

Posted by Sarpy Sam in NAIS, USDA at 21:30 | Comment (1) | Trackbacks (0)

USDA abandons private database concept for NAIS

USDA, after hearing strong opposition from the industry, has abandoned its earlier decision to allow a single private entity to manage the livestock movement database in connection with the National Animal Identification System (NAIS).

But that wasn't the only major announcement from the agency concerning NAIS:

The agency's NAIS coordinator, Neil Hammerchmidt, told last week's meeting of R-CALF USA that there won't be a mandatory ID program by 2009, as previously announced.

And, he said, USDA attorneys are researching whether they have the legal authority to require producers to report livestock movement to a private entity.

This sure looks to me like a bunch of Government speak. I will attempt to decipher it.

"Since people don't like the idea of a private database we will just have the government keep the database and announce that there will be no mandatory program reporting to a private database. This will lull all the opposition to this program, like R-CALF, into thinking it won't be mandatory program down the line in 2009."

Yes, all they are saying is that they won't have a mandatory program that reports to a private database, not that there won't be a program. We need to keep up the pressure on this issue to stop the USDA from handing over production of all our food to the big corporations and factory farms who support the NAIS system. Remember, no ear tag ever stopped a disease.

Posted by Sarpy Sam in NAIS, United States Animal Identification Organization, USDA at 04:18 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (4294967293)

A private group has been formed to oversee the National Animal Identification System. The United States Animal Identification Organization held their first meeting via teleconference this week, where the board's first three members were elected.

One leader of the organization is NCBA member Rick Stott of Boise, Idaho. He says the group is a non-profit, independent organization with just one purpose: to provide an industry controlled entity to manage the National Animal Identification movement database.

With the way I see NCBA/meat packers manipulating the whole NAIS I don't feel at all good about this "Private group" being formed. I am sure it's packed with people who are towing the line to the meatpackers/NCBA/USDA line of bull we are being fed. Just another group to keep an eye on.

Posted by Sarpy Sam in United States Animal Identification Organization at 04:36 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)