National Animal Identification System is a Bad Idea
I am resolved to the fact that government legislation will
continue to erode away at our freedoms. Government likes to
paint itself as the lamb, but usually is the wolf. It's the
rules of necessity to protect us from certain harm. Take for
instance the latest hot topic in farming, NAIS, National Animal
Identification System.
The NAIS is a government created animal identification and
tracking system created under the auspices of protecting the
food chain from such things as mad cow disease. Their plan is to
require every horse, cow, pig, goat, sheep, llama, chicken, and
pigeon to be micro chipped, every owner to be registered, and
track every movement of these animals. It is already being
implemented, and will be mandatory by 2008. The claim is that
they will be able to trace back the location of any contaminated
animal within 48 hours to stop the outbreaks of potential
diseases.
Look again at the list of animals currently listed as part of
this legislation; remember this is designed to protect the "food
chain." Did you notice anything odd as I did? When was the last
time you had one of those horse burgers? Horses are not raised
for human consumption in the United States; in fact, it is
actually against the law in many states. How about those llama
steaks? Llamas and alpacas are raised for their wool, not for
meat. Seems odd to me that legislation designed to protect the
food chain, would require participation from non food animals.
I prefer not to have my personal information available for
others to misuse. I am often asked for my social security number
and will not place it on many documents, and refuse to give it
in many situations. As an animal raiser you will be required to
register your premises, including much of your personal
information. The USDA website states that because of the Freedom
of Information Act this information will not be kept private.
Any extremist animal rights group will have access to your
personal information, as will many others with a potential to
misuse your information, so much for privacy.
In considering the food chain, the easiest way to achieve 48
hour trace ability, is to have local farmers sell directly to
consumers. Any one that purchases from me, can tell authorities
within 30 seconds where they purchased their animal. In fact if
there are any issues with my animals it will affect my small
herd and no one else's. The necessity to include the local
farmer or homesteader in this legislation is ridiculous. There
is even some debate about how this applies to those that raise
food for their own consumption. Many experts believe that they
too will be required to register.
The costs associated with this program will have a huge impact
on everyone. You may not be a farmer, you may not raise cattle,
but you will be affected by this legislation. Again in reviewing
the USDA website, they make it clear that the cost of this
program will be passed on to the animal owner. The farmer will
have to pay for their own compliance. They will have to pay for
the microchips; they will have to pay for meeting all the
paperwork requirements. More than likely this will force local
farmers and small homesteaders out of the production of their
animals. As it is they make little or no money. Don't expect
large scale producers to absorb that cost out of the goodness of
their heart. They will pass that expense on to every consumer.
The price of meats, eggs and milk will certainly see large
increases to meet the costs associated with this program.
Under the regulations of the NAIS, every animal movement must be
reported to the US Government. Every time an animal is born,
every time an animal dies, every time you take an animal to a
show, every time you decide to eat one of your own cattle, etc.
must be reported. Since horses are included in this legislation,
every time you take your horse out for a ride, you must let
Uncle Sam know. In fact those running animal shows such as horse
shows will also be required to report the animals shown to the
USDA.
Cattle farmers already have in place a way of identifying their
animals. Many other animal raisers have their form of
identification already in place. The USDA will tell you that on
their website. So why is it necessary for them to create a
government managed system? It must be because the government
feels and can do a much better job than those actually in the
industry. Of course we've seen how great the government is at
managing our resources like social security.
So will the ability of the USDA to track these animals really
reduce the risks of food illness and contamination? Historically
most meat recalls happen not because some local farmer had
issues at his farm, but because a large scale meat packing
facility contaminated the meat. Often contamination occurs
because of improper handling of fecal matter. However, those
meat packing facilities are unlikely to assume responsibility.
Only one cow has entered the United States with mad cow disease.
That animal was quickly destroyed. However panic was set off
about the disease by reports like this UPI report declaring that
hundreds of cases probably existed in the US
http://www.upi.com/inc/view.php?StoryID=20040630-042354-9787r of
which many would go undetected. In fact only one US resident has
contracted mad cow, and she was in England when she contracted
the human form of the disease. I don't know how much better the
US government thinks it can do than what our cattle raisers have
already done. This legislation does nothing but increase costs,
and centralize and increase the size of our already over
inflated government. It removes more of our freedoms, and brings
us closer to complete government control of our food supply.
Many rabbit owners, buffalo breeders and elk herders will
rejoice that their animals are not on the list. Don't sit still
for too long. The NAIS is looking to expand its authority and
certainly some of these animals will be included in future
legislation.
So what can you do? First, contact your local government
representatives.
http://www.stopanimalid.org/action/contactgov.php. The Stop
Animal ID web site also has form letters for writing to elected
officials. http://www.stopanimalid.org/action/forms.php Write to
your area newspapers regarding the issue
http://newslink.org/statenews.html the Yahoo Group Americans
Against NAIS has several form letters available for sending to
newspaper editors.
http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/Americans_Against_NAIS/
Sign petitions such as the following:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/369063795?ltl=113700558
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USDA & US CONGRESS
http://new.petitiononline.com/nousaip/petition.html US CONGRESS
http://new.petitiononline.com/nopaws/petition.html U.S. CONGRESS
http://www.petitiononline.com/usanimal/petition.html ALABAMA
http://www.petitiononline.com/albsl/petition.html CALIFORNIA
http://www.petitiononline.com/nosb861/petition.html GEORGIA
http://www.petitiononline.com/gabsl/petition.html INDIANA
http://www.petitiononline.com/inbsl/petition.html MARYLAND
http://www.petitiononline.com/marybsl/petition.html MISSOURI
http://www.petitiononline.com/mobsl/petition.html OHIO
http://www.petitiononline.com/ohiobsl/petition.html OREGON
http://www.petitiononline.com/orbsl/petition.html OKLAHOMA
http://www.petitiononline.com/nookbsl/petition.html TEXAS
http://www.petitiononline.com/txbills/petition.html S. CAROLINA
http://www.petitiononline.com/scbsl/petition.html WASHINGTON
http://www.petitiononline.com/wabsl/petition.htm
Most of all, take some course of action and then stay informed.
Don't be complacent about these types of matters. Your own
apathy will result in lost freedoms for yourself, your family,
and our country. Join the Yahoo Group Americans Against Animal
ID, and watch the web site http://www.stopanimalid.org for the
latest information.