You boys are having waaaay too much fun in Fantasyland!
Time to get back to reality.
Did the Stevensons' bother to ask anyone at NCBA, maybe even the chairman of that committee, Allen Bright, what plans NCBA has? Obviously not! For some of you, it seems to be so much more fun and better suits the "party line" to fantasize about the "evil intent" of NCBA in this matter.
Allen Bright stated on KBHB radio, Sturgis, SD only last Saturday that NCBA does NOT intend to run, manage, own, or receive any money for/from the NAIS program.
Clearly, he indicated that rancher members of NCBA believe that the ID system should be "run" by a CONSORTIUM of people involved in ALL agricultural animals covered by NAIS. It is very likely and even probable that there would not be any member of NCBA on that board, and certainly no one species represented could control it, given the large number of beef cattle and other species organizations across this nation. The goal is a NON-PROFIT consortium in charge. Several purposes could be served: lowest possible cost for the best possible system; fairness and participation for owners of all species covered; privacy more likely outside government; and there are other such systems.
BTW, why is it fine for brand inspection operations to be profitable for some cattle organizations, as they are, but it wouldn't be tolerable IF this system were run by NCBA at a profit? Just curious, since there seem to be some aspects of a double standard here. I reiterate: NCBA does not intend to "run" this system and that is not what they are working toward.
NCBA in no way wants to "take away more of our states rights", OT! Our members simply want all animal owners involved to have a voice in the process, and to get it on track as soon as possible. Maybe you need to shine up that crystal ball a bit, it surely isn't serving you well when you are apparently using it to try to predict the future.....or your mind reading skills are very rusty. Whichever the case you have missed the mark by more than a mile here!
The Stevensons' obviously are quite the conspiracy buffs. How one gets from reviewing Tammany Hall to seeing evil in talented, bright young career people moving from employment at NCBA into USDA (and I know of no more than POSSIBLY four over a period of several years, so wonder how MANY Stevensons' know of) is beyond imagination!
Their premise that "cattle producers would have no choice but to associate with the NCBA by using the mandatory ID program" is ludicrous! It would be equally true to say "cattle producers would have no choice but to associate with horse, pig, bison, and ALL animal organizations included in the NAIS". The proposal is NOT for a system run by NCBA.
Calling the proposed system "incipient fascism" seems about as far out as if they were saying Louis Farakan (sp?) had his space aliens' ship pick them up and take them into space to teach them how the NCBA is planning to take over the total US animal inspection system! And you all seem to be buying right into it. Amazing!
MRJ