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Mike
Well-known member
Note* This is the new USDA administration of "Hope & Change", not the old Bush USDA. :lol:
8/3/2009 2:27:00 PM
R-CALF: USDA Partners with Private Company to Help Sell Ear Tags
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has partnered with Allflex, a private multinational firm that manufactures and sells ear tags in more than seven countries, to help Allflex market, promote and sell ear tags to U.S. cattle producers. Both USDA and Allflex contributed $10,000 or more to become "Platinum Level" sponsors of the private industry conference ID∙INFO EXPO 2009 to be held August 25-27 at the Westin Crown Center in Kansas City, Mo. Among the stated purposes of the conference is to further participation in USDA's National Animal Identification System (NAIS), a program that would significantly increase the market demand for ear tags.
"This is a perfect example of how USDA is inappropriately using taxpayer dollars to further the interests of private multinational companies," said R-CALF USA President/Region VI Director Max Thornsberry, a Missouri veterinarian who also chairs the group's animal health committee. "This huge contribution clearly shows that USDA is catering to the interests of multinational corporations to the exclusion of the hard-working men and women who are being besieged both by ear tag companies and USDA to force them to comply with NAIS."
In each of the 14 NAIS listening sessions held throughout the U.S. during May through June, overwhelming opposition was raised by U.S. farmers and ranchers against the USDA's NAIS program.
"Despite this overwhelming opposition, and despite repeated pleas from U.S. farmers and ranchers that USDA cease catering to the interests of multinational corporations and begin listening to the concerns of U.S. citizens, the agency obviously is forging ahead to help its corporate friends," Thornsberry said.
"Allflex is among a select list of USDA-authorized ear tag manufacturers, so its help from USDA to boost demand for ear tags under NAIS is certain to boost the company's marketing opportunities," he added. "We are appalled by USDA's brazen financial partnership with Allflex and urge Congress to immediately cut all further funding to USDA for the purpose of promoting NAIS."
Mike
Well-known member
NAIS funds have been cut but the new Food Safety Bill passed by the House will make us all inclusive:
B. TRACEABILITY
The FSEA charges the HHS Secretary with establishing a tracing system for food:
Such regulations shall require each person who produces, manufactures, processes, packs, transports, or holds such food–
to maintain the full pedigree of the origin and previous distribution history of the food;
to link that history with the subsequent distribution history of the food;
to establish and maintain a system for tracing the food that is interoperable with the systems established and maintained by other such persons; and
to use a unique identifier for each facility for such person for such purpose. [section 107(c)(2)(A)(i)–pp. 43-44]
The tracing system must enable the Secretary to "identify each person who grows, produces, manufactures, processes, packs, transports, holds, or sells such food in as short a timeframe as practicable but no longer than 2 business days." In issuing related regulations, the Secretary may include:
"(A) the establishment and maintenance of lot numbers;
"(B) a standardized format for pedigree information; and
"(C) the use of a common nomenclature for food." [section 107(c)(3)–p. 45]
"Pedigree" is not used in reference to food anywhere in the United States Code (USC) or the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) nor is it referenced as such in any dictionary. FDA is being given power to invent a new meaning for this word. How far will the traceback extend to determine the full pedigree? Will it go back to the harvested crop (or even seed) from which the food is produced? How will traceback be done on multi-ingredient foods? Will part of determining the full pedigree require tracing the inputs used in food? How large a database will be needed to store this information? What will the cost of it be? How many people will FDA have to hire in order to enforce traceability?
There is an exemption from the traceability requirements for direct-marketed food, "if such food is–
"(i) produced on a farm; and
"(ii) sold by the owner, operator, or agent in charge of such farm directly to a consumer or to a restaurant or grocery store." [section 107(c)(4)(A)–p. 46].
For example, vegetables grown on a farm and sold at a farmers market would be exempt. But if that same farmer brought peaches from a neighbor's farm to sell at the market, the peaches would not be exempt.
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Anonymous
Guest
R-CALF United Stockgrowers of America
"Fighting for the U.S. Cattle Producer"
For Immediate Release & nbsp; Contact: Shae Dodson, Communications Coordinator
August 4, 2009 Phone: 406-252-2516; e-mail: [email protected]
77 Groups Laud Senate Subcommittee for Unanimous Vote
on Tester/Enzi Amendment to Slash NAIS Funding
Washington, D.C. – R-CALF USA is pleased that the U.S. Senate, through a unanimous consent vote, supported an amendment sponsored by Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., and Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., that slashes funding for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) National Animal Identification System (NAIS) by one-half in the 2010 Agriculture Appropriations bill.
"…perhaps most important, USDA has pursued NAIS without working in cooperation with the very industry sector that would be directly impacted by the agency's radical new proposal. Instead, USDA has proceeded to implement NAIS despite overwhelming opposition from the men and women who comprise our U.S. livestock industry, and particularly from those involved in the largest segment of our livestock industry – the U.S. cattle industry," wrote R-CALF USA President/Region VI Director Max Thornsberry in a letter sent to Tester before the vote.
"As evidenced by USDA's numerous listening sessions held throughout the U.S., this overwhelming opposition arises from those individuals who have the greatest stake in ensuring that our livestock herds remain protected from the introduction and spread of disease – the individuals whose very livelihoods and businesses are dependent on preventing, controlling and eradicating diseases," the letter continued. "This, above all else, should demonstrate to Congress that USDA's NAIS program is wholly inappropriate and unsuitable for the United States livestock industry."
Thornsberry pointed out that USDA already has spent about $140 million of taxpayer money on NAIS, claiming the program would allow animal disease traceback within 48 hours, but such an arbitrary timeframe would not appear to prevent the spread of diseases with long incubation periods, such as bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) or bovine tuberculosis. Nor would NAIS appear to prevent the spread of diseases that incubate very quickly, such as foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), which would necessitate more immediate containment actions to prevent disease spread beyond an infected animal.
Additionally, R-CALF USA signed on with a letter to the entire Senate from a coalition of 76 other organizations that oppose NAIS.
"Contrary to its stated purposes, NAIS will not address animal disease or food safety problems. Instead, NAIS imposes high costs and paperwork burdens on family farmers…In this letter, we will touch on just a few of the reasons that NAIS is fundamentally flawed:
1) No analysis or quantification of the alleged benefits. USDA has made unsupported assertions that our country needs 48-hour traceback of all animal movements for disease control. Yet USDA has failed to provide any scientific basis, including risk analysis or scientific review of existing programs, to support this claim. USDA has also asserted that NAIS would provide 48-hour traceback, but has failed to address the many technological and practical barriers. Existing disease control programs, combined with measures such as brand registries and normal private record-keeping, provide cost-effective traceback. A new and costly program such as NAIS is unnecessary and potentially counterproductive.
2) High costs. The costs of complying with NAIS will be unreasonably burdensome for small farmers and many other animal owners. The costs of NAIS go far beyond the tag itself, and include: premises registration database creation and updates; tags and related equipment, such as readers, computers, and software; 24-hour reporting requirements, imposing extensive paperwork burdens; labor for every stage of the program; stress on the animals; qualitative costs, from loss of religious freedoms, privacy, and trust in government; and enforcement.
3) No food safety benefits. NAIS will not prevent food borne illnesses from e. coli or salmonella, because the contamination occurs at the slaughterhouse, while NAIS tracking ends at the time of slaughter. Thus, NAIS will neither prevent the contamination nor increase the government's ability to track contaminated meat back to its source. In addition, NAIS will hurt efforts to develop safer, decentralized local food systems.
4) Unfair burdens placed on family farms and sustainable livestock operations. In addition to the costs, NAIS would impose significant reporting and paperwork burdens on small farms. In addition, sustainable livestock operations, which manage animals on pasture, would face higher rates of tag losses than confinement operations due to animals getting their tags caught on brush or fences. NAIS essentially creates incentives for CAFOs, with the accompanying social and environmental concerns.
"NAIS epitomizes what government should not do: it should not impose costly and highly intrusive regulatory burdens on private industry and private citizens without first considering alternatives, without first establishing a critical public need, and without first determining the effect that a significant government mandate would have on the culture and economy of the U.S. livestock industry," said Thornsberry. "We view the Tester/Enzi amendment as an essential step towards requiring USDA to begin cooperating with U.S. livestock producers to prevent the introduction and spread of animal diseases and pests in livestock without violating the rights and privileges of the individual owners an d caretakers of those livestock."
# # #
R-CALF USA (Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund, United Stockgrowers of America) is a national, non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring the continued profitability and viability of the U.S. cattle industry. R-CALF USA represents thousands of U.S. cattle producers on trade and marketing issues. Members are located across 47 states and are primarily cow/calf operators, cattle backgrounders, and/or feedlot owners. R-CALF USA directors and committee chairs are extremely active unpaid volunteers. R-CALF USA has dozens of affiliate organizations and various main-street businesses are associate members. For more information, visit www.r-calfusa.com or, call 406-252-2516.
Mike
Well-known member
What if the Senate does an end-run around NAIS, by stopping funding, and the Food Safety Bill passes the Senate which mandates ID, yet the gov't funds are gone?
Won't you be the fool? :lol: :lol: :lol:
Won't you be the fool? :lol: :lol: :lol:
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Anonymous
Guest
Mike said:What if the Senate does an end-run around NAIS, by stopping funding, and the Food Safety Bill passes the Senate which mandates ID, yet the gov't funds are gone?
Won't you be the fool? :lol: :lol: :lol:
They've been tracking cattle/beef out of this country for countries like Japan and others in the BEV program- with brands, and signed affidavits for years.....
NAIS- as written- wouldn't even be used for traceback for beef- as the tags come off with the head and hide....Remember- as proposed- it was just for tracking livestock diseases...
No food safety benefits. NAIS will not prevent food borne illnesses from e. coli or salmonella, because the contamination occurs at the slaughterhouse, while NAIS tracking ends at the time of slaughter. Thus, NAIS will neither prevent the contamination nor increase the government's ability to track contaminated meat back to its source. In addition, NAIS will hurt efforts to develop safer, decentralized local food systems.
Mike
Well-known member
If the Food Safety Bill is passed by the Senate as it did the House, there will be traceback info, INCLUDING PEDIGREE, all the way back to the owner. This cannot be done with a brand. No way, no how.
One of the resaons for tracing animal diseases is to eliminate the human dangers associated. Thus, Food Safety.
With this Admin., you may get what you didn't ask for........WITHOUT the funding for implementation.
One of the resaons for tracing animal diseases is to eliminate the human dangers associated. Thus, Food Safety.
With this Admin., you may get what you didn't ask for........WITHOUT the funding for implementation.
PORKER
Well-known member
Senate cuts proposed NAIS funding to $7.3 million
(8/4/2009)
Sally Schuff
The Senate's proposal to provide $14.6 million in funding for the National Animal Identification System (NAIS) was cut in half Monday; Sens. Jon Tester (D., Mont) and Mike Enzi (R. Wyo.) asked for the cut in an amendment offered during floor debate on the $23.6 billion agricultural spending bill for fiscal 2010.
The amendment also limited use of the funding to USDA rulemaking on the beleaguered program, which failed to gain any industry support during a series of listening sessions held by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.
The funding issue now goes to a conference with the House bill, which zeroed out NAIS funding at the request of House agricultural appropriations subcommittee chairwoman, Rep. Rosa DeLauro. DeLauro said during debate on the House bill that Congress had spent $140 million on the program and "gotten next to nothing."
R-CALF and the Western Organization of Resource Councils, groups representing grassroots livestock producers were quick to praise the Senate action, although WORC said it would have preferred to see the Senate follow the House and zero out funding.
(8/4/2009)
Sally Schuff
The Senate's proposal to provide $14.6 million in funding for the National Animal Identification System (NAIS) was cut in half Monday; Sens. Jon Tester (D., Mont) and Mike Enzi (R. Wyo.) asked for the cut in an amendment offered during floor debate on the $23.6 billion agricultural spending bill for fiscal 2010.
The amendment also limited use of the funding to USDA rulemaking on the beleaguered program, which failed to gain any industry support during a series of listening sessions held by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.
The funding issue now goes to a conference with the House bill, which zeroed out NAIS funding at the request of House agricultural appropriations subcommittee chairwoman, Rep. Rosa DeLauro. DeLauro said during debate on the House bill that Congress had spent $140 million on the program and "gotten next to nothing."
R-CALF and the Western Organization of Resource Councils, groups representing grassroots livestock producers were quick to praise the Senate action, although WORC said it would have preferred to see the Senate follow the House and zero out funding.
Mike said:If the Food Safety Bill is passed by the Senate as it did the House, there will be traceback info, INCLUDING PEDIGREE, all the way back to the owner. This cannot be done with a brand. No way, no how.
One of the resaons for tracing animal diseases is to eliminate the human dangers associated. Thus, Food Safety.
With this Admin., you may get what you didn't ask for........WITHOUT the funding for implementation.
What diseases are you talking about here, Mike?
If it is bse from Canada and due to feeding cattle to cattle, let the people who made the money on cattle to cattle feeding pay for the program and keep the taxpayers out of it. If it is due to importing from a foreign country, let that country pay for the cost that their disease import created.
If it comes from packers causing these problems, don't tax the public for these issues, tax the packers.
We should stop their free lunch of passing problems down stream and not being responsible.
Tex
A
Anonymous
Guest
8/6/2009 8:14:00 AM
Jolley: In Washington, Aren't All Things Politics, Even NAIS?
Even if the gentle folk at the USDA can't see the handwriting on the wall, the more politically astute in the House and Senate are quite capable of reading the bright red neon signage. First, Rosa DeLauro, chair of the House Ag appropriations sub committee, cut NAIS funding back to a chilly absolute zero.
The Senate originally proposed a paltry $14.6 million – nothing more than a rounding error in the big bucks often tossed around inside the beltway - but Senators Jon Tester (D- MT) and Mike Enzi (R-WY) joined hands across the aisle and offered an amendment that slashed that number by half. If passed, NAIS funding would become an almost insignificant piece of the $23.6 billion agricultural spending bill proposed for fiscal 2010.
Their amendment also limited use of those meager millions, slapping some serious handcuffs on Ag Secretary Vilsack's failed effort to gain any industry support during his early summer cross-country listening sessions. Their reasoning? Congress had spent $140 million on the program and "gotten next to nothing."
R-CALF and the Western Organization of Resource Councils, groups representing the rabidly anti-NAIS grassroots livestock producers, stood as one and applauded the Senate action. A standing 'O.' Hurrah's from the hinterland. WORC would have broken out the proverbial six pack for a party with their R-CALF friends just down the street in Billings, MT. They'll keep the Bud on ice until the Senate agrees with DeLauro and zeroes out all funding, though, before dancing on the patio down at Tiny's Tavern,
WORC's Dan Teigan thanked Senators Tester and Enzi, for "taking the lead against this expensive, intrusive, and unworkable program. The conference committee should zero out all funding for the animal identification program. You don't just want to slow down a runaway train. You want to stop it."
R-CALF USA President Mad Max Thornsberry issued a surprisingly calm statement. "NAIS epitomizes what government should not do: it should not impose costly and highly intrusive regulatory burdens on private industry and private citizens without first considering alternatives, without first establishing a critical public need, and without first determining the effect that a significant government mandate would have on the culture and economy of the U.S. livestock industry."
Teigan need not worry about that runaway train. The House and Senate just tore up the tracks. Doc Thornsberry can rest assured he's helped defend the culture and economy of the U.S. Livestock industry. The actions of the House and Senate are a survival technique learned by most politicians; when attending a listening session, just shut up and listen. Those are voters doing the talking.
Is it different tracking BSE from Canada than BSE found within your own borders?Tex said:Mike said:If the Food Safety Bill is passed by the Senate as it did the House, there will be traceback info, INCLUDING PEDIGREE, all the way back to the owner. This cannot be done with a brand. No way, no how.
One of the resaons for tracing animal diseases is to eliminate the human dangers associated. Thus, Food Safety.
With this Admin., you may get what you didn't ask for........WITHOUT the funding for implementation.
What diseases are you talking about here, Mike?
If it is bse from Canada and due to feeding cattle to cattle, let the people who made the money on cattle to cattle feeding pay for the program and keep the taxpayers out of it. If it is due to importing from a foreign country, let that country pay for the cost that their disease import created.
If it comes from packers causing these problems, don't tax the public for these issues, tax the packers.
We should stop their free lunch of passing problems down stream and not being responsible.
Tex
don
Well-known member
there is no bse in the american herd. that's just an accepted fact.
don said:there is no bse in the american herd. that's just an accepted fact.
please see this video at the bottom of the page ;
http://creutzfeldt-jakob-disease.blogspot.com/2009/07/usa-hiding-mad-cow-disease-victims-as.html
U.S. Delays National ID System for Cattle and Other Animals to 2009
Canadian Press, May 05, 2005
WASHINGTON (CP) - The U.S. government isn't aiming to have a national identification system for cows and other animals in place until 2009, Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns said Thursday. The system, sparked by the country's lone case of mad cow disease nearly 18 months ago, would become mandatory that year, allowing authorities to quickly track and isolate animal health threats.
"I'm a little surprised they delayed it that far," said Steve Dittmer, executive vice-president of the Agribusiness Freedom Foundation.
"They're delayed it by two or three years from what most people thought it would be. It's a recognition of the fact that the technology isn't as good as it needs to be."
Johanns said the issue is too important to get wrong.
"We're looking at such a huge initiative," said Amy Spillman, spokesman for the U.S. Agriculture Department.
"We want to get industry input. We want to have as much people involved as possible."
Canada has had an ID system for cows since before its first mad cow case was discovered in May 2003.
Authorities north of the border began requiring ear tags with identifying bar codes the year before on any animal leaving its herd of origin. By September 2006, those tags will be updated to radio-frequency devices.
The system allowed Canadian officials to quickly trace and isolate potential threats from each of its three cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy.
"Obviously, we would like to have everyone on the same level," Megan Gauley of the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency, said of plans in the U.S.
"But our main mandate is focusing on the Canadian herd."
The U.S. banned imports of Canadian cattle two years ago. Trade was supposed to resume in March but has been blocked by a legal challenge from a ranchers' group based in Montana.
Arguments on the long-term future of the border are scheduled to be heard July 27. Meanwhile, the USDA is appealing a temporary injunction barring trade until then but no date has been set.
Industry observers said it won't occur before May 26, the deadline for all briefs to be submitted to the court.
U.S. officials have consulted Canada on its identification system but may not decide to go the same route.
Regardless, Canada's system will be applicable in the U.S. if and when the cattle trade resumes, said Spillman.
The U.S. ID plan will also cover pigs, chickens and other livestock, amounting to billions of animals.
Cattle ranchers estimate it will cost about $550 million US over five years and some want a lower-technology, lower-cost solution, like hot-iron branding.
The system would require states to register ranches, feed lots, livestock barns, packing plants and other facilities by July 2008. Mandatory reporting of livestock movement would begin the next year.
© The Canadian Press, 2005
http://www.mycattle.com/news/dsp_regulatory_article.cfm?storyid=17149
> Johanns said the issue is too important to get wrong.
or just don't get it done at all, ever. now 2009, and we are back to square one it seems. ...
TSS
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Anonymous
Guest
Wyoming Withdraws From NAIS
Wyoming Livestock Board voted August 21st to abandon working with the USDA and return 140K to the feds.
http://www.wylr.net/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1
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Anonymous
Guest
September 30, 2009 Phone: 406-672-8969; [email protected]
93 Groups to Ag Approps Conference Committee:
Eliminate NAIS Funding Altogether
Washington, D.C. – R-CALF USA and 92 other organizations recently joined together to ask members of the Agriculture Appropriations Conference Committee to eliminate completely any and all funding for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) National Animal Identification System (NAIS) by adopting the House version of the 2010 Agriculture Appropriations Bill, which zeroes out any money for NAIS.
"NAIS is a far-reaching 3-step program that calls for every person who owns even one livestock or poultry animal to register their property, tag each animal when it leaves the property it was born on, and report a long list of movements to a database within 24 hours, and these provisions apply whether or not that animal is used for commercial purposes, which will impact millions of animal owners," said R-CALF USA Animal ID Committee Chair Kenny Fox.
Just a few of the reasons listed in the joint letter as to why NAIS is fundamentally flawed include:
1) No analysis or quantification of the alleged benefits. USDA has made unsupported assertions that our country needs 48-hour traceback of all animal movements for disease control. Yet USDA has failed to provide any scientific basis, including risk analysis or scientific review of existing programs, to support this claim. USDA has also asserted that NAIS would provide 48-hour traceback, but has failed to address the many technological and practical barriers. Existing disease control programs, combined with measures such as brand registries and normal private record-keeping, provide cost-effective traceback. A new and costly program such as NAIS is unnecessary and potentially counterproductive.
2) High costs. The costs of complying with NAIS will be unreasonably burdensome for small farmers and many other animal owners. The costs of NAIS go far beyond the tag itself, and include: premises registration database creation and updates; tags and related equipment, such as readers, computers, and software; 24-hour reporting requirements, imposing extensive paperwork burdens; labor for every stage of the program; stress on the animals; qualitative costs, from loss of religious freedoms, privacy, and trust in government; and enforcement.
3) No food safety benefits. NAIS will not prevent food borne illnesses from E. coli or salmonella, because the contamination occurs at the slaughterhouse, while NAIS tracking ends at the time of slaughter. Thus, NAIS will neither prevent the contamination nor increase the government's ability to track contaminated meat back to its source. In addition, NAIS will hurt efforts to develop safer, decentralized local food systems.
4) Unfair burdens placed on family farms and sustainable livestock operations. NAIS would also impose significant reporting and paperwork burdens on small farms. In addition, sustainable livestock operations that manage animals on pasture would face higher rates of tag losses than confinement operations, due to animals getting their tags caught on brush or fences. NAIS essentially creates incentives for CAFOs, with the accompanying social and environmental concerns.
The groups requesting the elimination of NAIS funding include: Acres USA; Adopt a Farm Family; Alabama Sustainable Agriculture Network; American Goat Society; American Grassfed Association; American Indian Horse Registry; American Policy Center; Arkansas Animal Producers Assn.; California Farmers Union; Carolina Farm Stewardship Assn.; Carriage Operators of North America; Cattlemen's Texas Longhorn Registry; Citizens for Private Property Rights (Mo.); Colorado Independent Cattlegrowers Assn.; Constitutional Alliance; The Cornucopia Institute; Dakota Resource Council; Dakota Rural Action; Davis Mountain Trans Pecos Heritage Assn. (Texas); Edible Austin; Edible San Marcos (Texas); Empire State Family Farm Alliance (N.Y.); Equus Survival Trust; Fair Food Matters (Mich.); Family Farm Defenders; Farm Aid; Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance; Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund; Food and Water Watch; Food for Maine's Future; Freedom 21;
Also: Grassroots International; Gun Owners of America; Independent Cattlemen of Iowa; Independent Cattlemen of Nebraska; Independent Cattlemen of Wyoming; Innovative Farmers of Ohio; International Texas Longhorn Assn.; Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement; Jackson County Local Action Coalition (Ore.); LaCrosse/ Monroe County Farmers Union (Wis.); Local Harvest;
Also: the Maine Alternative Agriculture Assn.; Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Assn.; Marshall County Citizens for Property Rights (Ala.); Massachusetts Smallholders Alliance; Michigan Farmers Union; Michigan Land Trustees; Michigan Organic Food and Farm Alliance; Mississippi Livestock Markets Assn.; Missouri Rural Crisis Center; Missourians for Local Control; Montana Cattlemen's Assn.; Montana Farmers Union; National Assn. of Farm Animal Welfare; National Family Farm Coalition; Nebraska Sustainable Agriculture Society; North Carolina Contract Poultry Growers Assn.; Northeast Organic Farming Assn.-Conn.; Northeast Organic Farming Assn.-Mass.; Northeast Organic Farming Assn.-N.H.; Northeast Organic Farming Assn.-N.Y.; Northeast Organic Farming Assn.-Vt.; Northeast Organic Farming Assn. Interstate Council; Northern Illinois Draft Horse and Mule Assn.; Northern New Mexico Stockman's Assn.; Northern Plains Resource Council (Mont.);
Also: the Organic Consumers Assn.; Organization for Competitive Markets; Ozarks Property Rights Congress; Paragon Foundation; Paso Fino Horse Assn.; Powder River Basin Resource Council (Wyo.); Progressive Agriculture Organization (PA); Property Rights Congress; R-CALF USA; Regional Farm and Food Project (N.Y.); Rocky Mountain Farmers Union; Secure Arkansas; Small Farmer's Journal; Small Farms Conservancy; South Dakota Stockgrowers Assn.; Sovereignty International; Stop Real ID Coalition; Sustainable Food Center (Texas);
Also: the Texas Eagle Forum; Texas Landowners Council; Tuscaloosa Property Rights Alliance (Ala.); U.S. Boer Goat Assn.; Virginia Land Rights Coalition; Western Organization of Resource Councils; Weston A. Price Foundation; and, the Wintergarden Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (Texas).
PORKER
Well-known member
House and Senate negotiators Wednesday also approved the final version of the fiscal 2010 Agriculture bill, which provided a $23.3 billion in discretionary spending, $2.7 billion more than the 2009 bill.
The bill also covers $97.3 billion in mandatory spending compared with $87.8 billion in fiscal 2009. Most of the mandatory money goes for the supplemental nutrition assistance program and farm subsidies.
House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee Chairwoman Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., said the first opportunity to bring the bill to the House floor would be next week.
The House bill had zeroed out funding for the national animal identification program, but the conference report contains $5.3 million for it, along with language directing USDA to improve it, DeLauro said.
The bill includes a compromise between the House and the Senate to allow USDA to proceed with a rule that will allow the importation of processed chicken meat from China and $350 million in aid to dairy farmers.
The bill also covers $97.3 billion in mandatory spending compared with $87.8 billion in fiscal 2009. Most of the mandatory money goes for the supplemental nutrition assistance program and farm subsidies.
House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee Chairwoman Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., said the first opportunity to bring the bill to the House floor would be next week.
The House bill had zeroed out funding for the national animal identification program, but the conference report contains $5.3 million for it, along with language directing USDA to improve it, DeLauro said.
The bill includes a compromise between the House and the Senate to allow USDA to proceed with a rule that will allow the importation of processed chicken meat from China and $350 million in aid to dairy farmers.
Look in the bill, since it comes up in PDF format you can search the word traceability. NAIS is not DEAD like they want you to believe.
FARM to FORK=NAIS, CRADLE to GRAVE=Real ID.
The last document that the USDA wrote on NAIS is called A Business Plan to Advance Animal Disease TRACEABILITY. Traceability is everything, food, livestock.
FARM to FORK=NAIS, CRADLE to GRAVE=Real ID.
The last document that the USDA wrote on NAIS is called A Business Plan to Advance Animal Disease TRACEABILITY. Traceability is everything, food, livestock.
A
Anonymous
Guest
October 14, 2009
Op-Ed by R-CALF USA Animal ID Committee Chair Kenny Fox**
It Appears NAIS Enforcement Gets Underway in Wisconsin
Billings, Mont. – It appears that in the state of Wisconsin, which has mandated the first prong of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) National Animal Identification System (NAIS) through agency rule making, prosecution of individuals opposed to NAIS has begun.
On Sept. 23, 2009, an Amish gentleman named Emanuel J. Miller, Jr., was taken to Clark County Court in Neillsville, Wis., for an evidentiary hearing on complex civil forfeiture for failing to register his premises. The case immediately moved to the first stage of trial. Miller and his father, as well as their church deacon, testified as to their objections to being forced to use the NAIS premises identification number (PIN). As USDA has proudly proclaimed in many glossy brochures, premises registration is the "first step" in the NAIS, and the Wisconsin Amish have become quite aware of this.
On Oct. 21, 2009, in Polk County, Wis., R-CALF USA Members Pat and Melissa Monchilovich are going to trial for the same charges of complex civil forfeiture. Pat and his wife raise cattle in Cumberland, Wis., and have failed to register their property as a premises with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture and Consumer Protection, as Wisconsin's Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) requires by regulation.
This is the tip of the NAIS iceberg. One could look upon Wisconsin as the sentinel case in the enforcement measures necessary to bring this nation's citizens into compliance with NAIS.
Although the statute that enables Wisconsin's DATCP to require premises registration does indeed allow for exemptions, when DATCP wrote the regulations, it decided to disallow any exemptions. This is a major issue, particularly with the Amish community (and others) who hold religious objections to the NAIS.
At the Miller hearing, the Amish said that although they cannot state with absolute certainty that the NAIS' premises identification number is the precursor to the "Mark of the Beast," they do know it is the first step of NAIS that leads to the individual numbering and tracking of animals. The Amish said they believe caution is in order to avoid discovering later that they had violated their beliefs and then have no recourse to remedy that error. Their religious objections to obtaining an NAIS PIN are real and personal.
Despite a desire on the part of proponents of NAIS to negate religious objections to NAIS, the fact that it is a global program is indisputable, as enforcement measures and final details are left up to member nations of the World Trade Organization (WTO). In Australia*, rancher Stephen Blair was fined a total of $17,300 for using the wrong tags on 177 of his cattle. Notably, the components of Australia's National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) are the same as those in NAIS.
In March 2007*, another case in which the identification of cattle was in violation of the identification mandate to facilitate global trade happened the United Kingdom (UK). Dairy farmer David Dobbin had an unspecified number of cattle whose tags didn't match their "passports." The European Union (EU) regulations allowed the UK's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), to confiscate both his cattle and his passports and to require that he positively identify the herd within 48 hours or face the loss of his cattle. It is a complete impossibility to positively identify animals with neither the animals nor their paperwork, but that was DEFRA's requirement. The case was put off for one month and then appealed on the basis that DEFRA could n ot afford to keep feeding Dobbin's cattle, so the animals were destroyed. Mr. Dobbin lost 567 cattle and was paid no indemnity at all.
At issue in the Wisconsin cases is that we are witnessing the first enforcement actions in the implementation of NAIS. The fines in the charges brought against Miller and the Monchilovichs are between $200 and $5,000. Premises identification is just the first step of NAIS, second is the identification of one's animals, and third is the tracking of each and every movement of one's animals. The final component is enforcement, which is now coming to bear in Wisconsin.
More than 90 percent of those who attended USDA's recent "listening" sessions on NAIS said "No NAIS. Not Now, Not Ever!" If we mean that, then we must stand in support of these Wisconsin people being charged with NAIS violations.
* Background: 1) Miller trial, http://ppjg.wordpress.com/2009/09/27/the-lost-people-part-ii/; 2) Stephen Blair, Australia, http://nqr.farmonline.com.au/news/nationalrural/livestock/cattle/cattle-producer-ordered-to-pay-17300-for-nlis-tag-breach/798558.aspx%20); and, 3) Dobbin/UK, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1545862/Christopher-Bookers-notebook.html.
