> The USDA sponsored program would require every premises which houses even
a single chicken, duck, turkey, cow, pig, goat, horse, or any other animal
considered to be livestock, to be registered in a government database, and
assigned a seven-digit number and GPS coordinates - by 2007. The premises
owner would be required to pay a fee for the privilege.
>
> The next phase would require every animal to be tagged with a radio
frequency identification device (RFID) by 2008, also paid for by the owner.
Finally, by 2009, the movement of any animal from the registered premises
would have to be reported within 24 hours. The program would be enforced
with fines for non-compliance, which could reach $1000 per day.
>
> "The program is designed to track the source of a sick animal,"
says
Meritt Lamb, a Tennessee magazine editor who also helped form the coalition.
"But it will do nothing to prevent diseased animals from entering the
food
supply chain, nor will it address the problem of identifying imported meat
products that enter the food supply chain." Lamb is typical of thousands
of
small land owners who keep a few chickens, an occasional steer or pig or
goat for their own use, who will be severely impacted by the USDA program.
>
> "This program will devastate county fairs, and 4H and Future Farmers
of
America projects, through which children learn how to care for, and show,
their animals," says Randy Givens, a retired army colonel and coalition
founder who resides in Texas. "It will kill the rodeo circuit. These
programs have been successful for generations; the NAIS will wipe them out
because it is simply not worth the effort, or cost, to register, tag, and
report every animal that moves to a show or a county fair, or to a
rodeo."
>
> Judith McGeary, an environmental law attorney in Texas, and founder of
the
Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance (http://www.farmandranchfreedom.org/), says
"We believe the Liberty Ark Coalition will bring together thousands of
small
organizations and individuals who, together, will have enough influence to
convince legislators to stop this program, at least long enough to interject
a little sanity. But it will take everyone, working together."
>
> The Liberty Ark Coalition website is http://libertyark.net.
>
>
"/>
Posted 2006-04-20 9:32 PM (#40761) Subject: National Animal ID requirements
Location: KY
> Below is a press release announcing a new national coalition to fight
NAIS. It is the Liberty Ark Coalition http://libertyark.net.
>
>
> Please visit the website and sign up to support the effort, either as an
organization, or as an individual. Then forward this press release to your
lists, and try to get it published in your local press. Thanks.
>
>
>
> Press Release - April 20, 2006
>
> Contact: Karin Bergener, 330-298-0065 - mailto:Bergener@config.com
>
> Liberty Ark Coalition Forms to Fight Animal ID
>
> FREEDOM, OHIO - A broad-based coalition has been formed to oppose the
National Animal Identification System (NAIS) as it is presently proposed.
"We're calling the project The Liberty Ark Coalition," says Karin
Bergener,
an Ohio attorney who helped form the coalition. "We hope the Liberty Ark
will save our animals, and our farms from unnecessary government
intrusion."
>
> The USDA sponsored program would require every premises which houses even
a single chicken, duck, turkey, cow, pig, goat, horse, or any other animal
considered to be livestock, to be registered in a government database, and
assigned a seven-digit number and GPS coordinates - by 2007. The premises
owner would be required to pay a fee for the privilege.
>
> The next phase would require every animal to be tagged with a radio
frequency identification device (RFID) by 2008, also paid for by the owner.
Finally, by 2009, the movement of any animal from the registered premises
would have to be reported within 24 hours. The program would be enforced
with fines for non-compliance, which could reach $1000 per day.
>
> "The program is designed to track the source of a sick animal,"
says
Meritt Lamb, a Tennessee magazine editor who also helped form the coalition.
"But it will do nothing to prevent diseased animals from entering the
food
supply chain, nor will it address the problem of identifying imported meat
products that enter the food supply chain." Lamb is typical of thousands
of
small land owners who keep a few chickens, an occasional steer or pig or
goat for their own use, who will be severely impacted by the USDA program.
>
> "This program will devastate county fairs, and 4H and Future Farmers
of
America projects, through which children learn how to care for, and show,
their animals," says Randy Givens, a retired army colonel and coalition
founder who resides in Texas. "It will kill the rodeo circuit. These
programs have been successful for generations; the NAIS will wipe them out
because it is simply not worth the effort, or cost, to register, tag, and
report every animal that moves to a show or a county fair, or to a
rodeo."
>
> Judith McGeary, an environmental law attorney in Texas, and founder of
the
Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance (http://www.farmandranchfreedom.org/), says
"We believe the Liberty Ark Coalition will bring together thousands of
small
organizations and individuals who, together, will have enough influence to
convince legislators to stop this program, at least long enough to interject
a little sanity. But it will take everyone, working together."
>
> The Liberty Ark Coalition website is http://libertyark.net.
>
>
Posted 2006-04-23 11:50 PM (#40853 - in reply to #40761) Subject: RE: National Animal ID requirements
Member
Posts: 26 Location: Outside Louisville, KY
I disagree that the financial burden will be worth mentioning on show animals, but I am very much agaianst NAIS for other reasons, mostly dealing with gov't intrusion where it's not needed.
Posted 2006-04-24 7:08 AM (#40863 - in reply to #40761) Subject: RE: National Animal ID requirements
Veteran
Posts: 225 Location: Kansas City
Ok, up front I am against government intrusion. However, I do benefit from some government programs. As "animal" people we must be aware of the perceptions that non animal people have. We must also be aware that in the event of some disease outbreak, mad cow - bird flu, etc. that all of the non-animal people and news media will over react. The financial implications to the ag community of city people who no longer eat beef or chicken are huge. In these times, there have to be means to track potential health issues to single sources. Consider, without animal specific tracking - a disease outbreak might result in the government sending in troops to kill all animals in a 5 square mile area. We have done this with crop diseases and officials in Europe have done this will animals. Would you not rather that the ability to identify specific animals and where they have been rather that have your animals condemed by public pressure. 50% of the US populaton lives in the eastern time zone. Some large percent of that 50% do not live in agricultural areas. They have no idea of rasing animals - thus groups like PETA have large financial backings from people who don't know any better. I adoped a dog last week and they implanted a microchip in her. It was a shot. No big deal. You are tracked everywhere you go by your cell phone, credit card swipes, ATM machines, etc. Just watch CSI. So in my opinion, if putting an electronic ID in my horse can prove he wasn't in an area that is contaminated by a disease outbreak, etc. I believe it is a small price.
Posted 2006-04-24 5:16 PM (#40886 - in reply to #40761) Subject: RE: National Animal ID requirements
Veteran
Posts: 116 Location: desert hills, az
I would have to call them every time I take my horse off the property? That would be 4-6 times a week, who has time for that? I miss one call and get fined? This is crazy, it must be stopped. Everyone I know is just not signing up "voluntarily". let them come find me and my horse! kinda starts to sign like gun registration...
Posted 2006-04-24 9:09 PM (#40893 - in reply to #40761) Subject: RE: National Animal ID requirements
Member
Posts: 26 Location: Outside Louisville, KY
I called the KY state vets office who said that we will not have to tell them when we ride off our properties or somethinig like that, but we will be required to notify them whenever we got to places where other horses are or when we travel out of the county.
Posted 2006-04-25 1:37 PM (#40913 - in reply to #40761) Subject: RE: National Animal ID requirements
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 335 Location: Decatur, Texas
Another way for the govenment to control our lives. They can track your every move. Wish we could go back to the simple life. It's getting rediculous.
Me too, like the days when no EPA regulations, discrimination laws, monopoly regulations, etc. so the BIG corporations could damn well do what they pleased and dump dirty water, acids and all in any stream or river, didn't have to hire you just because you were fat, too old, smoked, wrong religion or skin tone and could get together and fix prices or decide among themselves to run old so and so out of business because he just wasn't a member of the good old boys club.
Posted 2006-04-25 3:53 PM (#40918 - in reply to #40761) Subject: RE: National Animal ID requirements
Veteran
Posts: 225 Location: Kansas City
Pardon my tongue in cheek review. Everyone likes to complain about the government - including me. However, wouldn't I like the government to throttle Exon-Mobil and lower gas prices. There is a ground swell from the public asking the government to force Wal-Mart to provide health care, higher wages, etc. to it's workers. I like to ride on public trails in public parks that are provided by a government that causes other tax payers to pay for my trails. Wake up folks - government is so big because we continually ask for more and more. When some animal infection happens to your horses, and it could, everyone will run to the government for help because unless it makes $$ to a private firm they won't help.
It was USDA scientists who identified West Nile before anyone ever heard of it. It was public $$ that researched the disease and provided the private sector a jump start on producing a vaccine. Want to complain about health certificates? It is a USDA lab that does your coggins test. Maybe they are worthless, but let the disease spread and we will all be crying for the government to do something.
As for the national ID system. USDA is seeking input. They've held hearings in Kansas City. The equine identification working group (I found on USDA website) can be found at
There is a list of equine identification working group members. It seems to encompass someone from most equine disiciplines.
In reality you only have to watch the nightly news to be persuaded that our government is not really against us. Our government is made up of citizens like you and me who fight crime, educate your kids, fix streets, keep the airways safe, provide a secure and regualted financial market, provide a currency that doesn't have to be carried around in bushel baskets because it is devalued weekely, etc. It is our way of life and governmental system that causes the poor and oppressed of the world to seek our borders. A few vocal nuts who make the news say down with America but millions would trade everything to live here.
Yea, let's return to the good old days where you could ride your unidentified horse into town (without your 4H LQ that is nicer than what 90% of the world live in and one ton gas guzzeling truck that cost more to fill up that the percapita income of many nations), buy untaxed liquor, visit a brothel, get in a fight, have a gun fight, see a "doctor" who hung a shingle, and get buried anywhere you could find a tree on a hill.
As for me, I am proud of my way of life, my government, and the men and women who work here and fight abroad to let me sleep easy at night not worrying about who might be out to get me. Big brother seldom disturbs my sleep.
National Animal ID requirements
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