[Jacob-list] New USDA mandatory program

[ARTHUR PARTRIDGE]

Why You Should Oppose the USDA's Mandatory Property and Animal Surveillance
Program
http://animalid.aphis.usda.gov/nais/index.shtml

by Mary Zanoni, Ph.D. (Cornell), J.D. (Yale), Executive Director of Farm for
LifeTM
P.O. Box 501, Canton, New York 13617
Telephone: 315-265-2800 Email: <mailto:mlz at slic.com> mlz at slic.com
 
Poultry fanciers and keepers of small flocks are facing a grave threat from
a proposed government intrusion into their innocent choice of pastimes and
way of life.
For several years, the USDA has been working with the largest-scale animal
industry organizations (for example, the National Pork Producers, Monsanto
Company, and Cargill Meat) to develop a mandatory "National Animal
Identification System" ("NAIS").
However, most small scale livestock producers, people who raise animals for
their own food, and people who keep horses or livestock as companion animals
do not know about the USDA's plans.
The NAIS will drive small producers out of the market, will make people
abandon raising animals for their own food, will invade Americans' personal
privacy to a degree never before tolerated, will violate the religious
freedom of Americans whose beliefs make it impossible for them to comply,
and will erase the last vestiges of animal welfare from the production of
animal foods.
The Problem
On April 25, 2005, the USDA released "Draft Program Standards" ("St.") and a
"Draft Strategic Plan" ("Plan") concerning the NAIS. If you think the
description below sounds too bizarre to be true, please go to usda.gov/nais,
read the Standards and Plan, and check the citations.
By January 1, 2008, the NAIS will be mandatory. (Plan, pp. 2, 10, 17.)
Every person who owns even one horse, cow, pig, chicken, sheep, pigeon, or
virtually any livestock animal, will be forced to register their home,
including owner's name, address, and telephone number, and keyed to Global
Positioning System coordinates for satellite monitoring, in a giant federal
database under a 7-digit "premises ID number." (St., pp. 3-4, 10-12; Plan,
p. 5.)
Every animal will have to be assigned a 15-digit ID number, also to be kept
in a giant federal database. The form of ID will most likely be a tag or
microchip containing a Radio Frequency Identification Device, designed to be
read from a distance. (Plan, p. 10; St., pp. 6, 12, 20, 27-28.) The plan
may also include collecting the DNA of every animal and/or a retinal scan of
every animal. (Plan, p.13.)
The owner will be required to report: the birthdate of an animal, the
application of every animal's ID tag, every time an animal leaves or enters
the property, every time an animal loses a tag, every time a tag is
replaced, the slaughter or death of an animal, or if any animal is missing.
Such events must be reported within 24 hours. (St., pp. 12-13, 17-21.)
Third parties, such as veterinarians, will be required to report "sightings"
of animals. (St., p. 25.) In other words, if you call a vet to your
property to treat your horse, cow, or any other animal, and the vet finds
any animal without the mandatory 15-digit computer-readable ID, the vet may
be required to report you.
If you do not comply, the USDA will exercise "enforcement" against you.
(St., p. 7; Plan, p. 17.) The USDA has not yet specified the nature of
"enforcement," but presumably it will include imposing fines and/or seizing
your animals.
There are no exceptions -- under the USDA plan, you will be forced to
register and report even if you raise animals only for your own food or keep
horses for draft or for transportation.
The Negative Effects
Eradication of Small Farms - People with just a few meat animals or 40-cow
dairies are already living on the edge financially. The USDA plan will
force many of them to give up farming.
Loss of the True Security of Organic and Local Foods - The NAIS is touted by
the USDA and agricorporations as a way to make our food supply "secure"
against diseases or terrorism. However, most people instinctively
understand that real food security comes from raising food yourself or
buying from a local farmer you actually know. The USDA plan will only kill
off more local sources of production and further promote the giant
industrial methods which cause many food safety and disease problems.