January 30, 2006

Texans face $1,000 Fines

Alert - State — walterj 1:52 am

NoNAIS.org Tagged ChickWith House Bill 1361 Texas legislators are determined to keep track of every single little baby chick in Texas. Each cutie must be tagged with a 15 digit number to identify it. All locations containing livestock animals must register as farms. $10 annual premise ID and premise registration fee will be required for all homes where any animal ever exists, even if just visiting. Anyone found not reporting a baby chick hatching, movement or death will face a fine of $1,000 per day for non-compliance. Similar fines for all other forms of livestock were also enacted.

With all this paperwork, fees and fines forget about 4-H. Forget about Future Farmers of America. NoNAIS.org Tagged ChickForget about that baby chick hatching school project. Homesteaders, you better eat your chickens now and don’t bother counting them. No more eggs. No more summer pigs. Slaughter that fatted calf. From now on plan on purchasing your food only at government approved distribution centers with sufficiently powerful lobbyists and friends in high places. Sorry small farmers - no more farmer’s market or farm stands in the future. The paperwork will destroy small farmers. So dies the Buy Local movement.

This monstrosity was originally brought to you by your friends at the USDA under the guise of NAIS - the National Animal Identification System. The Texas Animal Health Commission, which developed the rules in Texas, NoNAIS.org Tagged Chickcan be reached with comments on this absurdity by email until 5pm February 6th, 2006. The question is, are they really listening. Be sure that after that short “public comment” period they’re going to cover their collective eyes and ears as the food supply consolidates into the hands of the big producers. Do you think that will make the national food supply safer?

Perhaps our pseudo-elected Govi-Corp doesn’t have enough to do, so they sit around thinking up things like this. Remember: Idle hands do the devil’s work…

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January 29, 2006

Mark of the Beast II on MP3

Uncategorized — walterj 7:40 pm

MetroFarm Food Chain Radio’s broadcast Mark on the Beast II” with Dr. Mary Zanoni and small farmers from across the nation is now available for download in MP3 file format. You can transfer it to your iPod or other listening device or hear it on your computer. A big thanks to Michael Olsen for making this available to those of us, like myself, who missed the original radio broadcast on Saturday.

Pastured Pigs & Piglets
Healthy, happy All Naturally Grown piglets to raise yourself or we'll do it for you delivered to the butcher.
SugarMtnFarm.com

 

Personal Pencil Portraits
Exquisite hand drawing from your photo. Visit my online gallery to see examples.
HollyGraphicArt.com


January 28, 2006

Ag Dept Imports China Chickens

News — walterj 1:53 pm

While the USDA foists the National Animal Identification System (NAIS) on American consumers, farmers and livestock* the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is proposing importing chickens from China. Yes, that’s right. Is that crazy enough? They want to tag and track all animals in the USA to prevent disease’ and then import poultry from China where Avian Bird Flu (H5N1) has been killing millions of birds as well as some people. Wait a minute?!? Wasn’t one of the justifications for NAIS to stop the spread of Avian Bird Flu???

Not only that, but the USDA wants to ship poultry to China, have it slaughtered and canned and then shipped back to the USA for consumption! What!?!

Does this make sense? Wait… sense… cents… Ah, think dollars! Now I understand! They’re outsourcing more jobs so big corporations can use cheap Chinese labor to keep the prices down and make up for the increased costs of raising chickens under NAIS! Well that makes cents!!! I’m glad we’ve got that cleared up! As always, follow the money trail…

Of course, only big producers will be able to take advantage of this deal so all you small farmers are out of luck twice over. You get the increased cost of NAIS. Plus, you’re faced with lower market prices for your product since the big producers will undercut you with cheap, Chinese, slave labor. Sounds like the USDA is going to screw small producers coming and going. Move along folks, nothing new here.

*Is there a difference I ask or does the Govi-Corp consider all of us livestock to be managed for their maximum profit?

Pastured Pigs & Piglets
Healthy, happy All Naturally Grown piglets to raise yourself or we'll do it for you delivered to the butcher.
SugarMtnFarm.com

 

Personal Pencil Portraits
Exquisite hand drawing from your photo. Visit my online gallery to see examples.
HollyGraphicArt.com


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