Here is a letter from Don Young -Alaska I received.

Dear Mrs. Swift ,

Thank you for contacting me to express your views on H.R. 3170, the National Animal Identification System (NAIS). I appreciate you taking the time to contact me regarding this very important issue.

As part of its ongoing efforts to safeguard animal health, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) initiated the implementation of NAIS in 2004. NAIS is a cooperative state-federal-industry partnership to standardize and expand animal identification programs and practices to all livestock species and poultry. Its three main initiatives are premises identification, animal identification, and animal tracking. The long-term goal of NAIS is to provide animal health officials with the capability to identify all livestock and premises that have had direct contact with a disease of concern within 48 hours after discovery.

I sympathize with your reservations about injecting microchips in horses. Their sensitivity and existing vet costs incurred by mandatory health certificates when participating in shows or shipping them appears to be a cumbersome legislative addition. However, the initiative would provide a useful system of tracking that would address less responsible horse owners than yourself . H.R. 3170 was referred to the House Committee on Agriculture on June 30, 2005 and an Executive Comment was requested from the USDA on July 14, 2005.

Once again, thank you for expressing your views on this issue and if this bill comes to the House I will keep your thoughts in mind. If you have any further questions or comments about this or any other matter, please let me know. Your thoughts and views are always welcome.

Sincerely,

DON YOUNG
Congressman for All Alaska

They are getting the Letters they just do not care what we have to say.

Relax. The idiots in our government are doing as much to screw themselves as they are to us. If the WTO talks fail then there is really no need to ram through the NAIS. The funding and incentive are all of the sudden missing. The USDA’s position has just become a whole lot weaker.

This doesn’t mean we should let up the pressure, or that we can breath easier, but it does go to show how useless and self-important, inbred legislation defeates itself on the world ball field.

So take a day off from NAIS, read about RFID, learn what you can do to stop Global Warming, find some shade, read up on the Amero, or the new RFID drivers licenses we’re all going to get–even our non-driving kids–and gear up for fighting the NAIS at your local county Fair next month. Nothing say’s we’re not going to take it like an angry mob shouting at elected officials and their flunkies.

of Big “Factory-Farm”
Agri-Biz. Iowa’s Congressmen who each are “millionaires” in their own right, from most likely Agri-Biz..

and they think “nothing” of receiving your important letters that are going to change the world overnight. They are heavily reimbursed by Lobbyist’s of Agri-Biz.

Let’s see you impact that “Brick Wall” mister, if you are so “on target.”

Dean Ayers
Glenwood, Iowa 51534-6218
DeanAFOSI@aol.com
IOWANS AGAINST NAIS
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Iowans_Against_NAIS/

I will not apologize. The emphasis for the anti-NAIS movement should be on “how to stop” the program, not “how to circumvent” the program once it has been implemented. (If that day ever comes).

Yes…this is most clearly and most certainly Walter’s web site. I have often complimented Walter for his technical expertise and his hard work in making it available.

The urgent need for people to contact their federal reps is upon us NOW because the 2007 Farm Bill is being written NOW!

As for all the people who claim to have written to their federal reps repeatedly; I will offer again the words that were told to me personally by Congressman Tim Holden of PA (member House Ag Committee). The Congressman stated, “I have polled many other members of the committee (House Ag) and they have told me that they have had very little correspondence re: public opposition to the NAIS”. This included telephone calls.

This blog boasts having over 100,000 unique visitors. If even 10 per cent of those visitors would write to their federal reps (or make phone calls), that would be 10,000 opinions that should have been expressed. Sorry folks, the numbers simply aren’t there.

Let’s put it to the test…let’s see if even 5,000 people will write or call their US congressman congresswoman or Senator(s) this week about the NAIS. I’ll settle for 1,000. It doesn’t matter if you’ve called or written to them in the past…call AGAIN. Write AGAIN. Make yourself a pain in the butt like I have done with my reps!

This is truly an amazing forum that Walter has single handedly created. All I’m suggesting is that the forum is not being directed toward its full potential as the “most powerful tool in the toolbox” re: the opposition to the NAIS.

And yes, this is going to be a long battle. It will not be won or lost overnight or in five minutes. However, the 2007 Farm Bill will be completed at some point and then it will be written into law. If we could achieve a minor victory by having electronic animal id excluded from that bill because of public pressure put upon the major players, then we should not waste the chance to ask for help.

ps…I’ll “take” or “not take” my meds as I please. They are my meds and they are my business. (insert smiley face here). :)

We can’t fight NAIS 100% of the time–it’s too all encompassing. It’s also so awful for us farmers/livestock/pet owners to think about that we need other, scarier stuff to jolt us out of our USDA induced Stupor.

As I see it, RFID, Zappers, NAIS, the Amero, Gated Communities are all part of the same thing. Control. The more we realize this, the more we can do about it. NAIS is just the tip of the iceberg.

Now I am sure there is more we can do to fight NAIS. I am sure there is more I personally could do. I have written, phoned, and faxed Senators, Reps, and spoken to people I know in power who know these people. I have written radio, and TV news people who aren’t afraid to speak out–to no avail. Perhaps it is time to do all of these things again. But really, how many letters, phone calls, faxes can come from the same person before they tune you out?

I have podcast about this issue–for which I lost listeners and was told I was getting too political. I am sure we are all getting the message out there to as many people as possible in whatever way we can.

Neil W is right about the need to reemphisize contacting those in power and showing that the majority of people in this country do, should and will oppose the NAIS. (Hell, I even boycott products from the companies in the NIAA). In the past Neil has shown great passion and wisdom in his exhanges with this forum. I expect his passion over-ruled his wisdom in this instance. We should not forget tagging is tagging and opposing tagging in whatever way are the end goals of this movement. By including this article on the Zapper, Walter has no doubt broadened the discussion and pulled people to this site who never would have thought to visit. BRAVO! May they go away with some food for thought.

Sorry!