Local food production spells freedom, it will bring us all closer together in that effort and make us healthier because “WE” will have it fresh (local)and know how it’s been produced and just what’s in it. Gosh we’ll get to know our neighbors again:-)

Another big plus is that it will provide us will “REAL” Homeland Security. Guns for defense are important, but food is equally important. I’ll so miss the grocery store….NOT

Dear Mr. Jeffries & Dr. Zanoni:

I am writing about two issues related to Bad Premontion.

1)What is your opinion about the role of state veterinarians regarding “Bad Premonition?” Do you think they will be the ones forcing farmers to register their premises and ID their animals for inter- state and intra-state movement? I ask because we currently have a bill pending (LD 400) to fund four more state vets for the Maine Dept of Ag. (Proposed by someone who is ANTI-NAIS/IDME)

2)In Maine, we have an issue with USDA controlling INTRA-state movement and forcing premises registration for intra-state movement of sheep and goats. Is this even legal?

In a nutshell, USDA is using 9 CFR 79.6 to require that the state of Maine regulate intra-state movement of sheep and goats and require official premises registration and animal ID. It looks like USDA has strong armed Maine into proposing a rule to meet the “Consistent States” requirements. It appears that this is one more way that USDA is compelling states to register animals for NAIS without saying so. (SEE BELOW FOR FULL TEXT OF PROPOSED RULE)

Does USDA really have the authority to regulate animal movements within states?

It is extremely scary to realize that the state will do whatever USDA tells it to, really. And that, just as predicted, they have found ways to force the state to force farmers to register their premises.

Any thoughts would be much appreciated. And keep up the good work.

Ruth Sullivan
Blue Hill, Maine
207-374-5919
ruthsullivan@downeast.net

Here is the text of the ME Dept of Ag proposed Rule:

01-001 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, FOOD AND RURAL RESOURCES

Chapter XXX: PROPOSED RULES FOR THE INTRASTATE MOVEMENT OF SHEEP AND GOATS

1. PURPOSE

The purpose of the Rules for the Intrastate Movement of Sheep and Goats is to ensure that Maine sheep and goats remain free of scrapie and to meet United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) requirements for Consistent State Status as specified in 9 CFR part 79.6. Consistent States are required to impose intrastate movement regulations requiring identification upon change of ownership for sheep and goats. The Maine Department of Agriculture and the Maine Scrapie Board propose this rule to meet these requirements. Adoption of this rule will also ensure the continued ability for sheep and goat owners to move their animals across state lines for any purpose.

Adoption of this proposed rule requiring identification of sheep and goats on change of ownership for intrastate movement does not in any way obligate Maine or Maine producers to participate in the National Animal Identification System.

2. DEFINITIONS

The following terms have the following meanings:

Animal. A sheep or goat.

Department: The Maine Department of Agriculture, Food & Rural Resources.

Direct Movement to Slaughter. Transported to a facility for slaughter, without stops or unloading except for feeding and watering during which the animals are not commingled with any other animals.

Official Identification. Identification mark or device approved by the USDA or Department for use in the Scrapie Eradication Program. An approved identification ear tag must be sufficiently tamper-resistant for the intended use and provide unique identification for each animal. Examples of official identification may include: scrapie identification tags issued by the USDA or by the Department; breed registration tattoos accompanied by breed registration certificates or other tattoos approved by the Department; or USDA-approved electronic identification devices.

Owner. A person, partnership, company, corporation or any other legal entity that has legal or rightful title to animals, whether or not they are subject to a mortgage.

Scrapie. Scrapie is a nonfebrile, transmissible, insidious degenerative disease affecting the central nervous system of sheep and goats.

Scrapie Eradication Program. The cooperative State-Federal program administered by the USDA APHIS and Consistent States to control and eradicate Scrapie.

Scrapie Flock Certification Program (SFCP). The cooperative Federal-State-industry voluntary program for the control of Scrapie.

Slaughter Channels. Animals in slaughter channels include any animal that is sold, transferred, or moved either directly to a slaughter facility, to an individual for custom slaughter, or for feeding for the express purpose of improving the animals’ condition for movement to slaughter. Any sexually intact animal that is commingled with breeding animals or that has been bred is not in slaughter channels. When selling animals for slaughter, owners should note on the bill of sale that the animals are sold only for slaughter.

United States Department of Agriculture: The United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service of the United States Department of Agriculture.

3. IDENTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

All sexually intact animals must be officially identified on change of ownership for movement within the State of Maine, except for those animals less than 18 months of age moving direct to slaughter or those animals less than 18 months of age moving in slaughter channels.

4. SLAUGHTER CHANNEL MOVEMENTS

No sheep or goat may be removed from slaughter channels unless it is identified to the flock of birth, and the animal is not exposed to scrapie or from an infected or source flock.

7. RECORDKEEPING

The owner must maintain records for a minimum of five years from the date of application. These records shall be made available upon request during normal business hours to any authorized employee of the USDA or the Department. The records shall include the following:

a. The official identification number applied;
b. The number of animals identified, by species;
c. The type of official identification; and
d. The date on which the official identification was applied.

In addition to maintaining records specified above, each individual who applies official identification shall provide the following, upon request.

a. The name, premises, mailing address, and if available, phone number of the individual for which the official identification was applied;
b. The name and address of the owner of the flock of birth, if the flock of birth is known, and
c. The name, premises, mailing address, and if available phone number of the individual or premises that purchased or otherwise received these animals.

Each individual or entity who receives, purchases, acquires, sells, or
disposes of any sheep or goats shall keep records of each transaction for a minimum of five years from the date of the transaction. Each record shall include the following:

a. The number of animals included in the transaction;
b. The date of the transaction;
c. The name, address, and if available, the phone number of the second party involved in the transaction;
d. The species and breed of the animals involved;
e. A copy of the brand inspection certificate or certificate of veterinary inspection for all animals that have official identification consisting of brands or ear notches; and
f. All business records, including sale tickets or invoices.

8. SCRAPIE FLOCK CERTIFICATION PROGRAM

Owners of sheep and goats may enroll in the Scrapie Flock Certification Program. Owners may contact the USDA in Sutton, MA at 508-865-1421.

9. VIOLATIONS
Whoever violates any provisions of this rule, commits a civil violation for which a forfeiture not to exceed $500 per day for each violation may be adjudged, except that the total of the forfeitures may not exceed $50,000.

Farmer’s Field Guide to the NAIS

The ONLY independent and authoritative guide to the NAIS, its history and ultimate purpose: to bring 2.1 million farms and nearly 1 billion acres of land under Federal regulatory control. In step-by-step fashion, the authors separate fact from fiction, governmental propaganda from what the law and the regulations actually say, and explain the every-day consequences attached to the NAIS.

I declare Freedom to Fascism mandatory (that means you must do it) homework for every activist. I’m going to make copies of it and give it out to as many as I can.

It is pretty clear that one reason the USDA wants Animal ID is to make their own job of tracking imported cattle easier. And there is going to be more and more imported cattle as our own farms are regulated out of existence.

The twisted truth is that currently the USDA can’t even track the shipments coming in now, using their proto-NAIS system. Missing records, falsified tags, unchecked trucking seal records, lost paperwork and employee incompetance are all regular events leading to cattle of unknown age and origin entering the US and going to slaughter.

In a single month an Average of 26,920 cattle cross the border from Canada into Washington State headed for slaughter. An additional 3000-5000 head to feedlots. Each Month. Add the figures from Mexico and you have to ask Where’s the Beef? Seemingly we should be blocked in by mountains of the stuff. These cattle make up the 40% of imported beef Americans consume everyday.

Meanwhile US raised beef is shipped off only to be rejected by foreign buyers because the USDA is too stupid to allow regular BSE testing, demand more from processors and inspect shipments for quality. How much is this costing the American Image and the farmers struggling to make a living raising animals for meat?

Our borders need to be heavily fortified and sealed off from this most insidious kind of immigration–sanctioned cargoes for profiteering by Robber Barons at the expense of Good Citizens Rights. No wonder our country is headed down the bowl.

The American Consumer needs to be educated about where their meats come from, how they are handled and what the alternatives are–hostage to Corporate Madness and Foreign interests and crappy, suspect meats; or Locally raised, minimally processed, fresh, properly aged, American Quality Meats which don’t need tracking or tracing because they come from their own community and the proud farmers who they help support.

Once Concerned Consumers learn of what NAIS is about and how little it will impact the safety of our own, US, food supply while securing only the sale of meat to foreign traders, then perhaps the hue & cry will go up and the Corporate Overlords will get the bitch-slap they so deserve. If not, and American Consumers don’t care–which is what I fear–then we are lost anyway. They will have given in and the true terrorists will have won.

Take a moment to see the 11 posts on this thread: USDA’s Snooping Machine

Especially post 6.