There was a time when the cattle industry, specifically the exporters, were pushing hard for the USDA’s proposed mandatory National Animal Identification System (NAIS). R-Calf was an exception with their strong opposition to NAIS. Then other cattle groups have gradually fallen away from supporting NAIS. Now, as shown in the recent Beef Magazine Poll 80% are against NAIS. Now Minnesota cattlemen are calling for an end to the boondoggle that is NAIS:
Minnesota cattlemen want NAIS scrapped, government intrusion ended
Matt Bewley,Agweek
Published: 06/29/2009
FERGUS FALLS, Minn. — Minnesota cattle producers are bristling at the idea of the U.S. Department or Agriculture imposing the National Animal Identification System on the livestock industry and of further government intrusion in their business.
“The biggest solution in agriculture is to get the government out of it,” says cattle producer Jerry Enderline of Fergus Falls, Minn. “Out of the grain business, out of the livestock business — completely out.”
Enderline is a strong supporter of free trade and says he hasn’t been able to make a profit feeding cattle for 10 months. He says he resents government intrusion into his industry and the fact that he does not have the final word on some issues regarding is own operations.
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USDA has been sponsoring listening sessions on the subject of NAIS to gain input from the public. But R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard says these sessions are designed to hear suggestions for improving the identification system, rather than outright objections to implementation of the system.
“If USDA is allowed to frame the debate to that of focusing only on how to fix NAIS, then our ability to stop NAIS in its tracks is weakened,” he says.
Bullard goes on to say that once NAIS is “scrapped completely,” then U.S. livestock producers will be prepared to work with USDA to develop an overall strategy for prevention, control and eradication of livestock disease and to develop separate strategies to improve the safety of meat.
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Elfering sums up his feelings this way: “The government’s just always looking for another way to make a buck.”
-AgWeek
It is good to see how independent farmers are coming to an unanimous conclusion: Scrap NAIS. Less government would still be too much.
