Erik Eckholm has an article in the NY Times regarding the uproar that has resulted from the listening sessions regarding the USDA’s proposed mandatory National Animal Identification System (NAIS). In it the USDA blames the uproar on miss-information by you know who:
“Among all the different types of livestock, cattle have the most pressing need for improved records, said Mr. Hammerschmidt, who added that some opponents were misinformed. “It’s never been our intent to implant chickens, especially chicks,” he said. “People out there are saying that they have to microchip every chicken, and if that chicken crosses the road they’ll have to report that event to the government. That has really stirred the pot.””
Actually, it was the USDA’s own Dr. Weimers that said it:
“[A] nugget from Weimers: He told the activist from Wisconsin, “We will drive every road in the country and find every animal.””
See:
NoNAIS on Weimers
Jolley on Weimers
Once again the USDA is lying through it’s teeth when it disclaims stirring the pot on this issue by using such rhetoric. They used to be very gung-ho mandatory. Now they understand there is real resistance so they’re soft pedaling it. What they need to be doing is back pedaling and fast. NAIS should be a private, voluntary program paid for by those who benefit - the exporters. Even the USDA has said that NAIS is not about disease control in a FOIA response.
is there a place to leave comments on this article?
[Not that I know of but you can write a letter to letters@nytimes.com at the New York Times opinion section. Identify the article and include your name, address and phone number so they can confirm if they choose to publish it. -WJ]
Comment esbee — June 28, 2009 @ 6:02 am
Maybe there would be less “misinformation” if Hamerschmidt and Weimers would give a straight answer to a straight question, and what they said was the same thing that is written in the USDA documents. Personally, I choose to believe what I see in writing.
Comment Barbara — June 28, 2009 @ 7:51 am
teapartypatriots.org/ is the national website where you can go; go to the rightside, and they have where you can pull up your state to see where the teaparties will be for the 4th of July…and contact info to the organizer(s)…they are getting bigger and better and a great place to have flyers on Nais to educate fellow freedom loving Americans…probably better than the newspapers…..because you can give the whole story of Nais and websites to access for accurate info….a shame Hammerschmidt and Weimers don’t read NoNais huh?
Comment The Phantom — June 28, 2009 @ 12:40 pm
Disease prevention my hindquarters. I notice USDA isn’t exactly jumping through hoops to lend a lot of help on the TB outbreak in the midwest. They’re having to be prodded to get involved. To my way of thinking their action, or lack thereof, belies their words.
Comment Tee — June 29, 2009 @ 5:08 pm