The real world was not kind to the USDA’s plans for a National Animal Identification System (NAIS). It is now January 2010 and NAIS is still pretty much dead in the water. According to the USDA’s timeline all three components of NAIS were supposed to be fully implemented by January of 2009. The reality is:
Premises ID has not been implemented.
Animal Tagging has not been implemented.
Animal Tracking has not been implemented.
Over 90% of farmers and consumers were vehemently against NAIS both in independent polls and at the USDA’s own listening sessions in 2009.
Congress has defunded NAIS.
Proponents of NAIS, who benefit by selling tags and market monopolies through Big Ag, continue to promote NAIS quietly looking for back doors through which they might slip the noose over the necks of free farmers and consumers.
Be vigilant. Keep supporting small-scale local agriculture because that is where food security lies.
A fitting epitaph and I hope it holds true but as a great patriot said we must never relax our fight. I suggest a new meaning to NAIS:
- N ot
- A ll
- I ts
- S upposedToBe
Sounds good to me!
Comment Joevel — January 3, 2010 @ 11:48 am
Good news so far but I am taking it with great caution as those who want NAIS have deep pockets and great influence on those who make the laws. Keep calling those elected offal and tell them your chicken, horse, cow, pig, pony, goat, llama, parakeet, etc tell you how to vote.
Comment Esbee — January 3, 2010 @ 12:03 pm
It is important to remember to be vigilant. Those who wish to control our lives do not give up easily. Bureaucrats are dependent upon ever expanding power to keep their jobs. Those who would profit by NAIS also will not quit, as their future relies upon the profits of the products and services dependent upon the implementation of NAIS. If we forget this, and say, “We’ve Won.”, we will surely lose in the long run.
Jack Turner
Comment Jack Turner — January 3, 2010 @ 1:18 pm
NAIS is so sneaky, we must remain on our toes. Money talks and the promoters of NAIS have lots of it!
Comment arlene aquino — January 3, 2010 @ 1:59 pm
They haven’t given up - they are already moving to cram it down our throats via other methods such as through the existing disease programs like brucellosis for cattle. The ARROGANCE of these people is just mind boggling!
Comment libertymtn — January 3, 2010 @ 2:33 pm
thanks for this consise update of where we are and were we came. it is important for us to realize that we did make a difference. we derailed the train. we stopped the charging trex. they are still dangerous but we the people did make a difference.
Comment anna — January 3, 2010 @ 3:43 pm
Amen that we’ve accomplished so much. I’m with the others though, that we need to keep our eyes wide open because the second we let down our guard, they will sneak something in the back door, as always. It’s unfortunate that so many of us have become so cynical, but the times demand it.
Jen
Comment Jen Varberg — January 3, 2010 @ 6:20 pm
Amid all of Congress’ moves to short-change the small business owner, this is a ray of hope.
That being said, I still believe the Food Safety Act is the back door to watch. Traceback Requirements section of that bill has certain assumptions necessary for the Act to work, first among them being “a mandatory NAIS.” Get enough attorneys on the subject, and passage of Food Safety could be construed to mandate NAIS. I hope not, but I worked on Wall Street long enough to see even more convoluted legal arguments successfully made.
Comment Carol Karsten — January 3, 2010 @ 8:01 pm
Those who take the news of NAIS cuts warily are wise…read the very last sentence of this from AVMA-
text
NAIS funding cut by two-thirds for 2010 fiscal year
The national animal traceability program will receive about a third as much money in the 2010 fiscal year as in the preceding year.
Unspent money from the previous fiscal year will be available for the program, but the Department of Agriculture had not determined the amount left over by press time.
Despite the funding cut, the U.S. House and Senate members who crafted the agriculture appropriations bill, which President Obama signed Oct. 21, indicated in a conference committee report they expect the USDA to show “demonstrable progress” in implementing the National Animal Identification System.
“If significant progress is not made, the conferees will consider eliminating funding for the program,” the report states.
The Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for FY2010 includes $5.3 million for the NAIS. Ed C. Curlett, a spokesman for the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, said the system received $14.5 million in 2009, about $10 million in 2008, and about $33 million yearly in 2007 and 2006.
Dr. W. Ron DeHaven, AVMA CEO, said he shares the frustrations expressed by several members of Congress over the lack of progress in implementing the NAIS after six years of work and well more than $100 million invested.
“We’ve seen numerous comprehensive plans and time lines for implementation from the USDA, yet none of these plans or time lines has garnered sufficient political or public support to move forward in any substantive way,” Dr. DeHaven said.
“Instead, under three different administrations, we have held three rounds of public listening sessions all across the country with no clear course forward emanating from this public discourse.”
Dr. Harry O. Snelson, communications director for the American Association of Swine Veterinarians, said USDA officials indicated to him they expect about $5 million will be available from the previous fiscal year. That money will help the USDA keep cooperative agreements with states and fund premises registrations and data storage, but he does not think there will be funding to substantially expand registrations.
Curlett said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and USDA staff were reviewing information gathered during a national listening tour on the NAIS that took place in spring and summer 2009, and that information will be used to determine the direction for animal disease traceability efforts.
In public meetings and online comments, some food animal producers expressed opposition to a mandatory NAIS on the basis of their perceptions that the system will place a disproportionate financial burden on small producers, provide no benefits, endanger or invade their privacy, or violate their religious beliefs.
The AVMA has advocated for a mandatory NAIS rather than the current voluntary system. Dr. DeHaven said the position is well-founded given the money and time wasted on a voluntary system and the risks posed by disease.
Dr. M. Gatz Riddell, executive vice president of the American Association of Bovine Practitioners, said it seems that substantial resistance to the NAIS among some producers is influencing their legislators’ opinions on the system. But he thinks the government will eventually implement the mandatory electronic identification system needed to trace animal origins and movements quickly enough to avoid disasters caused by the introduction of foreign animal diseases.
“Until it becomes mandatory, you really can’t expect the government to put much money behind it,” Dr. Riddell said.
–Greg Cima
Comment Esbee — January 3, 2010 @ 8:37 pm
NAIS is not dead - just a different approach it seems. From my inbox this morning:
“In his brief, Zwieg notes a sincerely held religious belief should not give groups the ability to ride roughshod over the law. He cites several cults, including Heaven’s Gate; the 39 members of that group committed suicide, believing aliens would take their souls away to another level. A sincerely held belief, Zwieg writes, was wrong.”
Comment Mrs. MIchael Sabo — January 4, 2010 @ 8:13 am
Using Zweig’s line of reasoning, I could make a case that any religion is a cult, so I guess we should just throw out the First Amendment when it is inconvenient for the bureaucrats.
Comment Barbara — January 4, 2010 @ 9:24 am
The fact is that govt is a religion!
The idea that some people have kooky belief systems being cited by this “Z” person and that a few act on them being cited to affirm his retarded views just gets me riled!
Blind religious faith;a willingness to follow a man or a message off a clift, is very apparent to anyone who watches the political game.
Politicians always point to kooky fringe people to justfy their objectives;never do they look in the mirror and see what blind disiples of some demagog they have become.Oh…I forgot its not a cult when “YOU “are the leader,silly me!
If you doubt it ask some of hitlers faithful followers, or some of marxs or slalins or lenins or pol-pot or ???,you fill in the blanks!
Our founders understood the difference between government and “The State” and understood that while some limited govt may be nessesary,the state never is and can never be trusted with the power that these “worshipers” in the States pews unthinkingly wish to give it…namely yours and mines liberty and property…usually they get more of both outta the deal!
I just had to respond to t5he idea that Z knows how to fix my life without my input and then takes cheapshots at other who my be right or wrong.but by gum a govt worshiper insnt any better than that wornout Jim Jones BS and JJ aint stealing and regulating my life!
“Live free or make the sucker stopping you pay”
Comment LEE — January 4, 2010 @ 8:51 pm
my friends,i asure you nais and all that goes with it is not dead.it is quite at this time,it is not time for us to be quite.the national cattle board at this time is promoting premises id.i would ask each nais fighter out there to support such a group as r-calf.you can do this by joining your self, and if already a member getting 5 new members.check out r-calf they are a worthy group.your friend, nick happy new year.
Comment nick — January 5, 2010 @ 6:33 am
NAIS isn’t implemented yet, despite the wishes of the bureaucrats, that’s a good thing. I credit your efforts, Walter for creating and maintaining this very useful website. It inspired me several years ago and still does.
A very sincere thank you Walter to you and yours.
I’m on record as “not gonna do it” even if they do implement it. It’s good to know others here feel the same. I know of many others that don’t post here that won’t be complying either. There is alot more “nonsupport” for NAIS than the overlords even know about.
Comment Bob Constantine — January 5, 2010 @ 8:39 am
For those who have not got to read Jay Platts response on NAIS to USDA, it is at naissucks.com It is titled:”NAIS and its many tentacles”… dated around July ‘09. He is an attorney and his family owns Platt Land and Cattle Co. He covers all bases…it is long, but just excellent…And, also of note, re: Dr Ron de Haven, I think he is CEO of the AVMA…I looked at his resume…he came from…..USDA/APHIS…with 20 years…there, and his last position was Head or top dog of it…no wonder he promotes NAIS…he said at the March Subcommittee hearing that he represented around 75,000 vets…I bet most vets do not really even know a lot about NAIS…educate your own vets..send them to FARFA, right sidebar…to “government documents”…so they can read them.The vets places of business get a non-producer NAIS PIN..so they get to be under Federal Control also…bet they do not even know that…(many of them)..The veterinarians in this country need waking up; they will be the ones to suffer loss of business…and people will give up on having animals, if NAIS is made mandetory.
Comment The Phantom — January 5, 2010 @ 3:58 pm
A couple years ago I was working on ways to stop NAIS when I was approached by a rep of a group called the National Veterns Committee on Constitutional Affairs (NVCCA)who were mounting a challenge to the REAL ID bill in congress at the time.
I was asked to work with them as their “farm” issues person. I got involved with them and went with them to the statehouse and other activities and was able to teach members as to what this NAIS is and why it deserves to be an issue to veterns! Let me tell you these men and ladies understand this issue,they “git it”!
They have helped me get the word out to many other groups,some whom I disagree with on everything,except the need to stop an out of control govt,and end all these chipping programs be they farms or people or animals!
My point is the majority of veterns in America are NOT supportive of this fascism,MOST still believe the oath they swore still stands and most get angry when lied about!
You can go to NVCCA.net to view some of the model drafts against REAL ID…for Real Money…against Social Security numbers….and my favorite “Anti-NAIS”
Thanks to all Vets and nonvets who served and who serve liberty everyday…with your help we will prevail!
“Live free or die tryin”
Comment LEE — January 5, 2010 @ 5:04 pm
and yes I know… the Phantom and I are talking about two different types of vets! We Need to educate both types.
Comment LEE — January 5, 2010 @ 5:09 pm
Ah, yes. The backdoor to NAIS and veterinary medicine. Check the “healthcare” bills. Both the House bill and the Baucus bill have sections which apply to veterinary medicine. I firmly believe these sections will be used as a backdoor for NAIS.
Comment Tee — January 7, 2010 @ 7:33 am
Tee:
What sections are you referring to in both health care bills? Page 1265 in HR 3962? Have you seen the final Senate version? Where did you find it? I have the other 2 versions (S 1679 and S 1796) but have never been able to get my hands on the version Reid merged, that was actually passed by the Senate.
Thanks!
Comment Karen — January 9, 2010 @ 10:06 pm
Karen, I’ll have to go back and find the pages and sections. I’ve read everyone of those eye busting monstrosities except for Reid’s, which I don’t think anyone has seen.
If you google the bill number, it should lead you to Thomas/Library of Congress.
Comment Tee — January 11, 2010 @ 8:22 am
Texas Health Commission nows has rule, effective January 1, 2010, that all non-virgin bulls moved from one pasture to another or to sale for any purpose other than slaughter, must be tested for trichomoniasis and receive a USDA number. If you know the beef industry, this will result in 90% or better of the bulls, especially in small operations, receiving USDA numbers.
It’s not been shown that trichomoniasis is a problem in Texas. For some reason, the gov’t has a greater interest in ‘herd health’ than do the people whose money is on the line.
They claim Nebraska, in an isolated incident, suffered from the venerial desease and imposed testing as an import restriction. So far 15 states have enacted this legislation. I have seen no information indicating that trichomoniasis is this serious of a problem. I see animal numbering as a huge problem with the infiltration of animal rights people into government. Sen. Cornyn opposed the nomination of Cass Sunstein as regulatory czar for good reason.
Comment james — January 11, 2010 @ 11:23 am
text
Knowing how these snakes work, NAIS will just be called something else and it will be put upon the locals to make NAIS a reality… just like the article above states the Texas Toll Road is NOT dead, it has been broken into small parts to be built in small sections then connected together into the one big nasty toll road owned by Spain…just watch these low-lifes do the same with NAIS.
The lady running for governor, Kay Bailey Hutchison, against Rick Perry is using this in one of her ads to get folks to vote for her but when I wrote her back when about NAIS i got one of those vague letters neither for nor against NAIS but supporting an animal track back system.
Comment Esbee — January 20, 2010 @ 4:48 pm
#21,james,new mexico has proposed about the same thing texas has.i think there could be a lot of trouble over this one.
Comment nick — January 20, 2010 @ 9:48 pm
How come there is always someone trying to get more money out of the little guy. If they would quite spending money like drunkin idiots we all would be better off. Becides how is my 6 horses and 1 cow, kitchen garden going to affect the diease ladden environment they grow our commercial food in anyway. Oh no taxes on my tomatoes because I am smart and frugal so what punish me. Damn the arogance of some people.
Comment Jim — January 30, 2010 @ 11:51 am
Nah, we would really be better off if they were drunken idiots.
It is greed and power by the mega money brokers that is causing our children to be enslaved. No conspiracy anymore, it is pretty open now.
Comment eileen — January 30, 2010 @ 5:57 pm