From Doreen:
by Doreen Hannes
On Thursday, January 13th, 2010 there was a Senate Government Accountability and Fiscal Oversight Committee hearing at the Capitol on the usage of National Animal Identification System “840″ tags by the veterinarians at sale barns across Missouri.
The hearing was to allay the confusion amongst sale barns and determine whether or not the Department of Agriculture was following the voluntary parameters set for NAIS in Missouri by the usage of these “840″ tags.
The NAIS (National Animal Identification System) is a 3 part program. The first prong is Premises registration with a seven character number permanently assigned to a particular location housing or holding animals. The second prong is the use of these “840″ tags which necessitate a premise id number to be used. The third component is the reporting of movements from the ascribed premises and various other things such as vaccinations and tag replacements and “sightings”.
Near the beginning of December it came to light that many sale barn markets in the state of Missouri were using the 840 tags on cows going through chutes who had no official identification. It was reported that as of January 1st, 2010, all cows, with or without official identification, would receive the 840 tags when they went through chutes for health tests or pregnancy checks Different markets reported different criteria for this NAIS “840″ identification of cows. Some producers reported they were told they “had to” use the 840 tags in order to sell cattle at some sale barns.
In 2008, the Missouri General Assembly passed SB931, prohibiting the Department of Agriculture from mandating or otherwise forcing participation in NAIS, and allowing for the immediate removal from the program of anyone who was assigned a premises id unless they were part of a disease control program or an ongoing disease investigation.
This hearing was to clear up confusion on the law as it applies to both the state of Missouri and the veterinarians licensed by the state. Chairman, Senator Chuck Purgason, stated, “We want to clear up confusion, and to make sure veterinarians are not violating people’s rights regarding this program.”
Missouri State Veterinarian, Dr. Taylor Woods and Secretary of Agriculture, Dr. Jon Hagler, did not appear at the beginning of the hearing. A representative from the Department of Ag and a veterinarian with the State Vet’s office, Dr. Linda Hickle, appeared, but knew little of policy and stated that the Secretary and State Vet were not aware that they were to be present at this hearing.
Three other individuals testified at the hearing and during the last testimony, the State veterinarian and Secretary of Agriculture came into the hearing room.
They testified that they had no official written policy on the usage of the “840″ tags and had communicated with the market veterinarians by face to face contact regarding the allocation of the 100,000 “840″ tags the Department has received from the USDA. They stated they had no particular agreement as to the distribution and application of the NAIS tags, but that the application of the tags was to be at the discretion of the market veterinarian.
The Department was instructed by the Committee to write and distribute to all market veterinarians instructions on the usage of these “840″ tags and to inform the market veterinarians that the application of “840″ tags was to be done solely at the request of the producer in compliance with the law of the State of Missouri.
No instructions or inquiries were made into how any redress is to be achieved by those who may already have been put into the NAIS program without their knowledge or consent by buying or selling cattle through a market that was applying the tags to all cows from January 1st through the time of the distribution of the letter requiring compliance with the state law.
© Doreen Hannes
truth-farmer.blogspot.com
if i am understanding doreen,these vets did not have the authority to put tags in anything.if they didnt have the authority they need to be held accountable,not one or two,but all involved.the state of mo needs to be the one to do it,and those proudcers that were molested need to file also.just a thought.
Comment nick — January 17, 2010 @ 9:42 pm
Why can our government break the law and get away with it>? If this was reversed they would have already locked up all up and thrown away the key. I say make some noise, we worked too hard to make this voluntary in Missouri. A written consent to apply tags not a verbal one! They are trying to creep in our back door and we are letting them. This needs to be explained on talk radio, to any media that will listen. Copy Doreen’s statement above and send it to everyone in your address book. Also send it to your representative and senator. Take a stand as it DOES make a difference.
Scott
Comment farmerscotty — January 21, 2010 @ 9:08 pm
I have a question…re: these 840 tags used in Missouri at the salebarns…The nais compliant eartags contain the ISO 11784/85 microchip…that are 15 digit..the first three numbers always being 840, that is the country code for the U.S. (This is the same microchip to be used with horses enclosed in glass…a transponder, I think it is called). The 4th and 5th number could be to identify the breed…the other numbers must “tie” the animal to the Premise ID….So I would find out a number on one of these tags…(you need the right type of “reader” for this type microchip…)and see what premise it traces to. Get your state nais person to tell you!The salebarns, vet clinics, racetracks, etc get a “non producer” ID…NPIN…This is just my thinking. I recommend that people read the article at naisinfocentral.net on the controvery re: the ISO 11784/85 microchip for use in horses…it has to be the same chip for all the other livestock animals that get eartags…will post the title to the article later…
Comment The Phantom — January 23, 2010 @ 7:34 am
There are two articles at naisinfocentral.net that pertain to microchips..look at the left sidebar..way down the list, and find: RFID pg 2 …hit on that, and that takes you to the article “A must read on RFID & Horses, by Heather Smith Thomas”… then after reading it…go back to the left sidebar… and hit on: RFID chip..that takes you to an article entitled:”The Controversial ISO 11784/11785 standard”. Article was written 9-4-09…What I gather is that this chip that is to be used with NAIS is not reliable…Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance, said, in one of their submissions to USDA…”How can you reliably trace an animal if its identity can be changed at anytime”….perhaps this ISO 11784/85 chip is the “achilles heel” of NAIS….
Comment The Phantom — January 23, 2010 @ 3:48 pm
A new way to implement NAIS?
Missouri
“Called together by the Missouri Rural Crisis Center (MRCC), the group learned that a coalition known as Missouri Ag Alliance supports the concept of a livestock care standards board, also known as a livestock board. Some of the groups participating in the alliance are the Farm Bureau, Missouri Corn Growers, and Missouri Soybean Growers. The Missouri Ag Alliance is reportedly raising a war chest of funds to help impose the legislation in this election year, (incidentally, Missouri currently has no campaign funding limits).”
Wait a minute? Didn’t Ohio just form something like this and Illinois Farm Bureau just proposed something similar. Wouldn’t it be just peachy if there were local/state boards, say like DATCAP in Wisconsin, that supported NAIS?
Nice back door attempt. Some of us still hear them knocking - time to check your state legislative efforts.
Comment Mrs. MIchael Sabo — January 25, 2010 @ 10:13 am
farm bureau( I BELIEVE) is and will always be for nais,they were in it from the start and have vested much time and money in the program.loss of membership causes them to say that they might not be for it.but guess what,we all have heard and seen that song and dance before.
Comment nick — January 25, 2010 @ 11:09 pm
Oregon county Missouri,is having a hsus type meeting tonight in Alton,Mo. Icant attend,but I am sure it will bee a you discribed.If some one can go please report.
Comment w.hill — January 26, 2010 @ 8:10 am
You are correct Nick; FB is not our friend!
I have heard that some local chapters are anti-NAIS but the national heads all seem to be for it!
Of course its foolish to support them by purchasing insurance from them,and it is good to educate people on this when you can,I tend to ruffle feathers when asked about FB ,4H and FFA as well as some of the breed groups..he he…!
Concerning the idea that our govt could lie and cheat and do things they aint supposed to be doing…shudder…gasp…how could anyone think such a thing? really its appalling how people dont trust their masters…cough…anymore,whereis your respect for our betters?….hack…wow, I cant go on!(just kidding:)
Seriously though they are following the path set before them by politicos for the last century,too little knowledge about what made this nation great and too much outright hatred for basic freedoms and libertys that are the basis of all our greatness.
Personal liberty and responsibility are dangerous to despots,make sure to exercise yours today and irritate a tyrant!Its fun!
We have a group in charge now who dont seem to know what NO! means; and who seem to feel that we peasants have no right to use that word,it certainly did not start with this present group but its reached critical mass under them and that goes from the president down to the local dog catcher,all seem to feel they are not only above the law; but they are the law! We have to educate them to the fact that it just aint so!
Its not been good to see our great republic have to go through this BS but I think we will actually come out better on the other side,alot of people are waking up besides us and are saying (No!) in unmistakeable terms.
We have to keep after these govicrats,not give them any slack or rest!
We have done well friends,the snakes still can bite but we are better able to cut them in half now than we were years ago when this started!
Keep after them,dont let them rest, keep bringing up that constitution(federal and state)talk to local reps and county officials, we will have to sqeeze this snake from both ends, and we are!
I get riled when I see things like what is going on in Missouri sale barns,this is how they sneak around, but you guys caught them, now smack em!
As always its great to talk to all you good people, keep up the good work!Thanks!
“Live free or die tryin”
Comment LEE — January 29, 2010 @ 12:48 am
Hey Walter:
NAIS will soon be the least of our worries in Indiana…
Meat Inspection Prgram Cuts
Comment Dave Haxton — January 31, 2010 @ 6:51 pm