A couple of weeks ago I got an note from USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack’s assistant inviting me to a conference call about their findings from the 2009 listening sessions that were held last year. At the last minute the conference call got called off. This morning I got a new invitation for the conference call to be held today at 12:30 PM, Friday, February 5th. Fortunately it is is a snowy, blustery day. It will be interesting to hear what they conclude.
We already have some preliminary information based on this press release which also made it into my email box this morning:
Release No. 0053.10
Contact:
USDA Office of Communications (202) 720-4623USDA ANNOUNCES NEW FRAMEWORK FOR ANIMAL DISEASE TRACEABILITY WASHINGTON, Feb. 5, 2010 - Agriculture Secretary Vilsack announced today that USDA will develop a new, flexible framework for animal disease traceability in the United States, and undertake several other actions to further strengthen its disease prevention and response capabilities.
“After concluding our listening tour on the National Animal Identification System in 15 cities across the country, receiving thousands of comments from the public and input from States, Tribal Nations, industry groups, and representatives for small and organic farmers, it is apparent that a new strategy for animal disease traceability is needed,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “I’ve decided to revise the prior policy and offer a new approach to animal disease traceability with changes that respond directly to the feedback we heard.”
The framework, announced today at the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) Mid-Year meeting, provides the basic tenets of an improved animal disease traceability capability in the United States. USDA’s efforts will:
Only apply to animals moved in interstate commerce;
- Be administered by the States and Tribal Nations to provide more flexibility;
- Encourage the use of lower-cost technology; and
- Be implemented transparently through federal regulations and the full rulemaking process.
“One of my main goals for this new approach is to build a collaborative process for shaping and implementing our framework for animal disease traceability,” said Vilsack. “We are committed to working in partnership with States, Tribal Nations and industry in the coming months to address many of the details of this framework, and giving ample opportunity for farmers and ranchers and the public to provide us with continued input through this process.”
One of USDA’s first steps will be to convene a forum with animal health leaders for the States and Tribal Nations to initiate a dialogue about the possible ways of achieving the flexible, coordinated approach to animal disease traceability we envision. Additionally, USDA will be revamping the Secretary’s Advisory Committee on Animal Health to address specific issues, such as confidentiality and liability.
Although USDA has a robust system in place to protect U.S. agriculture, with today’s announcement, the Department will also be taking several additional actions to further strengthen protections against the entry and spread of disease. These steps will include accelerating actions to lessen the risk from diseases–such as tuberculosis–posed by imported animals, initiating and updating analyses on how animal diseases travel into the country, improving response capabilities, and focusing on greater collaboration and analyses with States and industry on potential disease risk overall.
More information on USDA’s new direction on animal traceability and the steps to improve disease prevention and control is available at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/traceability.
-USDA Press Release No. 0053.10
I am glad to see more emphasis on disease prevention at importation. That is where the federal government should be focused. Almost all of the disease they are warning us against do not exist in the United States. The diseases would have to come in from outside. Protect our borders. Use the simplest of tools, quarantine and vaccines. This is a much more powerful and cost effective method of preventing disease than an elaborate hoax like NAIS.
I hope that Vilsack is serious about taking input from ordinary people and not just government, industry and vets. Disease prevention programs will live and die by the hand of the many, not the few. It is education that fights disease as has been historically proven time and again. Heavy handed mandates and regulations will simply produce scoff-laws, rebellion and unenforceable systems. He does not have the money or man power to drive every back road of America.
Mr. Vilsack mentions transparency - I would be very interested in a statistical breakdown of the feedback as well as the complete raw feedback from the sessions. How many people attended? How many commented at the session? How many of those were Pro-NAIS, Anti-NAIS, Other? Broken down by type (Consumer, Small Farmer, Homesteader, Larger Farmer, Corporate Ag, Government, Veterinarian…) How many commented outside of the sessions with written comments (email, paper, fax) and what was the break down there? By having the raw data as well as the USDA’s conclusions these could be independently reviewed and compared with videos of those same listening sessions. This would be most interesting given that several independent studies and polls have shown that the support for NAIS within the large industry is about 50% and the opposition to NAIS among farmers and consumers runs more like 92% with only about 4% supporting NAIS. Vilsack is offering transparency. The first step is to open up the data for peer review. I just received the response to a FOIA request I had made in early 2007 to the USDA. Not only are they almost three years late getting me the data but they only sent part of the data and acknowledge that. Not at all transparent.
I challenge Mr. Vilsack to make all the comments and recordings from the listening sessions and comment periods easily available on the web so that anyone can download them and verify the USDA’s assessments.
This does leave us with the terminal question of what to call this new inititative. NAIS, which sounds all too much like Nazi, is already taken and way too toxic. How about something a little less politically explosive this time like maybe AIDS (Animal Identification Disease System) or LOCO (Livestock Occupational Communication Organization)? That was sarcasm for those who were not sure. One must wonder about the people who would pick an acronym like NAIS and not try pronouncing it a few times to see if it sounds or maybe spells out too closely to other words with negative connotations. Apparently the USDA still has some lessons they need to learn from the marketing and communications department.
There was a time when the government officials and industry forces were sure that NAIS would become mandatory and fully implemented by January 2009. They claimed they would drive every back road and tag every animal. Times change. The USDA and Big Ag were faced with over 92% of the farmers opposing NAIS along with very strong opposition from consumers and homesteaders. NAIS has been withering and will hopefully die. Vilsack appears to be listening and the above is one more step in the right direction.
Sometimes forced government programs do die. Remember we were all going to be forced to use the Metric System back in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s. It hasn’t come to pass. Neither did flying cars, thankfully. In the case of the Metric System it really was a better way (units of 10 measurement) but the public rejected here in the United States. Sadly in that case we now have both (look in your auto tool set) “Metric System and the “English Imperial System” which is worse than either alone.
Let us hope that with NAIS or what ever they’ll now call it we don’t end up in that land of Heck. Time will tell. Keep an eye on what comes next while continuing to give feedback and be involved in the process.
“The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.”
-Thomas Jefferson
Update 20100205 11:34 AM - The NY Times has an article on this now.
My astute husband’s comment:
Boy, they just didn’t learn.
“Faced with stiff resistance from ranchers and farmers, the Obama
administration has decided to scrap a national program intended to help authorities quickly identify and track livestock in the event of an animal disease outbreak.
In abandoning the program, called the National Animal Identification
System, officials said they would start over in trying to devise a
livestock tracing program that could win widespread support from the industry.”
They HAD wide support from industry!
…it was the rest of “us” that weren’t convinced.
Comment Mrs. Sabo — February 5, 2010 @ 11:34 am
I doubt NAIS is dead and here’s why. Texas just instituted a new rule January 1st 2010 for the transport of bulls. BTW, even in-state transportation is considered commercial transport. Any bull moved from one herd of cows to another must be tested for trichomoniasis even though trich is not a continuing problem in Texas. This law is in place in a number of states now. What’s the big deal? The law, enforced by criminal penalites, also requires that the bull get a USDA number…. backdoor NAIS. A negative test is good for only 30 days. I think a person can make a good argument that they have no regard for the physical safety of the owner. A bull weighing 2,200 pounds will not continue to trailer in a docile manner when a veterinarian needlessly fools with his penis sheath every time he gets into a trailer. The owner has a greater interest in heard health than does the gov’t. When did the gov’t decide that it had a greater interest than the owner? It’s the owner who takes the financial risk and the most care. For this reason, I cannot make myself believe that disease prevention is the motivation for this needless andpotentially dangerous intrusion by an increasingly unaccountable and irresponsible gov’t. By saying NAIS is dead, they hope to cause people to drop their guard. Cass Sunstein, an animal rights nut as regulatory czar and the push to eliminate animal agriculrute by the HSUS, it seems that their goals cannot be achieved without giving every animal an identity. That way it will take gov’t permission to ‘own’ an animal.
Comment james — February 5, 2010 @ 11:37 am
I agree that while NAIS may be dead, that we are likely to see a phoenix rise from the ashes. We all need to remain on the alert.
Comment Barbara — February 5, 2010 @ 12:17 pm
The Times today reports that USDA will abandon NAIS due to the strong opposition. However, note that USDA still plans to issue rules that will require some (as yet unspecified) sort of identification for interstate movement — of course, to some degree we already have that, insofar as we may be required to get brucellosis or TB testing for such movements. And the story indicates that USDA will permit states to have their own ID systems, so there can still be problems such as the present mandatory (WI, IN, MI) or non-transparent opt-out (MA, PA, NY)systems.
And note that the Farm Bureau, which originally was one of the strongest proponents of NAIS in service to the dominant interests of its industrial-ag members, has managed to rewrite history and, in the face of the program’s unpopularity, now tries to act as if it had always “opposed” the program.
Comment Mary Zanoni — February 5, 2010 @ 1:01 pm
NAIS might be dead, but the “system” that was to be implemented is still there, at least in a number of States. I really do not think that any power so far gained by ANY governmental body will be freely relinquished by the governmental bodies concerned. They have the power and they will do what ever they have to to keep the power. I fully expect to see NAIS to raise it’s ugly head in another or other form(s) no matter what is being openly stated by the powers that be. I just don’t think it is going to be that easy!!
Comment JDCitizen — February 5, 2010 @ 1:24 pm
One thing that may help with getting bureaucrats to relinquish their grip on established programs is the economy. Budgets are being stripped to the bones. Without federal matching funds the state departments of agriculture would have to pay for the whole project greatly increasing the costs. An opportunity for freedom through de-financing.
Comment walterj — February 5, 2010 @ 1:35 pm
Walter I don’t agree with you on this one. The Fed and many States are spending money like there is NO economic problem. The Fed and many States (Washington for one) just spend money via debt creation as though there isn’t and won’t be any fallout from irresponsible actions. As things are going, our children and their children will be paying for the crazy actions going on at most ALL levels of government. HUGE deficits are developing throughout the country, again at all levels of government. I wish you were correct in your thinking about this, but on this one, I think you are wrong. “Lack of funds” means NOTHING. If “they” want it, it WILL be funded by hook or by crook or both!!
Comment JDCitizen — February 5, 2010 @ 2:22 pm
Here is the 7 page PDF link from USDA:
Questions and Answers:
New Animal Disease
Traceability Framework
Don’t worry - page 6 assures us all that this will not be an Unfunded Mandate. Tell that to NY or CA where unfunded mandates are dragging their economies into the “blackhole” of accounting.
On an interesting aside:
“USDA will also issue a call for nominations for a
re-established Secretary’s Advisory Committee on
Animal Health that will provide feedback on the animal
disease traceability regulations, as well as other
issues like confidentially and liability. It is the goal for
this subgroup to meet and begin work in summer of
2010.”
I suggest NOW is the time to call for a balanced panel. Nominations should be equal across the board not like the “Species Working Groups” of the past.
We’ve had enough “experts” dictate - now is the time for real people to be on board.
Comment Mrs. Sabo — February 5, 2010 @ 2:34 pm
They will always try to pull something over on us. They don’t understand the meaning of “NO”. No to chipping, stakesholders, tracking…and to it all. Don’t budge on anything or they will get a foot in the door.
All the problems, they seem to cause just like the false flags. They don’t use the laws they already have and keep thinking we are to blame. My family and animals will never be safe until we get the government and FEDS out of our business.
Comment Beverly — February 5, 2010 @ 5:42 pm
Walter, I have a sneaking suspicion that the USDA has already taken a few lessons from the marketing and communications department. I don’t believe their goal is anything other than what it has always been: centralized control, and promotion of big-ag. Undoubtedly they will do whatever, say whatever, is necessary to get there.
And not to start a religion/politics argument, but the English measurement system works because it’s natural, while the metric system (its ability to speed out-of-context calculations notwithstanding) is an artificial invention, a bad fit, and must therefore be artificially imposed.
An inch is about the width of your thumb; a foot is just that; a yard is an arm’s length, etc. Nice, nice, nice. Even the lesser-used English units are sensible: A “span” is thumb-tip to pinky-tip of an outstretched hand (9 inches); a “league” is an hour’s walk (three miles); a “fathom” is finger-tip to finger-tip of outstretched arms (6 feet), and so on. Yes people come in all shapes and sizes, but the endlessly valuable intuitive rightness of English measure rightfully persists.
Allowing natural human tendencies to rule is, well, natural, while imposed inventions (the NAIS comes to mind) are forever unnatural, and therefore always grate.
[As a scientist I like the Metric system. As an citizen of the United States I’m perfectly happy with the Imperial system since I grew up with it. Much like speaking American English which is a mangle of other languages mashed together in a blender and stirred in our historic mixing pot. My genetic and ethnic background is similarly mixed. Hybrid vigor is grand. -WJ]
Comment Dave Milano — February 5, 2010 @ 5:49 pm
Be administered by the States and Tribal Nations to provide more flexibility;
Can we say COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS? Just change the name, like calling the new Stimulus Bill a Jobs bill.
Comment eileen — February 5, 2010 @ 6:35 pm
And easy way to get to the “USDA factsheet” is to go to r-calfusa.com It is on their frontpage..It is long and has many questions and answers. This is what we need to study. Looks like they want to push this to the states…so, what do you think your states will do? Remember, government does not make money; it gets it from “looting” the people…fines, fees, taxes, etc. In this economy, the states have much incentive to still pursue means of getting money from animal agriculture… This Factsheet is pretty revealing…read it closely.
Comment The Phantom — February 6, 2010 @ 6:20 am
Well put. Some around the blogosphere are heralding this as a victory. Perhaps, but to be honest I don’t trust them. The usual political strategy for unpopular issues is to simply repackage it with new terminology, and top it off with a new PR campaign.
Comment Leigh — February 6, 2010 @ 7:12 am
Thanks for all your hard work, time, effort but I feel this is just a minor victory… I am sure this means that NAIS is not really dead but someone else gets to carry this monkey on their back and force it on the people in all sorts of back door ways!
I hope we can stay this victory but with NAIS originating from global organizations like WHO, OIE, and the UN and their bible named the Guide to Good Farming Practices calls for full traceability. Since the US seems to cowtow to UN policy concerning global trade, some organization if not the USDA will continue to push for full traceability and waste amore of our tax dollars as they do.
God bless and keep up the good work!
p.s. I read once that the measuring system we use in USA dates back to our country’s origins…chosen because it was DIFFERENT from King George’s system. When the colonies rebelled they went all the way, even to the point of Washington declining being named as King of this new country. I wonder how King Obama I is doing today! Did you know our new king is half Irish and that many of our presidents traced back to one county in Ireland. Why is that part of his heritage not given more air time?
Comment Esbee — February 6, 2010 @ 7:21 am
They are still force registering individuals who have horses getting a coggins test in the State of New Mexico. The state changed their rule and now requires horses from the state attending an event int he state to have a coggins test. That means without a coggins test you can’t travel within the state to an event and with a coggins test you get force enrolled in NAIS.
Comment anna — February 6, 2010 @ 2:10 pm
Time to start contacting your state reps and ask how you can be forced into a plan that’s been canceled.
Comment Barbara — February 6, 2010 @ 2:59 pm
To gain an understanding about the Federal Zone and state’s zones….(to see why USDA is going after “interstate” activity and animal tracing, as they have that authority..as that is a Federal Zone)… go to freetofarm.com and look at essay #5 (I believe) on: The power of co-operative agreements, and then essay #14, that touches on why states would have the incentive to keep on with this animal ID…traceability stuff..even if co-operative funding dries up.
Comment The Phantom — February 6, 2010 @ 7:53 pm
When you go to freetofarm.com you hit on “extras” at the left sidebar to get to the essays. And one other thing: At the Roundtable discussion Vilsack held April 15th…J.Patrick Boyle, CEO of the American Meat Institution said: “that this meeting may be for naught…on NAIS…if any of the food safety bills gets passed in Congress.” So…FDA has certain authorities and USDA has certain authorities. Perhaps Doreen will refresh our memories on their respective territories and authorities.
Comment The Phantom — February 6, 2010 @ 7:59 pm
“Protect our borders. Use the simplest of tools, quarantine and vaccines. ”
I agree with above statement except for one thing
Vaccines do nothing but contaminate food.. and if i am aware that an animal that was vaccinated, i would not knowingly consume it.. i am so sick of this crap about vaccines.. we’ve only needed them since they’ve been profitable for pharma… it’s made 1 in 50 of our children autistic.. i don’t want it in my food.. wake up people.. i am so sick of genetically modified food… this has basically influenced my household to be strong vegetarians.. so sick of all the processing and factory food…
why is everyone so damn brainwashed into thinking everything must be injected with toxic chemicals and contaminated viral and bacterial dna… disgusting
Comment irene — February 7, 2010 @ 3:22 pm
Irene, we are all sick of genetically modified food. However, being a Vegan will not help you avoid GM products. Most soy and corn grown in this country are GM, thanks to the seed monster Monsanto; other crops are expanding their GM percentages. Monsanto is also purchasing vegetable seed companies. Yes, I believe the makers of Agent Orange and other nefarious products now want a monopoly on feeding the world.
Buy a feeder steer, throw him out on pasture, feed some non GM corn if you can find it, and enjoy a steak. It’s safer than soy burgers.
Comment eileen — February 7, 2010 @ 7:43 pm
Irene,
Don’t condemn every vaccine. Without vaccines we would still be suffering from smallpox and polio, and our pets and livestock would be in danger of contracting rabies.
The link between vaccinations and autism has not been proven. For all we know, the link may be GMO food.
I think it would also be preferable to vaccinate against FMD instead of slaughtering every animal in sight. Every risk must be weighed against the benefit. As we’ve said about NAIS, nothing should be one size fits all (except some items of clothing).
Comment Barbara — February 8, 2010 @ 7:13 am
Sounds like the Hegalian Dialect to me. I may be pessimistic, but this happens all the time in Education. We thought we got rid of Goals 2000, but they changed the name to No Child Left Behind. Now as the complaints are evident and the support is gone, we have the “Race To The Top”.
Sounds like it is switching from Federal level to State Level and just making to “pool” smaller. But it is still wrong for that pool whether it affect me or not now.
Now they know where the majority stands so they well compromise and compromise until they get their way with the least resistance.
Comment LuAnn — February 8, 2010 @ 12:17 pm
I recommend reading of Doreen Hannes article, “The Easter Bunny says NAIS is dead”..it is at Missourians against NAIS…message #5740… Missourians against Nais is at the right sidebar at this website….lots to think about..she wrote it Monday the 8th…
Comment The Phantom — February 9, 2010 @ 7:20 pm
Also, while at Missourians Against NAIS, referenced in my previous post…read message #5745… titled “long post”..or something like that..below the message is the article done by Karen Nowak, an excellenct researcher also, on this “new…not nais”…geared for the horse people…
Comment The Phantom — February 10, 2010 @ 5:47 am
I’ve gotten alot of calls and emails about NAIS being dead and I have told them to keep their head up,and be aware!
USDA and their corporate sponsors have fought long and hard to get this and they are still pushing it in countrys like NZ…I find it hard to believe they would just quit!
Perhaps they have decided on a different approach, another angle of attack,some way to get the frontline fighters to stand down,to breath a sigh of relief and lose interest…be wary my friends…be very wary.
I my self believe we should keep working on getting laws on the books of every state against this thing,even if it turns out to be true and they have decided to back off on NAIS at this time.
I cant help but believe they will be back,so we need to make sure it can never be instituted again in any form!Then we need to join our brothers and sisters in Wisc. and help them get free of their manditory NAIS BS that has already been put in place.
Someone once said the price of liberty is eternal vigilence,lets listen to him.Thanks! Lee
“Live free or die tryin”
Comment LEE — February 10, 2010 @ 9:33 pm
I will try again.
Listen to the Feb10 & 11 programs of the Derry Brownfield Program to learn how these new rules are likely to lead all the way into your personal garden by way of Supreme Court rulings associated with the ICC.
peaceably
Comment Mr Dirty Nails — February 14, 2010 @ 4:32 pm