The USDA is rushing the National Animal Identification System (NAIS) through as fast as it is legally allowed to do. This minimizes comment from the users who will be hit hardest: consumers, pet owners, small farmers and homesteaders. The government is slipping NAIS through as a regulation authorized under the Patriot Act rather than having it be reviewed as legislation. This allows them to get less public comment and notice. Comment periods have already closed on many aspects without people even being aware that NAIS exists.
Meanwhile, the large ’stakeholders’, Big Agri-Biz, have had lots of opportunities to shape NAIS to fit their agenda at every turn of the draft development process. This is not democracy in action - this is an oligarchy of Big Govi-Corp doing what is best for their bottom line profits.
NAIS has its origins in the desire of the big meat producers to be able to better sell their products in foreign markets. Certain countries which import beef have banned US beef imports because of worries about disease and contamination. In an attempt to open up these markets, Big Agri-Biz came up with the original NAIS draft plan.
These big business factory farms were joined by animal tag manufacturers looking to maximize their market for unnecessary and costly products - what better way than to require all animals in America to be tagged!?! Making it mandatory was just all the more delicious.
All of this resulted in trade agreements between the United States and other countries that require the United States to implement electronic identification on all pets and livestock for “Farm to Fork” tracking of all meat.
These groups were able to advance their plan without legislative review by claiming it was a “Homeland Security” issue to secure our national herd and food supply against terrorists. This let the USDA to create NAIS as a regulation under the Patriot Act without the approval of our Congressional representatives. The worst part is that NAIS will consolidate our food supply into the hands of fewer and fewer giant corporations. The effect will be to endanger the very national herd and food supply they claim to want to protect - all while increasing the cost to consumers and taking away our traditional rights to farm.
For more information read this References document and this Permalink - TrackBack
I was searching the web and found your entry. I really like your site and found it worth while reading through the posts. Who ever started this whole N.A.I.S. thing should be chipped once for every animal that ever gets chipped.
Comment dasw — February 13, 2006 @ 2:06 pm
I have no idea what to do with this info. Maybe some of you do.
>
>
>
> We all know that two big lobbyist pushed for NAIS. One was the people selling the tags, the other was the big beef and pork producers. If you
follow the money beyond that, you find one of the big pushers for NAIS was NCBA. (National Cattlemans Beef Assoc.) Now here is where it gets weird and confusing. Feel free to draw a lineage chart to keep up, I did. Why would a National Cattlemans assoc go for this? Because 40% of
NCBA (remember this is YOUR National Beef representative group) is made up of 3 groups. These are Texas Southwest
Cattle Raisers, Kansas Livestock Assoc. and Texas Cattle Feeders. Why do
they want NAIS? Texas Southwest Cattle Raisers pays the brand inspectors
(required by Texas for selling cattle). When NAIS passes,they will get 25 cents a head for
reading chips. A monumental amount of money for just Texas
cattle. The two feedlots, would love the chips (as would every feedlot) because they could instantly attach medical records to each animal run through their facility; already a necessity because of the withdrawal time on antibiotics. Also a requirement if they hope to sell to Japanese markets which
require a system of trace back to the farm of origin. This info came from a Fed/USDA employee that was on the working group that came up with the ORIGIONAL national ID system plan which does not resemble the current plan. I also got a message that because of the grassroots efforts; premise ID regulations have been put on hold in Texas.
>
> Sherry Healey
>
Comment Sherry Healey — February 22, 2006 @ 12:37 pm
Sherry-
The State of Texas is being very sneaky, however. There was a hearing a few weeks ago, and so many people were livid that they postponed further decisions until a May meeting. Just last week they announced that the meeting was moved up to March 23rd. They are trying, still, to push this through. I will seriously not be surprised one iota if someone from Texas flat refuses to go along with this insanity (at fines of up to 1000/per day for every day you fail to comply) and takes this to the supreme court. I’m considering that it be me, personally. I own three horses and property and frankly what I do with my property and my horses (where I take them etc) is MY BUSINESS and my business alone.
Comment Jennifer — March 8, 2006 @ 10:20 am
We will be alright if we as a nation of rugged indivualists stand on our principles, but if we as a dumbed down do nothing nation, than its bad news .
Comment Anita Johnston — March 16, 2006 @ 4:07 pm
Fliers and Bumper Stickers! Like that Idea!
This is Bull%^*$..How would you know 24 hours in advance that you have an emergency and have to take you horse to the vet NOW!
OOOh, I’m PO’d…..What about local pettitions?….worth a try?
Comment Mary — March 24, 2006 @ 11:06 pm
bring down factory farming and liberate the souls of suffering chickens
alas who can sleep with all this suffering going on???
not I……
Comment sid sargent — March 26, 2006 @ 5:25 pm
Do the bumper sticker…It got us into the local paper (front page!) and people ask me about it. Have handouts ready, facts straight and be polite. I also wear the nonais pin at work and that has caused great talks since I’m at a vet office.
Comment george — March 26, 2006 @ 8:10 pm
I’ve gotten so I keep a folder in my car with pertinent documents. Pass them out and go into talk mode every chance I get.
Comment Sue F — March 27, 2006 @ 3:32 am
When did this start? I have just started hearing about it from a friend. I live in South Texas and have land in Bee County. What can I do to help fight it.
Comment Judy Stridde — March 30, 2006 @ 11:24 am
NAIS started several years ago although it was not called that. At first it was just for big cattle operations. The RFID manufactures and government got greedy and the USDA expanded it to cover all livestock.
Right now the big thing is to spread the word. We need more people to know about the dangers of NAIS. Check out these links: One & Two. Also visit the TAHCWatch since you are in Texas.
Comment walterj — March 30, 2006 @ 11:47 am
DO people realise that after someting like Dubai, how many big corporations there are in the US? Pharma for instance? Who’s to say that other countries can’t gain access to this information the NAIS will generate, for a myriad of reasons. Though with this information it seems as if our government is already terrorizing the american people. The True bioterrorist and any other acts seems to be coming from our government. They have recombined the bird-flu already in one these University Labs into a more dangerous form. I wouldn’t put it past this government to use it to accomplish thier tasks. Through all my reading it has led me to where it is being discussed to do this with our new born children ( a rice sized rfid chip), another tool the government will have to manipulate us, they will tell you if you don’t participate in thier food or drug study they’ll take your children, hey, why not, they do it with vaccination and cancer treatments, this NAIS can be devastating no matter who’s hands the info is going to. Think about it, where can you get anything made in this country anymore? The corporations that are here now are only interested in money, not the american way of life. The same can be said for our current government. Iraq is a nice distraction when what they are really concentrating on is the inihalation of the constitution so they can have virtually totall control of the American Guinea Pig whilst wallowing in puddles of money, made on the backs of citizens and farmers, which will be nonexsist soon, almost museum like. I will promise that i will buy my food and vegetable before i dare walk into a supermarket and buy food. I love my Organic American Farmers.
Comment Irene — May 29, 2006 @ 10:58 am
This is not a fight you are going to win. The Corporate States of America has only one priority. - Money, and no matter how much you fight that reality it will never change.
I suggest you re-think the enevitable and try to learn ways to benifit from it. Information is a powerful tool that could be used to your advantage. People are already chipping thier pets and other people are being chiped themselves for access to areas of high security. Don’t forget that once chipped beef is in the supermarkets and labeled as “Safe” no one will want beef from a questionable source. You will put yourselves out of business by not complying even if it is not Manditory.
Don’t get me wrong I hate Big Brother too, but until the day comes when Americas are willing to pick up arms and take back thier country from the Greedy Corporations; we are better off just doing what we are told.
[Of course, you are right. We can never win… if we don’t fight. Just give up, roll over and die. Great philosphy. Go for it. Cheers, -WJ]
Comment Jim — July 5, 2006 @ 1:04 pm
Just like giving the people a number when they went to the consentration camps–only now it is animals–is Hitler back? So then what happens to that chip in a slaughtered animal?
If you eat it do you now become the animal subject to being tracked also? Yikes!!!
Comment Jan WA State — July 10, 2006 @ 10:30 pm
Jan, as to the chips, see this article.
Comment walterj — July 11, 2006 @ 4:17 am
I will do everything in my power to guard my fundmental right to Agriculture! America has done enough harm by creating a distance between people and the land. I am amazed at how few people know how to raise a tomato, nevermind shear sheep. The NAIS is so very obvious, control the food, control the people. I say NO! (Triumphant raise of hay-fork)
Comment Peter J. Willcutt — July 29, 2006 @ 3:35 pm
If people in every state with a citizen ballot initiative process, such as Oregon has, were to organize and get a measure on the ballot to prohibit state agencies and officials from cooperating with federal officials in implementation and enforcement of NAIS regulations and from applying for and receiving federal grants to those ends, that might send a messge and slow things down.
Comment Cindy Noblitt — August 31, 2006 @ 10:06 am
This link is probably somewhere on the website, but since I haven’t seen it yet, I’ll post it here. It’s the link to the official government page of the USDA National Animal Identification System. The copied paragraphs state that the system is recommended to be mandatory in 2008. If we the people can’t beat this one, we are in serious trouble.
http://animalid.aphis.usda.gov/nais/index.shtml
“As part of its ongoing efforts to safeguard U.S. animal health, USDA initiated the implementation of the National Animal Identification System (NAIS) in 2004. NAIS is a cooperative State-Federal-industry partnership to standardize and expand animal identification programs and practices to all livestock species and poultry. NAIS is being developed through the integration of three components—premises identification, animal identification, and animal tracking. The long-term goal of the NAIS is to provide animal health officials with the capability to identify all livestock and premises that have had direct contact with a disease of concern within 48 hours after discovery.
NAIS is currently a voluntary program. To ensure the participation requirements of NAIS not only provide the results necessary to maintain the health of the national herd but also is a program that is practical for producers and all others involved in production, USDA has adopted a phased-in approach to implementation. Although the draft strategic plan references mandatory requirements in 2008 and beyond, to date no actions have been initiated by USDA to develop regulations to require participation in NAIS. APHIS will publish updates to the implementation plan as recommendations are received and evaluated by the NAIS Subcommittee and the Secretary’s Advisory Committee on Foreign Animal and Poultry Diseases.”
[PJason, see the right sidebar under Technical Documents for this and many other documents from the USDA, GAO and other sources. -WJ]
Comment Pjason MO — September 19, 2006 @ 6:29 pm
THE PUBLIC MUST STOP ALL THOSE REGULATIONS. ONCE IT GOES THRU IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO DELETE IT.
ALL OF US “TIME TO UNIFIED”!
Comment Nehama Jury — October 6, 2006 @ 7:16 am
Ron Paul is the only presidential candidate I know of who opposes NAIS.
Comment Wayne M — January 27, 2008 @ 12:38 am
The march towards cradle to coffin socialism is what leads us to things like NAIS. The great masses of people just want security in their serfdom. They don’t want to live life but rather to watch it being lived in reality TV shows. They want the government to cover them for any risks. Insurance to protect them from any losses. A paycheck in every pocket and a chicken in every pot. Farmers represent 1% of the population now and the public doesn’t care. It’s a very slippery slope we’re sliding down and the ice is heating as the hill gets steeper.
Comment Mike — June 13, 2008 @ 5:54 pm
Unfortunately the sheeple I have talked to think NAIS and Good Farming Practices are a GREAT IDEA! After all this will protect their children from bad food. They don’t see the poison hidden in the candy and don’t care when they do see it. They think it does not effect them and if it does it “protects” them.
Here is another example of USDA “protection” from anothet web site Americans_Against_NAIS
I asked her to have her friend contact the WASTE, ABUSE and FRAUD HOTLINE
“…I have a friend who drives an 18 wheeler for a living and sometimes goes to the border transfer stations in Nogales, etc to get a load of food coming up from Mexico. One time he text me and said, “I have been waiting for 4 hours for the truck to get here from Mexico.” Then a while later he text, “It’s finally here but I have to wait even longer to get loaded.” When I asked why, he told me it is because the produce from Mexico had to be reboxed into boxes that said “Product of USA”. I think that the outbreaks of salmonella and e-coli are from reboxed vegetables coming from south of the border. I asked him why there weren’t inspectors there to over see this stuff and he said that there are but they just let it happen…”
Susan
Comment Snazy snezy — June 14, 2008 @ 7:45 am
That reminds me of a T-shirt I saw that says Made in America on the front of the shirt. When I checked the tab in the collar, it was made in Central America!
Comment Barbara — June 14, 2008 @ 9:47 pm
I just learned about NAIS from the Horsetrim site. Wow, quite an eye-opener. I am afraid it leaves out options for those of us who only have a few animals for personal use such as pleasure riding, hobby pet raising,4-H, etc if it truly applies to all *farm* animal owners. On a practical note, the costs of such a program as NAIS seems to be will be passed to the consumer. Beef is barely affordable now. I purchase my beef from a local butcher at a side of beef for about $500 dependant upon the wt of the steer ordered. This is cost saving, but still EXPENSIVE without the NAIS requirements. In this economy, no one will be able to afford meat with the costly red tape tracking system NAIS appears to be. Just as the car industry has driven themselves out of business with too high priced vehicles, the cattle industry seems to be heading down the same road. (No pun intended)
Comment Nan R. — April 5, 2009 @ 11:37 am
All that is needed is a couple well placed food scares and this ’solution’ will be implemented to solve the problem. Sounds much like this years economy.
Comment Ryan — June 6, 2009 @ 7:54 am