BeefStocker USA has created a spreadsheet to estimate the cost of the RFID tagging component of compliance with NAIS.
| # Head | Annual Total Cost |
Cost per head |
| ——- | ——- | ——- |
| 1 | $1,363 | $1,363 |
| 2 | $1,366 | $683 |
| 5 | $1,374 | $275 |
| 10 | $1,389 | $139 |
| 20 | $1,418 | $71 |
| 50 | $1,505 | $30 |
| 100 | $1,650 | $17 |
| 250 | $2,086 | $8 |
| 1,000 | $4,263 | $4 |
| 10,000 | $30,395 | $3 |
NAIS will actually cost more than this because this does not include government registration fees, potential reporting fees or your labor to fill out the government forms - you’ll have to spend precious time from your life reporting unnecessarily to the government on every movement of your livestock from one chicken on up.
Beef Source USA does include some equipment costs which are reasonable. If you don’t have the equipment you’ll have to pay someone else to do it - over time you could end up paying more that route. Do note that all reporting to the USDA is mandated by electronic means. e.g., the internet. Don’t have access? Too bad. The government is still trying to force this on you and they are aiming for mandatory compliance - that means big fines if you fail to register and report within 24-hours.
As you may notice from this graph and the table above, NAIS favors the very large producers, feed lots and factory farms. It is a total disaster for producers with fewer than 50 cattle. I doubt even those with under 100 head will be able to absorb these costs. Ask yourself, why would the USDA be pushing a system that is going to kill off small producers? Why would they push a system that will make it so homesteaders won’t even be able to legally and affordably raise their own meat? Who benefits… Follow the money.
Download the spreadsheet to run your own numbers. How high will your tax be on raising your own food? How much will the government and RFID company pilfer from your pocket to pad their fat fannies?
Hat tip to Tom.
In response to the story here.
Posted this:
Heh, you are worried about something from the People’s Commonwealth of Mass, but not worried about something the Feds are shoving through? Take a look at NAIS, if it wasn’t for the source, it sounds like a conspiracy wingnut theory.
NAIS Draft Plan
NAIS Standards
NAIS Tech Supplement
Notice that these regulations come from the National Institute for Animal Agriculture (NIAA), a lobbyist group for agribiz. In fact, you can look at the group who wrote this on the last page here, a who’s who of agribiz and RFID chip corps: NPPC.org Handout
Think that might play into the “culture of corruption” meme?
Justification supposedly to secure the food chain and defend against bioterrorism. It does neither. What it will do is drive out small farmers who cannot afford the costs or the potential draconian penalties, which results in concentrating targets for terrorists. Alternatively, it will drive them to raise “outlaw” animals who aren’t vaccinated, which is how we trivially control the majority of diseases. In the meantime, the big “scary” diseases in the news, BSE (mad cow) resulted from agribiz feeding practices and H5N1 avian flu is spreading along poultry trade routes with outbreaks linking to poultry factory farms. Go see for yourself, note the anomalies like Laos: GRAIN Briefings
For a breakdown of some of the problems you can read Dr. Zanoni’s (not medical) letter here: Organic Consumers
It might even be a better place to start since she references the USDA documents linked above. However, Dr. Zanoni’s training has allowed her to miss a few items, like the capability to insert electronic viruses into RFID chips and how with malicious compliance by ranchers, thousands of legit reports (perhaps purposefully generated) using mass reporting “helper” programs can generate what would be defacto DoS attacks on every database website.
I haven’t even scratched the surface on this one.
Comment Kamatu — April 8, 2006 @ 9:56 am
That’s the big problem I’m running into here. It’s so outlandish that people look at me like I’ve been watching the sci-fi channel too long.
This really needs to break into the mainstream media. Problem is they are all too busy with the madcow and birdflu hype to listen.
Comment Sue F — April 8, 2006 @ 1:46 pm
Yes, I get those, “You must be an X Files junkie” looks from a lot of people. I have been pretty successful in educating people by casually talking about it with a loud voice at tire store, the grocery store, 4H meetings,Master Gardener meetings, the saddle shop etc. I keep a stash of hand-outs with me every where that I go. Yesterday I dropped off a flyer to the person who mans our local dump site. He read it over as I properly sorted my recyclables. When I left, he asked me for more copies to hand out! YES!!!!!!!!! I home school my children. Last week we went around and delivered home made cookies to all the people who moved in over the winter. I also had informtion about NAIS for all! When we were running errands yesterday, I dropped off information to saddle shops, pet stores, etc. I asked for the owner. Asked them to read what I had left and asked them to consider posting information. It is amazing how many people say, “Well, I micro-chip all my animals anyway”. But, when I say, “Well, you choose to do that. Do you want the govt. to tell you that you have to do it, regardless of cost?” It makes them stop and think.
Comment Mary — April 8, 2006 @ 3:24 pm
Everyone keeps talking about cattle. I have horses and the cost of implanting them is incredible. try, depending on the vet and the horse (some will need sedation), anywhere from $30 on up to $100. I had not planned to sell my herd, but I can’t afford those costs either. I had 12. Add the cost of a portable scanner, new computer, high speed internet service, software program, government fees. guess what? I’m out of business!
Comment Laura — April 8, 2006 @ 6:19 pm
It has been stated by VT Ag secretary Steve Kerr that “doing nothing is not an option” in the matter of avian flu. NAIS is however, just that: doing nothing to address the problem (should it arise). A genuine regard for public health would entail a cooperative, voluntary and respectful approach rather than an attempt to force producers and ‘backyard’ farmers into some mandatory straightjacket. NAIS is all about cementing the monopoly of Cargill and Monsanto and generating some positive PR for a clueless agricultural state and federal bureaucracy. IF AI breaks out, the Ag agents will arrive (with TV cameras, of course) at some small farm with chickens scratching all over the place (like mine), seize suspected animals, destroy them, and assure the listening audience that everything is being taken care of. The AG Dept. calls it ‘consumer assurance’ and it’s what you pay taxes for. Will these measures forestall the appearance of a human pandemic morphed out of avian influenza? Of course not! That will evolve in the densely populated rural areas of China (where, by the way, huge poultry operations do exist, alongside the small flocks of the poor farmers. (China has two economies, the urban feeding off from the ancient rural culture. Much the same thing happened here in the mid twentieth century. Can you imagine? Vermont USED to be populated by an agricultural people)
The implementation of NAIS is part of a {hopefully failing) effort to sell national socialism (fascism - a collusion of corporate business interests and a militaristic government) to a media saturated and controlled population. The Patriot Act, having nullified constitutional rights in the name of protecting those rights, needs new victims to keep the current crowd of corrupt politicians looking good (previous administrations of the so called Democrats did the same -the Branch Davidian murders). The small farmer, being only a percent or two of the general population, is the perfect scapegoat, in the event of an outbreak of AI. . . .
Paranoia?
Remember the Faillace and Freeman sheep herds that were destroyed during the BSE scare? This in spite of the fact that BSE had not ever been found in sheep anywhere (scrapie - the sheep version of encephalopathy - has been known for centuries, but was not the issue here). The ‘good people’ in government were sucessful - in diverting attention to their own culpability in their industrial feed/slaughterhouse waste disposal program. And Mr. Kerr has the temerity to cite BSE (which has popped up here and there since) as a compelling reason for animal ID.
Comment Alan LePage — April 8, 2006 @ 7:47 pm
One fine day, it came to pass that the People of all the land, assembled themselves together throughout all the States, every man and woman according to their mind, whether it be for, or “against” NAIS. Thought up in separate bodies of rogue government, in babblings, envying and strife, while they wear their costly apparel; being lifted up in the pride of their own eyes. Having committed all manner of wickedness in their secret dealings to destroy the freedom of it’s People. By stealing the innocence of a peaceful “Animal,” which by and large, supports man and his kingdom, by providing food for the People, and comfort in times of persecution.
It is the intent of these most “unholy” men, to deprive the Free People, of all this Great land, their rights and privileges, instilled by the Constitution. And by their unlawful endeavor thru executive order and regulation, to make NAIS mandatory, against it’s People’s will, and their cries for justice.
It takes a cunning and wise man and woman to defeat such an order. They call these good People, “NoNAIS.” Maintain steadfast, your Faith, Hope and Prayers, that “We the People” will labor and sacrifice, for Freedom’s Cause, until the devil in sheep’s clothing is “defeated.” One Fine Day!
Dean Ayers,
Glenwood, Iowa
Comment DeanAFOSI (IOWA) — April 8, 2006 @ 9:14 pm
Does this graph include the cost of the computer to log on? I’m typing on a $2500 laptop right now. Then there’s the cost of Internet access — that’s another $200/year. Then there’s software updates, anti-virus programs… If you don’t already have a computer, you will be stuck with these extra expenses unless you want to drive to the library or a computer cafe every day — 9if there even is one in your area. And if you are Amish, you will not be able to comply at all….
Comment rooster-lover — April 9, 2006 @ 10:11 am
Just think how we are making food safe for the world! That was a statement from a friend of mine when I asked her oppinion about the NAIS. She is a vet tech and a member of OVERT, the Oregon Veterinary Emergency Response Team. I asked her exactly how much reporting she’d like to do for her mare. Didn’t get a comment back on that one.
Check this out. According to the Technical Barriers to Trade agreement signed in Uruguay, we, the developed nations, are supposed to help all the undeveloped nations come into compliance with systems similar to the NAIS. You talk about the Amish, how about the Masai in Africa. Howd you like to give them a laptop? All in the name of advancing international trade and harmonization of standards from country to country. ;-)
Comment Joanne Rigutto — April 10, 2006 @ 4:37 am
I’m constantly left thinking, what about “by the people, for the people. . . “? Where is OUR say in the matter?
Short of out and out civil disobedience, farmer uprisings, etc, couldn’t we just sue the bastards. I mean really. . .Millions of our tax dollars have been wasted needlessly at the behest of a Corporate Conglomerate seeking to add to its coffers. This is unprecidented in recent history. Who will audit the auditors?
All the money spent todate on a go nowhere plan could have actually been used to correct problems in a failing system, rather than add to them.
BSE, Avian Flu–creations of a greedy AgriMachine. Why should the government, or the people pay to clean up this mess? And by the people paying I mean TWICE! First through taxes and secondly through bloated fees, fines and hidden costs. This is untenable.
In the meantime–find somewhere else to buy your grain. Stop buying beef, pork and chicken from the commercial concerns. Find out who is in the NIAA, etc and stop supporting them by buying their products or using their services. Find local people to support and support them if they also do the above. If one person stops spending a dollar a day with these companies no big deal. If 100 stop then a hiccup is caused, if 1000 stop supporting these bloated corporations notice is taken–margins are that tight. Let’s make it 10,000 or 100,000.
Vote with your wallet. Boycott those who support the NAIS and fight for our freedom.
Comment Podchef — April 11, 2006 @ 8:49 am
I read in SFJ about this 2 weeks ago, we have a small farm and raise Highland cattle. I have put together 200 copies of information and sent them out to radio and TV stations and public officials and to anyone who has a hand to receive a copy as well as suppling the local feed store with copies. Today I will mail out to our natural food stores (PCC) WE HAVE TO STOP THIS!!!
Thank you for this site.
Comment grace — April 14, 2006 @ 6:37 am
Makes me kindly fell sick at my
stomach,wish I could do more,
sad taking our freedom away
I hope this can be stoped!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Comment Norman Bradshaw — September 25, 2006 @ 9:14 pm