[A recent letter to my state reps. -WJ]
Dear Representative,
An interesting thought occurred to me on the way out to feed the pigs: Premise ID implies farm. Farm buildings are tax exempt real estate in many states.
We’re already a farm so what I’m going to say does not affect me personally all that greatly but consider… If the Vermont Agency of Agriculture (AoA) is going to be forcing the obligations of Premises ID onto everyone with any livestock, then those people with even one chicken should also accrue the benefit of being a farm - that is to say any portion of their property used for said livestock should be exempt from real estate taxes.
This could probably be argued quite well in the courts. Before the legislature allows the AoA to force Premises ID or any other component of NAIS onto Vermonters they may want to first consider the substantial financial implication this event will have on the real estate tax rolls for both the state and towns.
One interesting implication is that in order to qualify for the real estate tax break all that someone will need to do is buy a chicken. Cool! That means the state, by putting through Premises ID but blocking Animal ID and the rest of NAIS, would be encouraging small scale, local, sustainable agriculture. If more people owned livestock they might garden and produce more of their own food rather than buying it from stores. This would lead to more small local farmers. People would become more in-touch with their rural roots. Vermont could see a reduction on dependence on long distance suppliers of food and use less petroleum. Large producers outside of Vermont would see a loss of sales. Local suppliers of livestock, feeds and veterinarian services would see a blooming of trade. Is this NAIS’s silver lining?
All this hinges on people being able to get that tax exempt status. Personally, I hope the legislature specifically state in law that anyone who complies with Premises ID must be given the exemption from real estate taxes for all property used for keeping any livestock. That would be fair and put a kink in the AoA. The towns will love you.
Cheers,
Walter Jeffries
Sugar Mountain Farm
in Vermont
Pastured Pigs & Sheep
Stories from the Farm: http://SugarMtnFarm.com/blog/
Holly’s Pencil Portraits: http://HollyGraphicArt.com
Protect Traditional Farming: http://NoNAIS.org
Print to pass out: http://NoNAIS.org/handout
Print to hang up: http://NoNAIS.org/poster
Print for people offline: http://NoNAIS.org/printout
Stickers with NoNAISewe Logo: http://NoNAIS.org/stickers
Ad copy is available here: http://NoNAIS.org/ads
This isn’t new anymore, but worthy of repeating…
On June 21, 2006, it was reported that someone breached computer security measures at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and may have obtained the social security numbers and personal information of some 26,000 employees and Washington-area contractors. The USDA will, when implemented, oversee the National Animal Identification System or NAIS.
Comment LuAnn — June 27, 2006 @ 9:19 am
BRILLIANT!
Comment JohnInCackalackey — June 27, 2006 @ 12:09 pm
Wow! Walter! Brilliant! Think I will go out and get a chicken!
Comment arlene — June 27, 2006 @ 12:28 pm
Very cute, but we all know that’s not the way the government thinks. They’ll do exactly the opposite: instead of making non-farmland tax free, they’ll just start taxing all farmland instead.
Comment Bkeepr — June 27, 2006 @ 12:28 pm
Excellent concept, Walter.
Comment Mari Jung — June 27, 2006 @ 12:35 pm
that’s nice but…
they are still undermining the constitution, taking away my right to choose for me, my family, and my animals.
This kind of control can force unwanted, uninformed medical procedures and practices, they will have more power to force more vaccination, will will cause more cancer and vaccinosis and not treat underlying health issues and we will be subject to becoming guinea pigs to the medical establishment, not to mention with the tagging of populations in this manner we will be much easier to roundup. Free Taxes will not buy my right to choose, or my rights to freedom of thought. I will not comply voluntarily and if it is forced and i can’t do anything about it, i am taking my family and leaving this country for fear of the loss of the constitution will put our lives, welfare and freedoms in grave danger. NAIS is more to me than just a tag on my animal, or a registration of my property, to me I AM BEING WIPED OUT AS A PERSON WHO ONCE HAD THE FREEDOM TO CHOOSE THIER FOOD, THOUGHT AND SPEECH, MY RIGHT TO EXSIST BY CHOICE IS BEING TAKEN AWAY AND NO AMOUNT OF TAX EXEMPTION WILL MAKE ME ACCEPT WHAT IS BEING DONE TO ME AND MY COUNTRY.
Comment irene — June 27, 2006 @ 1:04 pm
ONE MORE THING, HOW DO WE FIGHT THIS, VOTES DON’T COUNT POLITICIANS ARE TRYING TO PASS LAWS SO THAT PEOPLE CAN’T E-MAIL THEM AND LOBBY TO MAKE THIER VOICE HEARD. MOST EVERY IMPORTANT POSITION IN GOVERNMENT IS HELD BY CORPORATE INTERESTS. HOW DO WE FIGHT A CORPORATION ARMED WITH A NUCLEAR BOMB, OR EVIDIENTLY ONE THAT CAN’T BE SWAYED BY IT’S CITIZENS.
IT’S SAD TO SAY WHAT AN EMBARASSMENT THIS COUNTRY IS. THE GOVERNMENT NOT ONLY WARS WITH IRAQ, IT TURNS ON IT’S OWN CITIZENS.
IT’S ALL OR NOTHING.
Comment irene — June 27, 2006 @ 1:10 pm
I agree with Irene. Bandaids will not help the matter. But, I do have some solutions, although some may think far fetched.
#1) July 4th is coming, round up at least one animal per person, drive them all to the country’s capital and let them loose. You think they are afraid of chickens now? lol.
#2) We need a uniform petition available to everyone that states that our so called lawmakers may no longer accept bribes (lobbyists) from corporations, that they are only allowed to be taken to dinner by organizations like labor unions, grass roots organizations and non-profits. If their money was coming from us instead of big business, they would be listening.
#3) Mass demonstrations-everyone will go out and picket the war in Iraq, but apparently our freedom doesn’t matter anymore.
I would like to hear what the rest of you think.
Comment Susan — June 27, 2006 @ 2:21 pm
I do find it odd that our government is finding it a higher priority to ‘export democracy’ than actually promote democracy at home. There are a lot of other ways that the government seems to spend rebuilding other countries yet letting poverty and infrastructure decay happen here in the US. Sad. Vote. -WJ
Comment walterj — June 27, 2006 @ 2:28 pm
NAIS is worse than IRS ever thought of being and the related filings and reporting. We have property tax that has tripled in the last few years, state tax that is so oppressive and now not only more daily reporting worse than IRS but daily food tax and related costs with NAIS. Where is the tax break. Won’t happen. IF one submits to a premise ID that makes them a caretaker not a property owner. The property on which the animal one or more reside is now in total control of the Government requiring permission in form of permit to be the slave that cares for part of the National Herd owned by the government and permission to care for their animals can be withdrawn, price increased, more restrictions and demand added once this gets started. This is not going forward it is going back to pre-revolution days before we fought for our freedom and established the United States of America. When the oppression of government was so overwhelming even and ocean could not lessen the burden and control. If we allow NAIS to come to our farms we will essentially be servants of the state and not free people. I do not inventory my pantry like Wal Mart inventories their stores and I will not turn my animals over to the state and keep their inventory at my expense for them how they tell me to do it and pay them to tell me to jump through hoops. We have so many rules, laws, requirements now it is unreal. NAIS will not identify the caretaker of the animals other means like brands or tatooes will be needed so essentially when the animals are marked for NAIS ownership changes and total control of both the animal and owner. I will be fined if a neighbor’s animal jumps the fence and comingles with mine. Mine does not even have to get out for it to cause me to have to do multiple reports and pay fees and even potientially get fined or lose my ability to have animals in my care. This is the worse regression of freedom and destruction of the very fabric of United States to date.
Comment Sue Karber — June 27, 2006 @ 2:43 pm
These comments are GREAT! Do the 4th of July ‘Great Chicken Release’…
Create a ‘uniform anit-lobby’ petition form…
and the concept of our govt. exporting democracy and denying it here is right on!
I wish all of us could meet somewhere and create a new Repubic! Isn’t this all so tragic?!
Lynn…from Bedford Co. Pa
Comment lynn from Pa — June 27, 2006 @ 3:32 pm
Sue, the sad thing is with the onerous burden of NAIS some people will consider it more favorable to shoot the neighbor’s escaped animal and bury it rather than helping return the animal to the owner as is now normally done. The government deskjockies are instituting social change without a clear concept of what they are doing. -WJ
Comment walterj — June 27, 2006 @ 3:53 pm
Walter,
You have one serious problem. That is, you have the ability to think logically. Those in government do not. The two cannot coexist.
Two of my cows got out last Saturday and crossed literally dozens of other properties. What a nightmare under NAIS.
Comment Greg Hinkle — June 27, 2006 @ 4:11 pm
Better remove all tagging and if chipped internally that also because the things can be read after death and buried. Then we have those satalites. I recently saw the color of the eyes in a demo. and got a print out of my place clearly showing everything and when zoomed in could count the petals on a flower. I was horrified at the invasion of privacy. Makes one want to moon them every time you step out the door. Google has a pretty indepth look at one’s property. The vulutres are high tech and circling to pick our bones clean of all freedom.
libertyark.net has a great national petition most of us are using as does downsizedc.org. Libery has paper petition and downsizedc.org is online.
Comment Sue Karber — June 27, 2006 @ 4:17 pm
In Revelation 13:17 it states:” And that no man might buy or sell save he that had the mark…” If we lived a thousand years ago we would be astounded at the environment which we now reside. We live in the final days spoken of by Daniel the Prophet.
Unless we repent and seek Jesus’ face there is nothing left but destruction. Psalm 127:1. It is not a time to seek the ways of this world but to Humble ourselves before the the supreme legislator of Heaven and Earth and pray that His righteous decrees will prevail.
One last comment comes from 2 Chronicles 7:14: ” If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then I will hear from Heaven, and forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” It’s up to you Christians; What are you to do?
Praise Jesus!
Comment Joe — June 27, 2006 @ 4:19 pm
Out here, unless 55% of a farmer’s combined household income is specifically ‘farm’ income (according to the USDA’s definition of ‘farm income’) your farmstead is taxed as non-farm. No exemption.
Here’s a kicker. CRP payments on neglected idle land are considered ‘farm income’.
Pasture you rent to your neighbor to graze his cow/calf pairs is not income.
If your wife works off the farm for minimum wage, but gets medical coverage, her income plus benefits is figured into the total income.
We just keep losing money. That way we have no income on which to pay taxes and we aren’t obliged to support pre-emptive wars upon people with whom we have no grievance.
We aren’t sure how long we can keep this up. It’s good to be free of USDA subsidies, but most folks out here couldn’t stay on the land their great-grandparents homesteaded without them.
If independent farmers within discrete geographical regions could combine their skills, equipment, crops, pastures, etc. thus creating local, cooperative economies it might be possible to generate enough excess product(s) that could be sold outside the community for cash.
The Hutterite people in our region provide for their own needs first, but have excess crops or livestock they sell to the rest of us.
Having no lien on one’s land is fundamental to independence. That’s really a challenge, but may be essential to staying off the radar.
I don’t feel that working cooperatively with others in a community necessarily lessens one’s independence, productivity or creativeness. It will require planning, a willingness to lay aside our rabid competitive pride, and absolute honesty on everyone’s part.
It would be worth it if we can help each other keep the farms.
Comment Donna — June 27, 2006 @ 6:05 pm
Has the ASPCA become involved? Think of all the unwanted animals out there now, with $45 chips (thats what they cost right now in Missouri) how many people will dump they’ere cats and dogs? A friend of mines husband raises rabbits, he has over a hundred, in NAIS goes through, he said he’ll just dig a hole! I will have to sell all my beloved horses, and may as well move to an apartment in the city, where it won’t cost me so much to live the luxury of country life.
Comment Nina Swain — June 28, 2006 @ 7:33 am
I like your site. Please add more articles on it.
Comment Tom — June 28, 2006 @ 2:22 pm
http://www.spp.gov/
This keeps getting better and better…
I’m not sure where I’ve been this past year. Take a gander at this link. Are we shortly to become the North American Union? Gotta keep track of all those disease bearing critters crossing what once were borders defining sovereign nations.
All rules have been changed.
Comment Donna — June 28, 2006 @ 8:23 pm
I had to add the “new” Trilateral Cooperation Charter that was put together by US, Mexico, and Canada.
the Charter is nothing more than an outright illegal usurpation of power by unelected bureaucrats in three countries who banded together to make their own rules. No constitutional process of law was followed in making this raw and unbridled power grab.
Comment LuAnn — June 29, 2006 @ 9:08 am
I have been researching this “Building a North American Community” for about a year. They are also openly discussing a new money for the tri-country
union — the Amero. I remember back in the days before NAFTA was approved, standing on Interstate 20 with other like-minded people, holding up big banners to stop NAFTA. Back then, anti-NAFTA folks were saying that NAFTA would eliminate our borders, exactly as they are discussing now. First the EU, then the North American Union, then the world. It will be much easier to blend the world as one government if it is piecemealed. Actually, I believe we are already operating under world government — they just haven’t published the new world anthem, or the new world pledge, or unfurled the new world flag. There actually has been a new constitution proposed, for exactly what purpose, I do not know. I have personally checked this book out from a local library, years ago. Here is the information on the book:
A Constitution for the Newstates of America, from the book, The Emerging Constitution by Rexford G. Tugwell, published 1974 by Harper & Row
I saw this quote on the internet recently, and I would attribute it to the proper person, if there had been a name attached.
“Yesterday’s conspiracy is today’s news.”
Comment Texas Goat Gal — June 29, 2006 @ 10:44 am
Ane yet more bad news about merging our three countries. This time it’s about our health freedom:
FDA Link
News With Views Link
Ron Paul Link 1
Ron Paul Link 2
Comment Texas Goat Gal — June 29, 2006 @ 7:06 pm
TX Goat Gal: I like your links!!!
Comment LuAnn — June 30, 2006 @ 8:44 am
Thank you, thank you, LuAnn. I needed to hear that! I am learning things every day from this webpage. There are obviously a lot of us “researchers” out here. I anxiously await yours and others research.
Comment Texas Goat Gal — June 30, 2006 @ 10:30 am