Below is a press release from the VICFA about the Talent-Emerson bill (S3862, HR6042) addressing some of the problems with the proposal. I have reservations about this bill and do not support it as written. Contact Senator Jim Talent and Representative Jo Ann Emerson to let them know that their bill does not go far enough to addressing the problems with NAIS.
- We do not want the Freedom of Information Act to be compromised. No exceptions should be made that prevent us from gaining access to the information the government is storing about us. Doing so would lead to more secrecy in government - one more step down that slippery slope to fascism.
- The USDA’s exemption for animals that are non-commercial and never leave the premises is a joke. Animals must be able to go to the vet, the slaughter house, a rented pasture, etc.
- NAIS completely and utterly unnecessary for governing direct sales of meat. We and our local buyers already have 100% perfect trace-back. If they want to know where their meat came from they just come on by our farms and see their future dinner out in our pastures. That is a far better system for disease prevention and food safety than any government animal tracking program.
- Our Constitutional rights and privacy must be preserved. There is no excuse for the USDA’s unconstitutional plan for warrant-less seizure and destruction of private property as per page 31 of the GAO report 05-214.
- NAIS should be at most purely and truly voluntary. The government should not be involved. Be very wary of the term voluntary as our government, especially the USDA, has a pattern of taking common words, like “Organic”, and changing them to suite the needs of their big corporate clients at the expense of the consumer and small farmers.
- Virtually all contamination and food borne illness is introduced at the processing plant and beyond after the animals have left the farm and been slaughtered. This is completely ignored by NAIS. NAIS will not protect our food supply and it is useless for preventing disease. Our small pastoral farms our not a threat to society. Grandma’s egg hen is not a terrorist. To force NAIS on micro-farmers and homesteaders is even more of an absurdity. If the USDA wants to do something to ensure the safety of the American food supply they should fully man their inspection system and crack down on the factory farms and Big Ag-Corps that dump unsafe products on the market and toxic sludge on the land. They are the threat.
- If the meat exporters and big corporate buyers like McDonalds want trace-back let them create their own system which is truly voluntary, market driven and not supported by our tax dollars. Underwriters labs and Consumer Reports are two excellent examples of private organizations that have brought safety to the market place using market driven demand. That’s good old fashion capitalism at work without the need for the heavy handed meddling of Big Brother Government.
NAIS is a 100-lb sledge hammer that will destroy the fine qualities of traditional farming while protecting Big-Ag and factory “farms”. The Talent-Emerson bill fails to protect our traditional rights to farm. Contact your own representatives (see the Contacts section of the right sidebar) to let them know you want a lot more than the Talent-Emerson bill.
-WalterJ
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: SEPTEMBER 12, 2006
FROM: VIRGINIA INDEPENDENT CONSUMERS AND FARMERS ASSOCIATION
RE: PROPOSED LEGISLATION OFFERS BAIT AND SWITCH TO U.S. FARMERS
CONTACT: RICHARD BEAN 434.263.8704
DEBORAH STOCKTON 434.295.7176
Proposed legislation would offer a classic bait and switch to U.S. farmers. A proposed bill would allow exempting animals from a national licensing system who never leave a farm premise, but would allow full requirements at sale barns, butcher shops, or private neighbor-to-neighbor transactions. Obviously, that is not much of an exemption. The Virginia Independent Consumers and Farmers Association says the bill, introduced by Senator Jim Talent and Representative Jo Ann Emerson to ensure the National Animal Identification System (NAIS) is a voluntary program, lacks adequate safeguards. VICFA President Richard Bean commented, “While we appreciate that Senator Talent and Representative Emerson introduced this bill, it leaves uncertainties about the NAIS.”
VICFA says the Talent-Emerson bill would allow the USDA to regulate meatpackers, processors, veterinary or other services farmers must use so that farmers would be required to participate in the identification program to have access to these services. Anyone who did not volunteer could be forced into “volunteering” or face ruin. “If this bill were to become law, the USDA could effectively exempt us and put us out of business at the same time,” says VICFA spokesman and farmer Joel Salatin.
VICFA warns that the bill’s failure to define “voluntary” could be a disaster for family farms, small livestock operations and sustainable agriculture. In September 2005, before the House Agriculture Committee, Canadian and Australian officials testified that the best way to start a mandatory national animal identification program is with a “voluntary” program, then transition to mandatory. The USDA has already advised that small producers will not have to participate as long as an animal never leaves the farm and is consumed on the farm, but virtually no farmers meet this very narrow requirement, most regularly buy and sell livestock. Even homesteaders who produce for themselves often sell their surplus.
In July of 2006 VICFA formed the National Independent Consumers and Farmers Advocates Fund (NICFA Fund) to oppose “any government funded or managed National Identification System.” VICFA says if a program is needed to open foreign markets as the USDA claims, the marketplace will provide the system and the government should not force family farms to pay for a program mainly supported by industrial agricultural interests. VICFA member Deborah Stockton summed up NAIS as, “Just another piece of USDA corporate welfare.”
Mary Zanoni, Ph.D., J.D., of Farm for Life in Canton, New York says, “Section 2 of the proposed bill is extremely detrimental to the opponents of NAIS, in two respects, first, Section 2 purports to create a FOIA exemption for ‘voluntary’ NAIS information. This would allow, for example, Vermont to continue with its premises registration program that was suspended due to FOIA concerns. It also implicitly gives the USDA the ‘cover’ of FOIA protection to continue its current so-called ‘voluntary’ program, which is highly coercive. Second, the very fact that this bill is couched as an ‘amendment’ to the Animal Health Protection Act [AHPA] is a back-door and underhanded way to create arguable congressional ‘approval’ for the oppressive actions the USDA has already taken, under what the USDA claimed to be the authority of the AHPA. As things presently stand, the AHPA gives the USDA no authority to create NAIS. Congress should not create ‘back-door’ authority and underhanded de facto authorization of the USDA’s prior offensive NAIS activities, by purporting to ‘amend’ the AHPA.”
“Let Congress address all NAIS issues openly and above board, in the orderly process of the 2007 Farm Bill,” said Dr. Zanoni.
Walter,
A tangential question, I was called last night (before today’s primary) by a representative for Matt Dunne (Wants to be democrat candidate for VT LT gov). Before they could get rolling, I asked for Dunne’s position on NAIS. They weren’t quite sure, but they said Dunne was horrified about the VT family that lost their flock of sheep. They were completely off base, but I don’t think they really know what NAIS is. They did claim that Dunne has been showing up and speaking at “the rallies”. Has anyone heard Dunne take a position on NAIS? I looked on the Naughty/Nice list and didn’e see him.
Afella (who voted in the primary) inVT
[Yes, Dunne came to the April hearing at the state house and testified against NAIS. I thought I had added him to the Nice List before. I will do so now. -WJ]
Comment Afella in VT — September 12, 2006 @ 7:34 pm
Thanks for the update, Walter. I posted this to Buzzflash.com. Hopefully, we’ll see it in tomorrow’s mailbag.
Comment JV — September 12, 2006 @ 7:48 pm
do these people not know that oie bessie the milk cow,ole fred the boar,big jim the bull,all will grow old and need to go to town?? or do these people think we can just keep these critters around the farm forever? these people put little thought in to the bills that they present,or do they? i do have some good news though,the western livestock journal,sept 11 issue has a artical in it reading,PREMISE ID ABANDONED IN VERMONT ,other states questioning registration process.is that good news or what? it is a start but we must keep the pressure on if we are to win. walter do you have a fax?
[I don’t but postal mail works. -WJ]
Comment NICK LeCOMPTE — September 12, 2006 @ 9:40 pm
I’m so angry at the direction that this world is heading.There is no animal nor any person that needs to be chipped.I vote,if there is chipping to be done,WE THE PEOPLE should chip the ones that are employed by U.S.Citizens,that would include the NAIS pushers.Seems to me,WE THE PEOPLE should keep track of them.THEY ARE ALL OUT OF CONTROL!
Comment Scott — September 13, 2006 @ 12:27 am
Still can’t get the text of Emerson’s bill as printed, but here is Talent’s……Finally!
If anyone cares, the way I see it there are three things that need to be done, the first two the most important.
1) Define Voluntary and constrain the program to that defintion
2) Preclude premesis registration specifically from ever beccoming mandatory
3) Restrain the use of any more federal funds at all for the program.
Regarding number 3, they have done 39 federally funded pilot programs (at least) one of which was funded with 175 million (The FAIR project) plus they have given 86 million to states to set up the infrastructure and we don’t need to spend any more tax payer dollars on anything, especially this.
To me, those three points have to be addressed in any legislation about NAIS or it cannot be considered to possibly be a good thing.
2d Session
S. 3862
To amend the Animal Health Protection Act to prohibit the Secretary of Agriculture from implementing or carrying out a National Animal Identification System or similar requirement, to prohibit the use of Federal funds to carry out such a requirement, and to require the Secretary to protect information obtained as part of any voluntary animal identification system.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
September 7 (legislative day, September 6), 2006
Mr. TALENT introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
A BILL
To amend the Animal Health Protection Act to prohibit the Secretary of Agriculture from implementing or carrying out a National Animal Identification System or similar requirement, to prohibit the use of Federal funds to carry out such a requirement, and to require the Secretary to protect information obtained as part of any voluntary animal identification system.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. PROHIBITION ON MANDATORY ANIMAL IDENTIFICATION PROGRAM.
Section 10409 of the Animal Health Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 8308) is amended by adding at the end the following:
`(c) Prohibition on Mandatory Animal Identification Program- Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary shall not implement or carry out, and no Federal funds shall be used to implement or carry out, a National Animal Identification System, or similar requirement, that mandates the participation of livestock owners.’.
SEC. 2. PROTECTION OF INFORMATION IN A VOLUNTARY ANIMAL IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM.
Section 10409 of the Animal Health Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 8308) (as amended by section 1) is amended by adding at the end the following:
`(d) Protection of Information in a Voluntary Animal Identification System-
`(1) DEFINITION OF ANIMAL IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM- In this subsection, the term `animal identification system’ means a voluntary system for identifying or tracing animals that is established by the Secretary.
`(2) PROTECTION FROM DISCLOSURE-
`(A) IN GENERAL- Information obtained through the animal identification system shall not be disclosed except as provided in this subsection.
`(B) WAIVER OF PRIVILEGE OR PROTECTION- The provision of information to the animal identification system and the disclosure of information in accordance with this subsection shall not constitute a waiver of any applicable privilege or protection under Federal law, including trade secret protection.
`(3) LIMITED RELEASE OF INFORMATION- The Secretary may disclose information obtained through the animal identification system if–
`(A) the Secretary determines that livestock may be threatened by a disease or pest;
`(B) the release of the information is related to actions the Secretary is authorized to take under this subtitle; and
`(C) the Secretary determines that the disclosure of the information to a government entity or person is necessary to assist the Secretary in carrying out the purposes of–
`(i) this subtitle; and
`(ii) the animal identification system.
`(4) MANDATORY DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION- The Secretary shall disclose information obtained through the animal identification system regarding particular animals to–
`(A) the person who owns or controls the animals, if the person requests the information in writing;
`(B) the Attorney General for the purpose of law enforcement;
`(C) the Secretary of Homeland Security for the purpose of homeland security;
`(D) the Secretary of Health and Human Services for the purpose of protecting the public health;
`(E) an entity pursuant to an order of a court of competent jurisdiction; and
`(F) the government of a foreign country if disclosure of the information is necessary to trace animals that pose a disease or pest threat to livestock or a danger to human health, as determined by the Secretary.
`(5) PROHIBITION ON DISCLOSURE UNDER STATE OR LOCAL LAW- Any information relating to animal identification that a State or local government obtains from the Secretary shall not be made available by the State or local government pursuant to State or local law requiring disclosure of information or records to the public.’.
Comment Doreen — September 13, 2006 @ 6:08 am
Scott, about your comment 4. you could not be more right. It is the entire direction this country is taking that is so terrifying. NAIS is only part of a much larger trend. We are on the road to fulfilling UN Agenda 21 and if we don’t awaken the public to that fact and soon, we will all end up herded off the land and fed whatever poison the FDA allows its corporate buddies to put on our food. I say that assuming that you know that high doses of fluoride has been approved for raw foods and a cocktail of six viruses for prepared foods and meats. Anyone who isn’t familiar with that and wants to know more, please email me nwind@povn.com.
Comment Patricia Hampton — September 13, 2006 @ 7:49 am
The Senate version (S 3862) is now up on Thomas at:
link
Since congress is all about “compromise”, it would come as no surprise that they would compromise us right out of existense. There is never a clear-cut, honest piece of legislation that is not full of loopholes and special-interest advantage.
Comment Texas Goat Gal — September 13, 2006 @ 10:04 am
Walter, you’re the man! Thank you, thank you, for this knock-your-socks-off website, and for exposing the lies and corruption of NAIS. I am so happy we don’t have any kool-aid drinkers here when it comes to Big Government deception.
Comment Texas Goat Gal — September 13, 2006 @ 1:04 pm
This bill has flaws and will need major adjustments to really mean anything but more trouble. It’s main good is it brings it to the front and into the open for debate but in present form is no better than what is out there. The worse part is it makes it appear USDA had the authority to pull NAIS on us which it does not.
Clear definitions need to be written into it like Doreen said.
Clear no premise id at all period will be forced now or ever. I have an address. I am a property owner and I am not a stakeholder. I do not chose to have a tag called premise id that can be revoked and make me illegal for owning my own property with future inserts and demands to have a premise id yet to be written just like the IRS codes growing to unreal levels over the years.
Separate agriculture from corporate ag. I do agriculture not corporate ag. Hobby farms, self use raisers, back yard hens, locally grown clearly exempt and protected with right to farm written clearly in and untouchable. If corporate ag wants to have some trace back program with tags fine, they can do their own thing but leave it totally up to each owner to chose.
No sneaky compulsory program. Example, I do not have to buy car insurance by choosing not to drive. If I chose to drive then it is compulsory to have insurance. Voluntary to have insurance but mandatory to have it to drive. So the entire program must mean no compulsory, mandatory or any other make it where NAIS affects me or anyone else that chooses to have animals and not have premise ID or tags or expensive reporting, computer programs or anything else connected to NAIS.
No federal funding for NAIS. Those who chose to play …pay but those who don’t chose to play….do not pay one red cent. That is true consumer driven not NIAA/USDA non consumer driven. The 73 of the 100 that voted for Mandatory at the NIAA MO. Meeting are not consumers but those who stand to gain while consumers lose and everyone else but NIAA and corporate ag loses.
Limits need to be placed on USDA as regulator when they clearly are competing with those they regulate and favor those who also benefit from regulations that stifle competition in their favor.
It is amazing that corporate ag, packers can be self policed get tainted products USDA certified and we are hounded like criminals with unrealistic regulations and costs. Packers made at least four known mistakes under their self police rules that killed exports.
Not one of my animals killed exports and none of the animals the packers slaughtered killed exports….their self-policed, USDA certified packaged meats did it. Exports were restarted without NAIS and will continue without NAIS.
Test every animal going to the packers and process correctly and keep the beef parts out of the chicken boxes and bone out of the boneless and exports and health will do just fine. Consumers will keep a clear choice of locally grown foods, self use grown foods and hobby farms will be free to prosper.
The food supply stays out of monopoly control of a few and safer for all. Remember Creekstone with only 1% of the packing business is still being blocked by USDA by a bogus 1913 hog cholera law so the big 4 packers won’t have to clean up their acts. Creekstone was stopped to favor the big boys and lost 4 billion in exports and countless US taxpaying jobs.
So the Talent bill is a start but far from the satisfactory ending we all can live and prosper under. We have to stay unified, on track and not take our eyes off the end results we can live with under this bill and 2007 farm bill. The fight has just begun. We are at the table. So lets stay united and focused and turn that table into our table.
Comment Sue Karber — September 13, 2006 @ 11:37 pm
This bill is better than nothing right now. There are many flaws in it and things we don’t agree with, however; the bill would essentially cut off funding for a mandatory NAIS. When the bill reaches the ag committee then we can get some things changed. The points regarding the FOIA aren’t that important in that your personal information will remain private unless you “volunteer” it.
It’s easier to make changes once a bill has been introduced and since it’s an election year this is our chance. Evidently they are hearing us. Let’s don’t blow this one. Time is of the essence and even though this bill might just sit in committee and never be heard there are already 3 bills sitting in committee authorizing a “mandatory” NAIS. This is a start in our favor. Not perfect, but at least it’s something we can build on.
Comment Pam Cantwell — September 14, 2006 @ 11:17 am
I just tried to e-mail Jo Ann Emerson about HR6042 (it is on thomas.gov now), and I received this message, “zip authorization failed”. I then called her D.C. office and was told that only e-mails from her district were accepted, but we could give comments by phone. He gave me the usual on NAIS, and said they are waiting to see what the USDA’s plan will be. Her telephone number is (202) 225-4404. A few days ago my e-mail to Senator Talent went through fine.
Comment Texas Goat Gal — September 15, 2006 @ 10:07 am
I faxed all the senators, reps., media and everyone else I could get a fax number for late night ( cheaper rates) with my views. Only O’Rilley, Hannity, Limbaugh types would not go through but all the other media places did and those that had no fax number I emailed or the fax did not work. If you email be sure if you do multiples that you BCC and not a full heading of others you emailed. I tend to do personal ones directed at that person.
Send all your friends and realatives and anyone else you can muster to do faxes, emails and calls also.
Comment Sue Karber — September 15, 2006 @ 2:55 pm
We need to stop complaining about S3862 and HR6042 and get to work turning them into something that we can live with. Since we are not going to volunteer, we need to concern ourselves with Section I and let the nit wits who may volunteer worry about Section II.
I plan on meeting with Senator Lincoln, who is on the Ag. Committee and asking her to submit 2 amendments to S3862.
The first would be a definition for voluntary: “Voluntary means acting or done of one’s own free will without valuable consideration, legal obligation, or implied obligation.”
The other amendment would be to add in (c) after National Animal Identification System, “Farm Premises Identification”.
I can live with these two changes and I think we can get them. I doubt that we could get more changes. We will not be able to get this out of the AHPA, so let’s stay on the offensive and get these 2 simple amendments.
Jane Williams
Comment Jane Williams — September 15, 2006 @ 11:52 pm
Check out under List Discussions, right sidebar, Able Farm and Range, and see two other analyses on these bills. Comment #2, “Senator Talent Introduces Measure to Prohibit Mandatory Animal ID”, is by the Virginia Land Rights Coalition, and #8, “NAIS Prohibition Bill Analysis (S3862)”, appears to be written by Henry Lamb(?). I briefly read both and am more confused than ever. I have not been able to think of anything else since these bills were released, and I have a knot in the pit of my stomach right now. I hope we are not being sold out somehow. How can there be so many different theories. If we have amendments to amendments to amendments, then who can accurately interpret any of it.
Comment Texas Goat Gal — September 16, 2006 @ 8:19 am
Okay, here is probably where I am going to pi** off some of you, and you may never want me on this website again. You have read my comments before where I have stated I don’t trust anyone who holds the destiny of our country in their hands. I have been holding this article aside in a stack of others for just the right time to post it, if that time ever came. For those of you who read Able Farm and Range, comment #8 by Henry Lamb, I want to say first that his analysis may be entirely right. He is definitely more educated on most points than I am, but I know that I do NOT have an agenda, other than to preserve what little is left of this Republic, and hopefully, in my lifetime, to see more of our freedoms regained. Does he have a different agenda? I don’t know. Many of us have expressed on this website that we know both political parties are knowingly destroying this country. The title of this article is “Republicans: Don’t Give Up on ‘W’ Now!” by Henry Lamb. The most telling statement in this article is the last paragraph:
“If conservatives give up, throw in the towel and fail to show up for the November battle, the Democrats will win by default. Conservatives who truly believe that freedom is better than socialism, those who want freedom for their children rather than a world socialist government, will never, never, never, never give up.”
Right here, for the first time on the web, I am going to declare that I am a conservative - some might say very conservative. But that does not make me a Socialist Republican, a neocon, or the “z” word that journalists and politicians want to avoid uttering. Of course, I am not a Socialist Democrat, either. So, I am concerned and angry that Mr. Lamb feels socialism will not thrive under ‘W’, and his loyalties are in question for me. It is my opinion that when the right time comes along, our government will GLADLY embrace the Kyoto Protocol, which I believe will be yet another blow to our once-fine Republic. In fact, that is exactly why it will be embraced.
Please excuse my passionate outburst here, but I am right now crying and about to blow a fuse at the same time. I will understand if I am black-balled here, even though I hope that will not happen. Long live the Republic!
link
Mr. Lamb, with all his apparent research on vast topics, cannot be ignorant of the two-party march to oblivion. I vote, but I vote for the man/woman, not the party.
Comment Texas Goat Gal — September 16, 2006 @ 10:33 am
The Amendment proposal to NAIS is a “deception” most likely to do at minimum 2 things.
1. Divide the present opposition to NAIS, by “hanging a carrot” on a string in front of them, just like a farmer does to his donkey, to get it moving down the road a “certain” direction, when it does not want to go.
2. The political people see, we are gaining ground in stopping the NAIS, and by throwing in a “monkey wrench” into the mix, it buys the political’s time to get re-elected; because of our time diverted to “changing” or amending a bad product, designed to do nothing substantive anyway.
It is a “roost.”
Throw the dog a bone in a different direction to get the dog off the path of progress, the thrower (political’s) do not like. If there is more than one dog present(NoNaiser’s), then the bone thrown may cause them to, fight among themselves for the bone that was just unfit “scrap” (of legislation) anyway.
Get centered people. and some courage to follow-thru, not to be diverted on a scrap bone. Stop it, don’t try and fix it. If it was worth it’s salt, it would have been done right the first time. It’s a “roost.”
Write the Congress, and say NO to NAIS, PERIOD! Or seek another election somewhere else cause I am voting YOU OUT!
Dean A. Ayers
Glenwood, Iowa 51534
DeanOSI @netscape.com
IOWANS AGAINST NAIS
NAIS is Exactly the “WRONG” Answer!
PS Just VOTE, “NO” to Deadwood Politicians, who won’t say “NO” to NAIS, PERIOD!
Comment DeanAFOSI (IOWA) — September 16, 2006 @ 10:53 am
Everyone, it’s easy to make a buck, kicking a spirited farm dog when it’s down. That’s what the USDA are doing with NAIS; with Congressional Body Member’s apathy or blessing, they call themselves, fattened up elephants and hungry-ass donkeys, but to me, they all “look alike.”
It’s a lot tougher to make a difference, for the People, than for themselves.
Throughout the centuries there were men, some call them U.S. Patriots, who took first steps, down new roads, armed with nothing but their own “vision.”
Just like them, only now it’s for real in “our” lifetime, to put the world right and in order, we must first put the nation in order; to put the nation in order, we must first put the NoNais family in order; to put the NoNais family in order, we must first cultivate our personal life; we must first set our hearts right, and be tolerant of each other in the family with respect. That “is” what freedom is about.
In order to succeed, in fighting the USDA, Congress, and the NAIS, we must first believe that we can.
Instead of giving myself reasons why I can’t, I give myself reasons why I can.
It doesn’t matter how many say it cannot be done or how many people have tried it before; it’s important to realize that whatever you’re doing, it’s your first attempt at fighting this NAIS monster-folly.
Boys, there ain’t no free lunches in this country. And don’t go spending your whole life commiserating that you got the raw deals. You’ve got to say, I think that if I keep working at this and want it bad enough I can have it. It’s called NoNais perseverance.
By perseverance the snail reached the ark, before the waters drowned him.
I “believe” and “testify” to you all, that “We the People,” you and I, together,
can Stop this Tyranny of the USDA, and defeat Incumbent “deadwood” Legislator’s, selling us all out for “profiteers!”
It takes but one positive thought when given a chance to survive and thrive to overpower an entire army of negative thoughts.
That one positive thought is:
Stop the National Animal Identification System (NAIS), it’s funding, it’s folly, and it’s going to happen, by God; and NoNais people, WILL MAKE THIS HAPPEN! PERIOD! NO COMPROMISES! NO DEALS! NO NAIS! PERIOD!
This NAIS may be a nightmare, but “I HAVE A DREAM OF FREEDOM!”
I say: “I have had dreams and I have had nightmares, but I have conquered my nightmares because of my dreams.”
“I believe in you “all” and that “WE” will succeed in defeating the NAIS and Tyranny!” PERIOD!
You only learn the true meaning of “courage” after the fourth or fifth “action;” try, at succeeding to Fight off the Oppressor.”
I say: “Let’s Roll!”
Dean A. Ayers
Glenwood, Iowa 51534
DeanOSI @netscape.com
IOWANS AGAINST NAIS
NAIS is Exactly the “WRONG” Answer!
Just VOTE, “NO” to Deadwood Politicians, who won’t say “NO” to NAIS! PERIOD!
Comment DeanAFOSI (IOWA) — September 16, 2006 @ 3:15 pm
I just got back from the NJ Small Farm and Country Living Expo. One educational program dealing with “Emerging Issues” was NAIS for Youth and Adults. One would think that implies some amount of debate on an issue. But that was not the case. The speaker showed a presentation that is presented to 4H members (I was a member in my youth)to “encourage their parents” to participate in this “voluntary” program. Appalled, doesn’t even come close to how I felt about a great organization being used to brainwash our children and have them pressure their parents into a program the children can’t comprehend the consequences of. “Give me one generation of youth and I will transform the entire world!” -Lenin
The speaker was shocked to know that anyone was less than thrilled with this program. I believe there was one couple who bought into it out of all in attendance! The rest of us were quite verbal with our disapproval.
Comment Deb Glaser — September 16, 2006 @ 7:28 pm
Hi Deb,
Print this one out to show the 4H what is coming next:
Tracking Junior With a Microchip
Comment Breederville — September 16, 2006 @ 10:58 pm
Following up on my comment #15, the article referred to in that comment can officially be found at:
link
In addition, Mr. Lamb has a new article “Animal ID Opponents Gaining Steam”, in which he says:
“Karin Berenger, an Ohio attorney, who is also a founding member of the Liberty Ark Coalition’s steering committee, had this to say about the Talent-Emerson bills: ‘This is a real step forward. The grass-roots community has been working hard to get legislators to pay attention to this intrusive program USDA has been trying to implement.’ He did not mention any of their reservations to Talent-Emerson, just this one reference to Liberty Ark.
link
Also, today on Able Farm and Ranch, right sidebar, there is an “Information Alert: Model State Legislation Available” from Liberty Ark.
And to Mary Z., BRAVO, well said.
Comment Texas Goat Gal — September 17, 2006 @ 8:59 am
Texas Goat Gal, Well said. You got me fired up. I too get tired of politicians playing mind games with titles “Liberal vs Conservative” and meaning “what?” The only title I respect any more is “Defender of Liberty” I personally am very “liberal” in the sense of allowing personal liberty to grow and blossom from sea to sea, each person reveling in freedom and very “conservative” when it comes to allowing anyone/anything to restrict any individuals personal liberty. Anyone in politics who does not hold the personal liberty of the individual higher and more sacred than the interests of the “state” has failed from the git-go and will not be a person to entrust with power, vote them out! Power has a way of screwing up a person, it has to be held not by the govt but by individual people, we have entrusted our liberty to others (always a bad idea) who do not understand the value of the individual “seperate” from the state, so they make laws that hurt the individual while supposedly benefiting the masses, the problem with that is when the smallest unit is damaged the whole is also damaged. There just ain’t no way around it. We as individuals must come to a place in our lives where we say this is the line, I will not retreat any further, this must happen in our personal lives, in our relationships with people and it must happen in how we relate to the govt and businesses that effect our lives. It is not easy I never said it would be, but slavery is not easy either, and to any extent that you as a person are not in charge of your own life, you are enslaved, I know some folks don’t want to hear that ,sorry I just call it as I see it. We did not arrive at this crisis overnight, it was foisted on us over the last 150 years, a bit here, a bit there, until we woke up and found things like NAIS and National ID cards and the IRS and ATF and a Dept of Homeland Security……..ad nauseum. Lets keep on fighting this fight, doing all we can within the system to defeat the grasping hand of the govi/corp and if we can beat them, then all is well, if not then understand there will be some hard choices to make for each of us who love liberty and only want to live free and see America restored, but lets cross that bridge when/if we have to. Remember; “When in the course of human events it becomes nessesary…..”nessesary” is fast approaching!
Comment LEE — September 17, 2006 @ 8:02 pm
Finally we get our foot in the door with some, any bill which shows at least the elected offal are hearing us and thinking about NAIS. Please let’s not shoot ourselves in that foot by belly-aching too much about the short falls in the bill as it stands now…
Is the bill perfect? No, not yet and even though none of us trust politicians, we have to stay on top of this but there is a right way and wrong way to do it…
If we want to get legislation adopted to stop NAIS, we’re going to have to work with them. This does not mean compromising principles, but it does mean being willing to talk and negotiate. Getting the perfect bill will be lots of back and forth, rewritng, re-wording, it does not happen overnight…law making process is a long , drawn-out process with many discussions that take lots of time…
The Talent/Emerson bill is the first bill proposed that, on its face, rejects the idea of a mandatory animal ID system. This flat, simple
rejection of a mandatory program directly contradicts the other bills and gives us a basis, that “foot in the door” to fight a mandatory program within the legislative process.
Does The Talent/Emerson bill do everything we need? No! it does not define all the ways that a “voluntary” program
can still cause problems for animal owners. We definitely need to make sure the bill will address these issues. That is part of the bill making process by adding amendments to the Talent bill or asking another legislator to introduce another bill into the mix.
BUT if the politicians see us as whining and not wanting to
negotiate or be part of the process they have to go through, then fewer of them will be willing to listen to us, because there’s no advantage to offering a bill if
they’re just going to get attacked for not introducing the perfect bill.
NO BILL STARTS OUT PERFECT… that is the problem with the USDA…they think they have the perfect system and are not willing to change it no matter what we say…at least the legislators have heard our voices!!!
We have worked hard and long to make NAIS an election issue
specifically so that we can get legislators to pay more attention. That’s unfortunately the game you have to play…the political game We are wanting to protect our long standing traditions to own and use our livestock and keep our privacy…the legislative process is a tradition also that goes back over 200 years. We must work within that framework.
So instead of all the outcry, we need to thank them for their working to get any bill at all then help them in the process of getting it worded so it will be an effective bill…
That is why lobbyists are successful, they wine and dine the ones they want to influence, not razz them for being imperfect…sb
Comment S BARACKMAN — September 18, 2006 @ 11:52 am
As a follow-up to comment #20, here is the link to the “Proposed Model Legislation” from Liberty Ark from the Able Farm and Ranch website:
link
Or it can be found on Liberty Ark under Citizen Action Tools. They are asking for input, and I probably should mention it on their website first, however, I am wanting to start a dialogue, and since this Proposed Model Legislation is not mentioned on their homepage, I’m afraid not many will see it. I definitely want to see added to Sec.3.Definitions., a definition of “voluntary” in strict, narrow terms (not vague like “peace” also meaning “lack of resistance”. Actually, “voluntary” is not under their “Definitions” category at all. Also, under Sec.5.Voluntary Nature of any Premises or Animal Registration System, I would like to see more emphasis on NO mandatory premise ID.
Sorry to introduce my changes to the public, but we must be bold in these times.
I’m charged up too, Lee, by everyone’s determination.
Comment Texas Goat Gal — September 18, 2006 @ 6:56 pm