Update: The real world was not kind to the USDA’s plans for NAIS. It is now January 2010 and NAIS is still pretty much dead in the water. According to the USDA’s plans NAIS was supposed to be fully implemented by now. The reality is:
Premises ID has not been implemented.
Animal Tagging has not been implemented.
Animal Tracking has not been implemented.
Over 90% of farmers and consumers were vehemently against NAIS both in independent polls and at the USDA’s own listening sessions in 2009.
Congress has defunded NAIS.
Proponents of NAIS, who benefit by selling tags and market monopolies through Big Ag, continue to promote NAIS quietly looking for back doors through which they might slip the noose over the necks of free farmers and consumers. Be vigilant and keep supporting small-scale local agriculture. That is where food security lies.

Timeline Facts

Beginning in 2002 - Using the 9/11 terrorist scare and the threat of BSE (mad cow disease) the USDA lobbied for more control and power.

April 2005 - USDA issued “Draft Strategic Plan and Draft Program Standards” for public comment. The public comment period for those documents ended in early July 2005. Virtually nobody in the “public” knew about the comment period or NAIS at this point. The USDA and its big stakeholders (Big Agri-Biz) have kept it all very hush-hush so that people would not resist this usurpation of private property and rights.

January 2006 - NAIS based rules implemented in Texas and Wisconsin. no exceptions. Later Texas backs down due to strong grass roots opposition.

April 2006 - USDA releases updated document saying NAIS will be voluntary for now if we are good and all signup. See Mafia Style “Voluntary” article. Required compliance level looks to be 100% - see page 3 of April 2006 USDA document.

June 2006 - USDA releases “Guide to Small Non-Commercial Producers” which appears to be an attempt to reassure homesteaders. I feel ill.

July 2006 - USDA to issue rules setting forth the requirements for NAIS premises registration, animal identification, and animal tracking. This is a crucial time for consumers, homesteaders, pet owners and small farmers who will be harmed by NAIS. There will be a limited public comment period after publication of the rules, and objections expressed in the public comments may persuade the USDA to modify, or abandon, some requirements. Mark your calendars and start taking action now! Cancelled by the USDA - See this article.

July 1, 2006 - Premises registration will be compulsory in Texas Postponed by Texas due to strong opposition by small farmers and homesteaders at TAHC meetings.

Fall 2007 - USDA to publish final rules of mandatory NAIS.

January 2008 - Premise ID and Animal ID become mandatory nationwide. It is already mandatory in some states, including Wisconsin and Texas starting January 2006. USDA backs off of mandatory due to massive grassroots opposition.

January 1st, 2009 - Animal tracking, logging and reporting components of NAIS become mandatory. Strict enforcement, fines, inspections of properties and confiscation of livestock can be done by the USDA or state government without trial or legal hearings. Since mandatory Premise ID and Animal ID were put on hold the Animal Tracking component of NAIS is not implemented. The Monstersanto’s representative from Connecticut is upset.

January 2nd, 2009 - U.S.A. christens the rise of the new Nazi era because Republicans, Democrats and Independents failed to stand up for their rights while they still could. All food production is controlled by the Govi-Corp conglomerate and pets are outlawed. Our Bill of Rights is retired and burned for kindling. The US Constitution is rewritten giving hereditary power to the Presidency under the Patriot Act. Voting is abolished and Congress is disbanded.

April 2009 - New head of the USDA, Secretary Tom Vilsack, initiates Listening sessions to get more feedback from more than just the big producers. Send him your comments. Now is your time to be heard.

August 2009 - USDA listening sessions on NAIS end. The response was overwhelmingly against NAIS with almost 100% of the people speaking out against the program. Congress defunds NAIS rejecting the USDA’s budget requests for the program and giving them just enough money to wind down the failed project.

August 2009 - NIAA continues to push for NAIS despite massive opposition from both the public and farmers. Big Ag exporters and other special interest groups who would benefit from taxpayer funding of such a mandatory system have not given up, yet.

September 2009 - Indiana violates USDA policy on NASS data privacy using the information to push NAIS. Will the USDA actually stand behind their policies and prosecute Indiana or is this a new way of pushing NAIS being used by the USDA with the state government as a front man?

September 2009 - Some states have begun returning grant money they had received to fund NAIS saying that it is not worth the costs. NAIS is floating like a dead fish whirling in the waste stream towards the drain.

February 5th, 2010 - USDA Secretary Vilsack formally announces that they are abandoning NAIS and will focus instead on less onerous disease tracking after getting feedback from farmers and consumers who almost universally rejected NAIS. We will see what exactly the new initiatives involve. Hopefully they will be truly voluntary, focus on real problems such as import quarantine, education and CAFOs, put the burden on the big producers where it belongs and not burden small farmers and homesteaders.