Guest guest Posted October 19, 2005 Report Share Posted October 19, 2005 Sorry, I don't understand why you think this is a `death knell'. >>> >If this sort of thing had already been in place for all cattle, not just dairy, it would prevent a modern day version cattle rustling (aka bait and switch). Yes, cattle rustling is still alive and well in the lace>Midwestlace>. This I know based on the last I heard about an ongoing extensive investigation that the USDA and several other official offices are involved and to which hundred of " small guys " have been affected.>> Btw.. I'm not actually a " farmer type " - well not yet anyway - but I am related to one of those smaller guys so I'm a bit biased on this issue considered what I've read about it so far. > > Are you aware of the National Animal Identification System (NAIS) due > to become mandatory by Jan 2008? Every animal that you grow for your > own use, for fun or food, will have to be tagged at your expense, with > GPS. The infomation keepers will not be the government. The USDA is > working on privatizing the system. > > This is a death knell to those of us who rely on locally grown and > raised food. I can understand the big mega-producers having to keep > track of where their animals come from or go to, but the small guy? > > Here's the direct link to the USDA's site with the spin > http://animalid.aphis.usda.gov/nais/index.shtml > > If you would like more information I've got some posted on my blog > http://henwhisperer.blogspot.com/ > > This is not good, folks. > > Sharon in VT > > PS for any Vermonters: Leahy was the co-author of the originial bill > and has not returned my phone calls or email inquiries, which is quite > different for him. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 20, 2005 Report Share Posted October 20, 2005 Re: For you farmer types Sorry, I don't understand why you think this is a `death knell'. >>> Yes - I'm not sure why this is so bad, either. GPS transmitters are relatively cheap and potentially reusable, and the public-health value seems promising. Small guys do get disease sometimes, too. Are there potential uses I'm not aware of that make you nervous? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 20, 2005 Report Share Posted October 20, 2005 When I first read about this system I shared your opinion on this national animal id system, - on first look it seemed like a good way to get a handle on potentially threatening livestock diseases. However after reading more about it I began to think that it has some problems that are large enough to negate any possible benefits. In addition to the costs which farmers will have to pay, my concern is how it will impact small family farmers who are direct marketing and who are central to the development of local food systems. Ultimately local food production and distribution is how we will attain food security. Animal products sold directly off the farm from farmer to consumer are not the same as animal products which centrally processed in plants which take in animals or products from hundreds or thousands of farms and truck animals and products all over the country. Regulations which are applied to all types of farming and processing without consideration of scale and type of farming just don't seem sensible to me. In my opinion, this id system, and the other regulations which impact the sale of farm raised and on farm processed products, need to be sensitive to the scale of the farm, and to the type of relationship that the farmer has with the person buying and eating the food. I am also concerned about the gradual erosion of our consitutional rights. I seem to recall a quote from lin... that our rights are taken away a little at a time, and " always for a good reason " . Our increasing culture of fear and national seeking for " safety " and " security " can easily blind us to the steady loss of our constitutional rights. My response to this need for safety and security is to get to know my neighbors better, to see how we can work together locally to assure a local supply of food, not to rely on the government (or a private national organization) to do surveillance of all the farmers and pet owners in the country. What can we do on a local basis to help assure food security? What can we do on a state level? What can I do in my own neighborhood? After this system is implemented you may find that your local sources of pasture fed meat will be gone. Sharon > > Re: For you farmer types > > Sorry, I don't understand why you think this is a `death knell'. >>> > > Yes - I'm not sure why this is so bad, either. GPS transmitters are relatively cheap and potentially reusable, and the public-health value seems promising. Small guys do get disease sometimes, too. > > Are there potential uses I'm not aware of that make you nervous? > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 20, 2005 Report Share Posted October 20, 2005 What will this do the 4H-ers?? Sounds like it would even apply to them? And if I decided to have a pet pygmy goat?? Take care, Alice - HSing mom to Alice (DS) born Thanksgiving Day 1995 :-) Hopewell Junction, NY http://users.bestweb.net/~castella castella@... Re: For you farmer types When I first read about this system I shared your opinion on this national animal id system, - on first look it seemed like a good way to get a handle on potentially threatening livestock diseases. However after reading more about it I began to think that it has some problems that are large enough to negate any possible benefits. In addition to the costs which farmers will have to pay, my concern is how it will impact small family farmers who are direct marketing and who are central to the development of local food systems. Ultimately local food production and distribution is how we will attain food security. Animal products sold directly off the farm from farmer to consumer are not the same as animal products which centrally processed in plants which take in animals or products from hundreds or thousands of farms and truck animals and products all over the country. Regulations which are applied to all types of farming and processing without consideration of scale and type of farming just don't seem sensible to me. In my opinion, this id system, and the other regulations which impact the sale of farm raised and on farm processed products, need to be sensitive to the scale of the farm, and to the type of relationship that the farmer has with the person buying and eating the food. I am also concerned about the gradual erosion of our consitutional rights. I seem to recall a quote from lin... that our rights are taken away a little at a time, and " always for a good reason " . Our increasing culture of fear and national seeking for " safety " and " security " can easily blind us to the steady loss of our constitutional rights. My response to this need for safety and security is to get to know my neighbors better, to see how we can work together locally to assure a local supply of food, not to rely on the government (or a private national organization) to do surveillance of all the farmers and pet owners in the country. What can we do on a local basis to help assure food security? What can we do on a state level? What can I do in my own neighborhood? After this system is implemented you may find that your local sources of pasture fed meat will be gone. Sharon > > Re: For you farmer types > > Sorry, I don't understand why you think this is a `death knell'. >>> > > Yes - I'm not sure why this is so bad, either. GPS transmitters are relatively cheap and potentially reusable, and the public-health value seems promising. Small guys do get disease sometimes, too. > > Are there potential uses I'm not aware of that make you nervous? > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 21, 2005 Report Share Posted October 21, 2005 Sadly, yes, the 4-H will be included in the system. Horse owners, too, even though horses aren't legal as food in this country, I've learned during the course of my study of the issue, our export of horse meat is brisk and the USDA hopes to increase revenue by exporting more horse meat to those countries where is it consumed. So, if you have a horse or a pygmy goat or any other animal group mentioned in the draft, and it gets away from you, you've got 48 hours to report its movement. Mandatory. Sharon > > > > Re: For you farmer types > > > > Sorry, I don't understand why you think this is a `death knell'. >>> > > > > Yes - I'm not sure why this is so bad, either. GPS transmitters are > relatively cheap and potentially reusable, and the public-health value > seems promising. Small guys do get disease sometimes, too. > > > > Are there potential uses I'm not aware of that make you nervous? > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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