Posted on 06/26/2006 2:40:12 PM PDT by pubwvj
[This is a beautiful example of how our government loves to spin the truth and hide their lies. My comments are in bracketed italics. Thank you to Carol for sending this to me so I would have the chance to address this issue. -WalterJ]
This was sent to a horse Group I am a member of and from which I receive a news letter. This was sent in the newsletter I received this week - Hey fellow Texans - open wide - they are trying to shove the brussels sprouts down disguised as ice cream. Don't know about y'all, but I ain't that dumb and the blonde only goes to the roots! -Carol
The Texas Animal Health Commission has a new brochure to help "de-myth" some of the rumors and misinformation about premises and animal identification. If you would like to have free copies, please let me know how many, and provide your name and mailing address, please. Carla Everett, TAHC
The text of the brochure is below:
For more info, or to schedule an ID presentation, call the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) -800-550-8242
In a Nutshell: NAIS
The National Animal Identification System (NAIS) is designed to provide the capacity to rapidly identify all animals and premises (sites) that have had direct contact with a disease. NAIS consists of three components:
1. Premises (or site) identification
2. Animal identification
3. Animal tracking.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has set "benchmarks" for completing each component of the program. By January 2007, 25 percent of the country's premises are to be registered. By January 2008--70 percent of the premises are to be signed up, and by January 2009, the three components are to be fully functioning.
Premises Identification
The program is national, but each state is responsible for implementing premises identification. Premises are locations where livestock or fowl are handled, managed, housed, or processed.
The Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC), as of May 2006, has implemented premises identification on a voluntary basis. Proposed regulations for mandatory identification were "tabled" until at least 2007.
Identifying a premises involves obtaining a seven-character alpha-numeric "identifier" for the farm, ranch, veterinary clinic or other site where livestock or fowl are handled, housed, managed or processed. Signing up can be accomplished on the TAHC web site or by mail.
Information requested includes the contact person's name, phone number, the premises' physical address, and a list of species raised on the site. Acreage or herd or flock size is not requested.
Animal Identification
This component of the NAIS will "come on line" gradually, and will involve identifying livestock and fowl that are moved from their premises of origin (place of birth). Depending on the species of animal, the identification may be accomplished with a tag, band, microchip, radio frequency identification device (RFID tag) or other form of identification.
Animal Tracking
Animal tracking databases, approved by the USDA and operated by companies, associations or other entities, will hold livestock and fowl movement information. This data will be accessed by animal health regulatory agencies for disease control purposes.
Dispelling Rumors, Myths & Misinformation
[And adding a whole lot more misinformation of their own... -WJ]
I've got only one animal, so why do I need to have my premises identified? Your one animal may be as susceptible to disease as the herd or flock with hundreds. In the event of disease, state and federal animal health veterinarians and inspectors must ensure that all disease is stamped out. Going door-to-door to locate susceptible animals that must be tested or vaccinated is inefficient and costly!
[Ah, so they want to shift the costs onto us... -WJ]
Wouldn't you want to know if a disease incident occurs in your area, so you can take proper precautions? Identifying all premises enables an efficient and effective response to disease.
[It should be voluntary and small dispersed livestock holdings are not a threat to society. Large factory farms are a threat. Just ask their neighbors. -WJ]
I read that dogs and cats are included. No. The NAIS involves livestock, fowl and poultry. Some of the species included are cattle, horses, swine, sheep, goats, exotic hoof stock, chickens, turkeys.
[Cats, dogs, parakeets, etc are being included in some states (MD, PA, etc) and the USDA is leaving its options open to include them in the future. -WJ]
All chickens will be microchipped! NAIS does not include plans for microchipping chickens. When animal identification goes into effect, an identifying wing band or leg band would suffice for movement of birds, or for commingling birds from different flocks.
[Actually, this is an outright lie as well as misdirection. The people are worried about having to tag all chickens, less so if it is a microchip, leg band or wing band. A leg band with a readable 15 digit number as required by NAIS is pretty huge. Leg bands must be replaced periodically as the birds grow from a few ounces as a chick to six to eight pounds. That means many leg bands per bird at a cost of $3 per tag. Even if the tags were 1/10th that cost you would still need a half dozen over the live of the bird. By law you will not be allowed to remove or change a animal's tag. This makes the leg bands impossible in the real world. Why is that deskjockies are getting to make our laws? They have no concepts of the realities of farming and dealing with animals. Small farmers and homesteaders will be burdened with these costs and wastes of their time all for nothing. Meanwhile, big factory farms will get to use a single Group ID (GID) for tens of thousands of animals and won't be required to do any tagging or leg banding. NAIS favors the big operators and is the death knell of small farmers and homesteaders. -WJ]
Someone said I have to register my premises, because I have a parakeet. No. Persons who owns birds kept as house pets do not need to register their premises, if they do not propagate birds for sale or trade. In a bird disease situation, these birds may be tested and may come under the same movement restrictions as other fowl.
[This is a lie again. Some states (MD and possibly TX) are requiring house birds to be registered. Until the regulations say not, they are included. Just because you keep a cow in your kitchen does not exempt you from NAIS. -WJ]
Owners of aviaries and bird breeders or sellers should register their premises.
[Which is how they'll get you if nothing else. Watch those definitions. -WJ]
I have to identify my pet animals...or my animals used for MY food! No. If your animals are raised for your own use, and they don't leave the premises (site) you won't need to identify them.
[So you won't be able to get new summer pigs, a new calf, a new lamb, a new goat, new chicks, etc. You can't take an animal to the vet. You can't take an animal to the slaughter house. Again the government lies with distraction and disinformation. NAIS or NAzIS? They are making it illegal to own livestock unless you have a government license. -WJ]
When animal identification goes into effect, only the animals that leave their premises of origin will be identified. If you haul your calf, pig or other animals to the local slaughter plant for custom processing for your consumption, the animal may not need to be identified.
[That is not what it states in the NAIS draft regulations. Read the USDA's own documents for the full story. Again the government is lying. The written word is the law, or the regulation in this case, and that is what they will use when they fine you at the rate of $1,000 per day. -WJ]
Reports say you're going to charge $1,000 a day for not participating! Premises identification is voluntary now.
[Note two things: 1) they don't deny the fines and 2) the "now" clause they love adding to what they say. In the future Premises ID and NAIS will be mandatory if they get their way. See the time line and the USDA's new April 2006 documents. If we don't volunteer they'll draft us - see page three of the April docs. In Texas the fines are $1,000 per day. -WJ]
The TAHC is a regulatory agency and has administrative penalty provisions in its law as a recourse for persons who refuse to comply with livestock and poultry health regulations. The administrative penalties apply to all TAHC regulations and are imposed by an administrative law judge only after an individual has been issued a warning, provided opportunity for compliance, and allowed a hearing.
[That isn't what the statues say. § 341.048 states quite clearly that the penalties are $1,000 per day per incident. § 341.048. CIVIL ENFORCEMENT. (a) A person may not cause, suffer, allow, or permit a violation of this subchapter or a rule or order adopted under this subchapter. (b) A person who causes, suffers, allows, or permits a violation under this subchapter shall be assessed a civil penalty of not less than $50 nor more than $1,000 for each violation. Each day of a continuing violation is a separate violation.
Once they institute Animal ID each of your untagged or unregistered animals may constitute a separate violation. Let's say you have a dozen hens. That's $12,000 per day. $84,000 per week. They can hold off charging you and then drag out the process so that before you know it the fines will be more than the value of your livestock. Then more than your home. These penalties would destroy small producers and individuals but are a minor annoyance to big producers who will just pay them and consider them to be a cost of doing business if they don't want to comply. Of course, the big producers will comply since for them it is so easy to do with their Group ID's. No tagging necessary. Minimal paperwork. Mega-profits. Less competition. NAIS is a heaven sent for the big Agri-Biz corporations. -WJ]
This ID program was made just to benefit the "big producer!" The average cattle herd size in Texas is less than 35! There are many, many producers in Texas who have only a few animals. This program includes all producers.
[Yes, the average producer is going to be nailed to the wall by NAIS's costs. Check out this article about the Costs of Compliance. Notice that the cost per head for your average producer with 35 cattle is $30 to $70. That's per head per year! $1,000 to $2,500 a year! This makes it rather unprofitable for small producers to stay in business. The big producers will be able to drive the small producers, your average producer, out of business using NAIS to raise their overhead. This will let the big producers suck-up the market share of the small average producers. Once the competition is gone the big producers can raise prices on food to their hearts content. -WJ]
I don't sell overseas; why should I care about animal ID? In today's global economy, product from the animal you sell at the local livestock market could end up on the dinner table in one of many countries.
[Get real! The food you raise for yourself is not going to show up on the dinner table in many other countries - you hope! If it does somebody's been rustling your cattle! Even if you are a small farmer selling direct there is no need for NAIS because your customers are local. NAIS should be kept totally voluntary. If the exporters want it they can have it but the rest of us should not be burdened with the costs of NAIS. -WJ]
Although the program will aid in marketing U.S. products, its greatest advantage will be to make disease response here at home, faster, more effective and more efficient.
[NAIS is not necessary for disease response. We already have other systems that handle this. The small backyard farmers and other small producers aren't a disease threat. NAIS is just an overly complex, expensive solution to a nonexistent problem. NAIS is like driving thumb tacks with a 100 lb sledge hammer. -WJ]
I'll have to call the "government" each time I ride my horse, haul my sheep, or take my pigs to a show. That's not necessary! However, please call if you have questions, would like disease information, or need entry regulations for shows or travel.
[Wrong again. According to Dr. Wiemers' testimony before the house Ag committee any co-mingling of animals (trail rides with horses from other premises, ride on other property, shows, fairs, etc) require animal ID, registration and animal tracking with reports. His original testimony is available on CDR from the state of Vermont legislative offices for $1 per disk plus postage. -WJ]
Animal tracking information will be recorded in private databases. When implemented, movements can be reported by computer, or by paper document.
[Database systems are hackable. How would you like "animal activist" terrorists to get your information? Then there is the fact that data is released accidentally as in the case of the USDA recently releasing the information, including social security numbers, of over 350,000 farmers -WJ]
National species-specific working groups are determining which movements need to be reported, how specific species should be identified, and how to make the program work for the producer.
These groups are comprised of association representatives, owners of large and small flocks or herds, and state and federal members. The Equine Species Working Group, for instance, is wrestling with reporting issues.
[Oddly enough, I hear an awful lot of complaints that the working groups don't represent the people, that they have sold out. -WJ]
Horses aren't food animals. They don't need to be included. The NAIS isn't a food safety program. It is a tool to address animal disease. Horses are susceptible to a number of diseases. Also, during a disease outbreak, horses may be "caught up" in movement restrictions or requirements, even if they are not susceptible to the disease, because viruses and bacteria can be carried on hooves and hides of animals, on vehicles, clothing and equipment.
[Beware of the government using a divide and conquer strategy: "We'll just appease the horse owners for now to get them, a powerful political group, off our backs and then later we'll include all horse movements." Always note the "For Now" clause in what they say. -WJ]
When animal movement tracking goes into effect, will I report every ride? The Equine Species Working Group, in a recent document states: "Not every single movement of a horse will have to be reported. Movements such as local trail rides, shows or ropings wouldn't be required reportable events. It is likely that movements would be reportable when horses are transported interstate or to a premises where a brand inspection, certificate of veterinary inspection, or other health papers are required."
[This explicitly contradicts what was told to me by the USDA's Animal ID Coordinator Mr. Hammerschmidt on the phone and Dr. Wiemers in testimony his testimony to which I was present. All co-mingling events are reportable. Without that there there is no point to NAIS since what NAIS is all about is tracing the interaction of animals, according to the government. When the USDA changes their draft proposal I will believe it. Until then, what the USDA draft plan states and what has been reiterated by its own representatives is the rule. Let's change it while we still have half a chance. -WJ]
I already have a scrapie number. The scrapie number, used for sheep and some goats, is not automatically "rolled over" to a premises registration number. Eventually, the premises identification will replace the scrapie number.
[{sarcasm on}So, we're just going to scrap a long standing, working system that people have invested years and tons of money for a new unproven system that reaches deep into our private lives. hoookaaay...{sarcasm off} -WJ]
How about 4H and FFA kids? Youths who house their animals at home can use their parents' premises identification.
[This will make it so that 4H and FFA activities are even more complex, costly and bureaucratic than before. They are becoming less about farming and animals - more about paying taxes and dealing with a Nanny State. -WJ]
If the parents don't have animals and don't need a premises identification, the student may be able to use the identification issued to the 4H Club or FFA Chapter.
[Not according to the USDA's own documentation. EVERY premises with animals must have a Premises ID. That's the regulation. The TAHC is just trying to soft peddle it. Don't believe them until it is written into law, regulation or statute. Remember, the USDA written regulations are the rules unless we can get them changed. Fight now while you still have the chance. Texans, support Patrick Rose's changes to Texas' Premises ID program and to sun-setting the TAHC.
Lastly, do note that as the TAHC has stated, Premises ID is voluntary right now. Don't volunteer! -WJ]
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