Posted on 09/15/2005 4:25:55 PM PDT by SJackson
Jim Massey Editor
CASHTON - Amish leaders from across Wisconsin gathered Sept. 12 to oppose state and federal plans for a comprehensive animal-identification system.
The meeting at the Perry Miller farm near Cashton drew 250 to 300 Amish men. Though the religious sect is adverse to publicity, Amish leaders invited news media to the meeting to make their opposition known.
They said they don't necessarily oppose Wisconsin's soon-to-be enforced premises registration program but are afraid it could lead to requirements that animals be eartagged or implanted with radio frequency ID tags.
The Amish leaders - who asked not to be photographed or identified by their last names - said they believe the current animal-tracking system meets the country's needs.
"We are highly opposed to any computer chips or anything like that being used on our animals," Clarence said. "What we are interested in is getting this identification system stopped before it is law. We have a system that works, why not let it work?"
Clarence said he and other farmers are concerned that computer chips eventually will be used in humans too. Some Amish and people of other religions believe that all people will be coerced into accepting an ID mark on their hand or forehead known as the "Mark of the Beast" or the "Mark of Satan."
"We know the Mark of the Beast is going to come, the Bible tells us that," Clarence said. "We're not willing to participate in that voluntarily. I think I can speak for everybody here that we don't want to take that chip into our bodies for tracking. We've got to stop somewhere to take our stand against that."
Amish leaders asked Dave Matthes, state chairman of the Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund, United Stockgrowers of America, to lead the meeting. He outlined the provisions of Wisconsin's premises registration program, which calls for all locations housing livestock to be registered with state officials by Nov. 1.
He said premises registration is phase one of a three-phase program, with phase two being individual animal ID and phase three tracking those animals.
He said R-CALF officials oppose a new animal ID system, saying the current system "works and is effective."
Amish leaders say they are afraid the animal ID system would require technology they are unwilling to use.
"How is the information input on the computer chip? We can't have anything like that," one Amish man at the meeting said.
Mr. Matthes said Amish and others without computers may have to hire someone to input information about their animals into a computer for use on radio frequency ID tags.
"I don't think as a whole we're as concerned about what the cost of that will be as the consequences following that," Clarence said. "We're not rich, but money should not be our first concern. The Bible should be our first concern. If we stand together and do it the right way, with the help of God, we can do something."
Robert Fourdraine, chief executive officer of the Wisconsin Livestock Identification Consortium, the agency contracted by state officials to oversee the premises registration program, said in a telephone interview he is aware of the concerns of Amish farmers regarding radio frequency identification tags. However, he said officials are working only on the registration of livestock premises at this time, not individual animal ID.
"We're willing to meet with (the Amish) and go over it," Mr. Fourdraine said. "If there's a way we can facilitate premises registration that does not interfere with their religious rights, we will certainly try to do that. As far as individual animal identification, they need to take that up nationally."
Mr. Fourdraine disagreed with the Amish argument that the current animal ID and tracking system is sufficient to handle a major disease outbreak.
"The industry as a whole says, 'No it's not,' " he said. "That's why there's a national effort to improve the system we have in place."
He said there would be "no exceptions" for farmers who do not want to register their premises.
Mr. Fourdraine said the national animal ID proposal would require individual tags on animals only when they are moved in commerce. If they are kept on farms and not commingled with animals from other premises, individual animal ID would not be required.
Mr. Matthes said the premises registration program is scheduled to take effect Nov. 1, but officials have told him they will not begin taking enforcement action against unregistered premises until January 2006.
Brad Pfaff, an aide for U.S. Rep. Ron Kind, D-Wis., told the group to make their opinions known to those who will be making decisions about the next steps of animal ID.
"If you do speak, speak loud to your state and federal elected officials," Mr. Pfaff said.
Mr. Matthes said letters and phone calls to state and federal representatives can make a difference.
"You can't count on Perry or Clarence or any of the other elders or bishops to do this for you," Mr. Matthes said. "Nationally, if everybody gets together, the numbers are mind-boggling as to how many folks could write. You can make a difference by doing it. You won't get anything done by walking out of here and kicking dirt."
Amish leaders at the meeting said about 860 of Wisconsin's 1,500 Amish families are directly involved in farming. Many of the others own one or more horses, they said.
And I forgot to add this...God will not accept us who accept the mark of the beast or Satan.
BTW, are you (or ladysmith) still keeping a WI ping list? The different Vang lists have me confused as to who to ping.
I am on Tuesday and Friday's. Thursday's I am Queen of All Things Great and Small.
No. Actually, the old world Amish are waay ahead of their time.
So...when they decide you need a better I.D. system...will you submit? My guess..is people such as yourself....will be saying what you've just said.
But I could be wrong...( grin )
FWIW-
The Amish are an admirable group of people.
I don't know about admirable. I live close to a few of them. And let me just say there are some good and some bad.
What the hell are they afraid of? They're Amish. What the hell is the government going to do? Track them while they're going into the chickens coop? Maybe, sending in a covert operation to steal their quilts.
The core of their objection was obliquely noted as an objection to the technology itself. It means that they have to depend on big business and The Government for the program, issuance of ID tags, readers of ID tags, etc. You're not supposed to depend on government or big business, you're supposed to depend on your community and God alone. I wouldn't be able to say whether they would object to state-required old-fashioned branding.
The Amish use some "technology", of course, saw blades for example, but RFID or whatever it would be is simply submission.
It's really very much in line with what we post on FR every day.
I don't, and I'm sure the Amish don't either. It is their duty to resist that which would aid Satan. I'm sure they are fine with whenever God chooses to return and defeat him, even if not siding with him means they suffer a bit longer on this earth. I admire the strength of their faith. We could use some politicians with this kind of spine.
Not all are admirable. Some would rather their children die than use modern medicine.
So, we can circumvent our religious convictions when the government decides to create unnecessary laws. No thank you.
I am becoming so cynical that I believe that this law can be traced to a friend of some legislator that has a business that will conveniently profit from such law.
Would be nice to have a general WI ping list.
I think we can talk about this subject without denigrating the Amish and the way they choose to live their lives by their religion....
Don't you think?
Actually they don't have anything against modern medicine. Its just that they try those old home-remedies first and sometimes its too late by the time they seek medical attention.
There's some wisdom in that, but I still maintain that it postpones the happy ending. Why prolong the suffering?
Or, in this case, those who accept the mark of Satan on the beast. Sorry, lame joke..
If I had a choice of 10 neighbors, they'd be Amish. They do sometimes rely on 'special circumstances' to suit their needs, but onthe whole they's good folk. Don't dis' Yoder.
I know first-hand that they do. Disease is "God's will", but for some reason the invention of vaccines is not.
Buffalo is livestock. They want to chip all pets and livestock.
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