Yes it is and it should be stopped!
Consider also...
http://www.naisstinks.com/index.php?con=NAIS_Control_Rural_Population
Now mind you, I’m no fan of Monsanto.
But don’t we all buy fresh seed every year? I always have.
I’m not trying to start a fight here.
I am going to bed because I have a raging sinus headache. But PLEASE straighten me out, especially if I have it all wrong.
No question, there are many onerous aspects of the proposed NAIS plan that should have never seen the light of day.
There is a real concern for readiness by our state’s animal health officials and APHIS for a bioterroristic attack of something like Hoof and Mouth Disease which would devastate animal agriculture should it ever rear its ugly head on US soil.
For example, the impact and cost of Newcastle Disease upon poultry producers a few years ago was borne by a backyard fighting chicken CA operation. This disease spread cost untold millions of dollars to the industry and the federal govt to check its advance.
Many producers argue that NAIS is 1) Too costly, 2) Impacts confidentiality and 3) heightens fear of liability. Having said that, I would agree that they are within their rights to express their concerns. However, there is an incredible amount of misinformation that is being churned out by many of the websites like the one you referenced.
It would be foolhardy and shortsighted for anyone to assume that that the risk of an foreign animal disease is zero or that the present methods of resolving a trace back or forward in a timely manner are adequate. If a significant disease situation were to arise where time is precious, would our respective state animal health and APHIS officials have adequate information and the tools to contain it in a timely fashion with a minimal impact on our nation’s food supply, trade restrictions, etc?
In general, our society is being further removed from the realities of present day food production. Long term, I am fearful of the impact of increasing regulation on the ability of many of our nation’s food producers to stay in business. Personally, I am concerned what could happen if there is a short term shortage of food because of a variety of plausible scenarios that might unfold?
I apologize for my long post. I deal with this issue first hand on a daily basis.
My two cents.
MFO