No. Despite recent claims by some, NAIS does nothing to stop disease or contamination in the food supply. NAIS was not intended for this purpose. The goal of the National Animal Identification System is to provide 48-hour trace back to the farm of origin in the case of problems so that the big agri-biz industry can increase their exports to foreign markets. NAIS is about expanded profits. Also realize that “48-hour track back” is 48 hours after the problem is detected. That could be weeks or even months after the problem actually occurred. NAIS is not about disease prevention - it is about track-back and more importantly expanded profits for the big corporate producers who want more export markets. Everything else about NAIS is a ruse to get the public to swallow their swill.
Most contamination of the food supply happens after the animals leave the farm. For example if animal intestines are improperly mixed with ground beef, a hydraulic hose breaks in a meat cutting factory or if a cutting blade breaks and leaves metal shards in the food it makes the food unacceptible for human consumption. If the problem is not reported at the factory and gets discovered later after the food has already been distributed and possibly sold to consumers then there is a recall. We frequently hear about this happening in the news. There is already a system to handle this type of problem. We do not need a new layer of government, paperwork and fees for this. Furthermore, the problem has nothing to do with the farm which is what NAIS is focused on.
As to disease, meat sold in stores and restaurants is already USDA inspected at slaughter and processing. If there were problems with disease in an animal then the inspectors should catch it at that level. Again NAIS does not help at all with disease prevention - it is after the fact and duplication of existing systems. The scary reality about meat from the big commercial producers is that there are not enough USDA inspectors so the inspection job is not getting done. This is part of why there are so many recalls. If the USDA would do its job then there would be no need for NAIS. NAIS is being used by the USDA as a diversion to hide from the fact that they aren’t up to snuff.
NAIS does nothing to stop the spread of BSE (Mad Cow Disease). It is believed that BSE is caused by the big Agri-Biz corporations and factory farmers practice of grinding up old cows and feeding them back to cows. The common practice used to be to grind up cow parts and add them to the cow feed to increase the protein levels of the feed. This also saved money on the disposal of the slaughter wastes. That practice has already been banned. Enforcing that ban is the solution to BSE and related diseases.
NAIS does not help with the much feared Avian Flu (H5N1) which is spread by wild birds. The biggest threat of bird flu and other diseases is to the large poultry factory style operations which have mono-genetic cultures. All of their livestock is the same genome and thus easily wiped out by a single disease incidence. NAIS will do nothing to protect them or consumers. NAIS will make it very hard for regular people like you and me to keep a backyard flock for egg and meat production. Once again NAIS is the wrong tool being used on the wrong patient. The real question here is if the government is forcing NAIS down our throats why does the USDA turn around and want to ship American chickens to China for slaughter and then back here again for consumption. Think money.
A better solution is for consumers to buy their meat from local farmers who raise their livestock on pasture where this is a non-issue. Buying local also means that your food was produced locally, you support your local farmers and less petroleum is used to ship the meat across the country. We are being told that we should use less petrol, right?! Buying local keeps your money in your community rather than sending it far away to the pockets of big corporate ‘farms’. I put farms in quotes because what they do in their factories and feedlots is so far away from farming it is a joke. Big Agri-Biz does not like the Buy Local movement because it hurts their profits. NAIS will devastate the Buy Local movement - something Big Agri-Biz would love to see happen. Believe me you won’t see Tyson and the other big boys selling down at your local farmer’s market!
One of the NAISty things about the USDA’s proposal is that under NAIS they can come in and take your livestock without a warrant, without due process, without a legal hearing. They can then destroy or redistribute your animals without compensation to you. Valuable breeding stock can be wiped out in the crack of an inspector’s handgun and you had better not get in their way or you could go to prison. Failure to register your home or farm with a Premise ID already faces a $1,000 a day fine in some states. This is a violation of our Fourth Amendment Constitutional rights as outlined in the Bill of Rights.
NAIS will not prevent disease but it will dramatically raise costs for small farmers, homesteaders and ultimately for consumers. It will cost us money in fees, fines, tags and equipment. It will cost us time to fill out all the mountains of paperwork and track every individual little baby chick, every piglet, every lamb reporting every ‘event’. This added cost will drive many farmers out of business. The result will be a loss of local small farms and a consolidation of our food supply into the hands of fewer and fewer big corporations. NAIS is another example of Big Brother government helping Big Agri-Biz make more profits at the public’s expense. Remember to follow the money trail.
Simple but effective design.
Comment drs — February 12, 2006 @ 10:20 pm
What we need is to have the government do something like the id system on toe big factory farms and such taht sell to the chain sotres but small farmers should not have to do this by force. It should be voluntary.
Comment Hanna Hampletons — February 16, 2006 @ 9:34 am
Wow this is a nice site you have here. I like the comments about NAIS. THe government needsto stop beeing such a busy body and trying to control every ones lives.
Comment P. Cordney — February 17, 2006 @ 9:15 pm
You’re doing a lot of people a big favor with this web site. The word needs to get out. I am going to email everyone in my address book to let them know to come visit and find out how NAIS will hurt them. That is something you can add to your what to do page.
Comment Cecilia S. — February 28, 2006 @ 3:37 am
“NAIS was not intended for this purpose. The goal of the National Animal Identification System is to provide 48-hour trace back to the farm of origin in the case of problems so that the big agri-biz industry can increase their exports to foriegn markets.” This is from your article and I thoroughly agree with all but the last sentence. I might even agree with it to some extent as the whole idea of raising livestock is to make money so anything that helps open markets has to be a good thing. The health of our consumers should be of the highest priority. If something like Mad Cow is found in the food chain, then it would be very helpful to be able to get back to the farm of origin quickly to see about other animals on that farm and to see where the suspect animal had gone to and to be able to check that out also. Again, as soon as possible. You would have to come up with a better argument that what you have so far to convince me of the harm.
[NAIS is fine for big factory farms selling into the anonymous food chain but it is a waste of time, money and effort with small local farms selling direct to consumers. We already know exactly where our food comes from with Buy Local. We don’t need an added expense or extra layer of government to provide that. If you want to know where your food is from then Buy Local. You will also be supporting your local farmers and your local economy which then supports local merchants, workers, etc. -WJ]
Comment Schnurrbart — March 12, 2006 @ 12:53 pm
You must have missed the portion of the program that allowed for private owners to never involve themselves with the program if thier stock was for thier own use and never left thier premisis. As you must have missed the portion of the program that allows for small operations to not have to register thier animals until they enter the commerce part of the agricultural business (in other words, when they sell the animal).
So, the real question is, do you want safe food or do you want a smaller government and just take your own risks with the food you eat?
[Personally, I’ll take smaller government any day. But the truth is the choice is not between safe food and smaller government. We already have safe food. NAIS is not about food safety. NAIS will not result in food safety. NAIS is about profits for the big corporate producers and the RFID tag manufacturers. NAIS is about increased government control and that is the last thing we need in our lives. As to your point about private owners, you are wrong. Reread the draft regulations. There is no exemption. All premises must be registered. That involves you in the program even if your animals never leave your premise. Even if your statement were true there would be no way for you ever to get veterinarian care for your animals, no way to get replacement animals, no way to take your animals to the butcher for slaughter, no way to bring in a stud to breed your female animals, etc. NAIS is an overly complex solution to a non-problem. It is unnecessary cost and government regulation. NAIS should be kept 100% voluntary. That is the solution. -WJ]
Comment James N. — March 15, 2006 @ 10:57 am
Tagging animals will not help disease. It is what we feed, medical hormones shots etc.
When government gets involved it screws up all the time.
I recommend a letter stating the facts to be signed by each state and send to their representatives.
Believe me I send to my congressmen and he answers.
The written word is like the Bible’s double edge sword.
It is our money supporting the representatives and we do not ask but demand our ideas be considered.
Thank you.
Comment Ny Couvier — March 16, 2006 @ 8:09 pm
The NAIS will lead to more animal disease problems because some people will be raising illegal, untagged animals. It’s happening already with the scrapie tags for sheep and goats. There are some country folk that are buying and selling sheep and goats without tags because they don’t want the hassle of the govt program or don’t understand it. But they are aware they are supposed to have tags. If their animals come down with diseases, they may well be afraid to summon a vet.
Also, who will guarantee that the tag information is correct? Suppose I bought a tagged goat from someone, and the goat lost the tag? Might I not be tempted to re-tag it as one of mine in order to be able to re-sell it?
And as for all this hysteria about animal diseases— do you know anyone who has died of mad cow or bird flu? Probably not. But how many people do you know that have heart disease, obesity or diabetes caused by diet factors such as refined sugar?
Comment Yooper Goatlady — March 24, 2006 @ 3:30 pm
I think you are being childish and stupid, the system is for tracing in the event of a disease outbreak. I want to protect my animals, why don’t you? Small farmers for the most part don’t have to be involved in the NAIS, mostly big producers, which a fee of $20 every 2 years for premise registration and $1.90 per animal I.D. tag is not going to set them back, not all animals have to be I.D. Why are you not including details about small farmers requirements when the system is mandatory when they are the ones you are concerned about? or are you? maybe you’re just being stupid and are crazy. I would suggest checking yourself into a mental hospital.
[You are wrong about how NAIS works, how much it will cost, etc. I would suggest that you actually read and understand the USDA documents. See the right sidebar in the Technical Documents section. I have deleted your duplicate copies of the above comments. Please leave a comment only one time. -WJ]
Comment Small Beefmaster Breeder Sw — July 5, 2006 @ 4:47 pm
I am not wrong you are you probably think the government is watching you right now too, crazy people like you should be isolated from other humans like the diseased cattle that will be tracked within 48 hours to save others. you didn’t answer my question about protecting animals, do you not care about them? are you one of the producers who thing its okay to torture and mistreat animals because they are just going to die for food anyway? I’m not a vegitarian, but I am against the way slaughter houses handle cattle and how they breed dairy cattle to keep them full of milk and then as soon as they have a calf they separrate them and trap the calve in a small area to where they can’t move or even lay down comfortably and then sale them at a auction at which they can’t even walk around because their muscles are undeveloped. And by the way I have researched just about everything and read everything online about NAIS both points of view even your insane idea because I am doing a speech on it. The topic I am speaking on is “National Animal I.D. System-Should it be Voluntary or Mandatory? got any more crazy ideas you think I should put in it? I am right about the cost too, taxes may go up, but the price remains at $20 every other year for premise reg. and $1.90 per animal I.D. now a reader is $500 to $800 but it is anticipated that most producers may never need to read them because feed lots, sale yards, packing, and slaughter houses keep track of when the cattle are sold or slaughtered. Again this is Big producers, small farmers who own animals that never leave their premise, or only to the local slaughter house for their own consumption need not to be identified! and most movements not requiring a health certificate does not need to be reported. So how are small farmers gonna go out of buisness again? because I believe your problem is solved with the facts that I just stated. I am not a big producer I own 9 head that I do not sale for beef I raise and show them at major livestock shows and rodeos and other shows and soon i will start sailing calves for purpose of showing and breeding, my registered purebred beefmasters cost too much to be sold per pound for meat. Because an average show calf that is registered is $1,000 to $7,000 losing an animal by disease or a herd or more would cost be and other breeders THOUSANDS of dollars so I think I’ll pay the one time $17.10 and $20 every other year. As for keeping record of animal movements which I wont have to do any but how hard could it be to go online and report moving cattle every now and then? we go online almost every day or more than once a day to check mail why not write a short report i moved so and so to this place while your on? You my friend are just plane lazy. I love my animals, I want to keep them alive and my buyers in the future to feel good knowing they bought a healthy calf.
Comment Small Beefmaster Breeder — July 5, 2006 @ 7:18 pm
I just thought of something else…instead of wasting your time of this website why don’t you report animal movements to help keep the beef population healthy and humans too.
Comment Small Beefmaster Breeder — July 5, 2006 @ 8:13 pm
WOW Beefmaster, you are the nut case. And who are you to force your way of doing things onto everyone else. If nais is voluntary then you can do it if you want and other people dont have to do it if they dont want. You also have your facts all wrong. You should try getting an education and read the docs and read what Walter has written rather than talking about stuff you apparently dont know anything about. Get real and stop being so nasty. Angie E.
Comment Angie — July 6, 2006 @ 4:24 am
Keep up the good work Walter, I hope with our combined efforts and
spreading the real truth about NAIS, we will stop this. I don’t want
to see my little girl grow up with even more government control than
already implemented upon the masses now. How much more fees, taxes,
etc can we continue to pay, and survive? To pay to have the right and
privilege to be self-sufficient is insane. Sharon
Comment Goatster — July 6, 2006 @ 5:46 am
Small BeefMaster Breeder do you really believe all of the propaganda from the government? NAIS is not about disease. NAIS is not going to protect us from animal disease. It is about profits for the big producers and exporters. NAIS is mandatory for EVERYONE. READ THE DOCUMENTS. Check out the recent april 2006 USDA release. It says it is voluntary as long as they get enough compliance. Voluntary if you comply. That is not voluntary. That is mandatory. As to the costs of NAIS, you’re a fool if you think it is going to be that little. It will be a lot more. In Australia they are paying over $30 per head and the system is not working. The estimate from some university is that NAIS will cost farmers at least $1300 per year even if they only have a few animals. Many small farmers don’t have much profit. Many have only a couple of animals. So this is going to put the homesteaders and small farmers with only a few animals out of the game. The medium sized ones will be faced with higher costs and they cant compete with the big ones. NAIS is going to bankrupt them leaving only the larger factory farmers and such. NAIS is bad for our country.
Also — why are you so abusive? You dont have to make personal attacks. Do you feel threatened by this web site? Do you feel threatend by other people not wanting to do NAIS? Dont. You can do it. But dont force it on other people. We shouldnt have to pay for your boneheadedness.
Comment Mark — July 6, 2006 @ 6:38 am
Regarding Comment #9.
Calling names is childish. If you want to learn the truth about NAIS, read the USDA’s own NAIS documents and think as you read. It is pretty obvious that you haven’t done either…or else you have a vested interest in NAIS–perhaps you work for the USDA or an RFID company or “big ag”?
Comment Bkeepr — July 6, 2006 @ 6:39 am
actually I am a 16 year old girl doing a speech on it, I have read everything there is on NAIS. I won’t be personally doing it since my animals only leave my premise for livestock shows which I have read are not required to be reported and I will not have to identify my animals. My father won’t have to either since he does not own any animals, they are all mine and under my name. Actually he doesn’t know anything livestock I breed them etc. I am training to be a vet technician. I just don’t understand why ya’ll are so against it. They’re not doing it to try and take over you, why would they care about you? Maybe they want more money but the big producers are making enough to handle it. If your small farm sells animals to be sluaghtered for other people’s food you will have to do the system but only I.D. the animal when you sell it and the slaughter house will read and report it being slaughtered or sold. So by the way I know someone doing the system and he is only paying $1.90 per tag and $20 every other year for premise. I’m not threatend by you I may be young but I DO KNOW WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT I have spent several days reading every single thing there is on in! My speech will include both point of views but i will lean towards it being a good program and should remane voluntary until 2009.
Comment Small Beefmaster Breeder — July 6, 2006 @ 7:34 am
smallbeef you just dont get it. nais is about taking away our basic rights. i would suggest you read the consitution and understand it. it is obvious that you dont. it is also obvious that you dont understand nais or the usda documents or the implications. theres nothing wrong with a voluntary system of tagging and tracking and all that but to make it mandatory and force it on everyone is wrong. nais is clearly being forced on everyone. it states that in the usda regs.
I would also suggest you stop being so childish and quit the name calling. it makes you sound inmature and makes your arguments lose their power.
Comment anna — July 6, 2006 @ 10:15 am
The commenter in #9 needs to do their research before making claims and calling names. In fact the name calling is completely uncalled for. What has #9 done for the community? Walter has put a lot of work into exposing NAIS for what it really is — bad for small farmers.
If #9 wants to be credible then he would do like Walter has done and dissect the USDA writings point by point to prove his case. I don’t see that. I just see name calling by #9 and outlandish claims that make it look like #9 actually works for the USDA as a front man. Perhaps that is all that #9 is, a made up name to represent the big-ag industry or government. If so they are doing a pretty childish job of it. If that isn’t the case then how bout you reveal your real identity #9. After all, Walter is very upfront about about who he is. Who are you to critizize without any substance and hiding behind a pen name?
Comment Aaron A. — July 6, 2006 @ 10:22 am
I already said who I am in my last comment why should I give out my name? weird sick people then could find out where I live, a 16 year old beefmaster breeder, raiser, and shower and I am training to be a vet technician so I know a whole lot about animal health especially cattle. I’m not the one being childish about this, ya’ll being so paranoid thinking oh no the government is trying to take over us! is being childish quit being like that, the government could care less about shutting down our farms. I’m not a big producer I only have 9 head of cattle which are mine, my father doesn’t own any or know anything about livestock. Does that make you feel any better what made you think I was someone working for the USDA lol that ya’ll being childish again for you.
Comment Small Beefmaster Breeder — July 6, 2006 @ 10:34 am
Aaron you must realize that #9 as you call him can’t reveal his real id because he doesn’t have one. He is a fake. Not only that but he probably is just some dumb deskjockey sitting at a computer in some air conditioned office and has never dealt with beef other than a MacDonald’s Big Mac for his fat belly. Since he has never dealt with animals he does not understand what it is like to farm and when he superficially glances through the NAIS regs he does not understand what they really mean for real farmers. I would suggest just ignoring him.
Walter you are doing a great job on this site and I appreciate it! With out you the USDA would just be slipping things through without any of us knowing about it. One more chipping away of our consitutional rights and our American freedoms. If ‘SmallBeefMasterBreeder’ is the best opposition you have then the pro-NAIS side has lost this war for sure. Who ever they are they just don’t understand what it really means and what is at steak. No pun intended! VBG
Comment Becky Hampton — July 6, 2006 @ 10:36 am
Dear Small BeefMaster Breeder,
You obviously have not spent much time reading the USDA documents related to NAIS nor have you spent much time reading this web site. If you actually have read any of it I doubt that you have understood it based on your comments. NoNAIS.org has answered all of your questions many times and detailed quite clearly how NAIS will alter the lives of small livestock producers like myself should its regulations be put into force. Before making outlandish statments like you did I would suggest you educate yourself. You made yourself look like an immature crazy fool. Is that why you are so focused on mental institutions?
Actually do more than just glance through the USDA’s press release and actually read the real regulations. Walter point out to you where to find them. I will not duplicate his kind and level headed response to your nasty comments.
I have read them and most of this web site and other web sites about this topic. NAIS is a serious threat to our country and to rural life. NAIS will make the small ranchers less competitive by increasing my costs, paperwork, increasing government involvement in my life and taking away my basic Constitutional rights.
NAIS is also bad for my kids who are in 4-H. The 4-H leaders are demanding NAIS registration. The fairs are demanding it. Shows will require it to as the USDA has stated extremely clearly. Pay attention. If you show animals as a “Master Breeder” then you are going to be faced with a whole lot of new paperwork every time you move the animals off premises. Or did you miss that little detail. If an animal leaves the premises you must report it. Go read the actual USDA documents defining the regulations for NAIS - do not rely on pretty brochures or press releases that gloss over these important details.
Frankly YOU sound like a child Small BeefMaster Breeder. Even the name you choose to call yourself suggests an arrogance. Get a grip.
Walter I hope you don’t have to deal with this sort of spam often. The fact that Small BeefMaster Breeder was spamming your blog with multiple copies of the same message is just one more indicator of their insincerity. I agree with the assessment of other posters that “BeefMaster” is a shill. Please do keep doing this forum and keeping us informed. Your hard work is appreciated and has already changed the face of NAIS. Just look at the way the USDA is starting to modify its stance and look at how your own state of vermont backed down.
Ciao!
RanchLady
Comment RanchLady — July 6, 2006 @ 10:56 am
Beefmaster,While I respect your right to your opinion,I must say you do not have your facts straight, I have found in my years of working against govt violations of the Constitution that its the folks with the empty argument that tend to resort to name calling when they can’t put forth a reasonable response to a point, they then get frustrated and resort to nonsense to try to make themselves feel better and maybe embarass their adversary into silence.With any group of people,and this forum is no exeption,you will find a few folks who maybe get their facts messed up or even get a bit emotional about a subject,but I believe that you will find that folks here are fair and no one is telling you or anyone else that you can’t say what you think,even if we disagree,with each other,the problem I have with your statement is simply the attitude in which you delivered it and the obvious lack of research,people are not stupid and childish just because one does not agree with them! If you had taken time to read the USDA’s own draft or NIAA’s mission statement or any of the dozens and dozens of research papers that have been put out by USDA and NAIS supporters(and all the hundreds of documents against NAIS) you would realize that what you are saying “AIN”T SO!” I suggest you read the Constitution of the United “STATES” and the constitution of your own STATE you will find that gov’t was created FOR the people, not to rule the people,all power is invested in the people of this nation and the govt has not any power not given it by the people so how much LESS power does USDA and Corporate business have? I am very aware that the govt/agribiz crowd is operating with a lot of power(ie: Money) but it is not constitutional power and so you’ll just have to excuse me if I get real cynical when I hear the gov’t is trying to “Help’ me or anyone else except themselves and their supporters,I and many folks here have lived on the farm most of our lives,I’ve been a businesman and worked in the “shop” too so when I decided to go back to the farm this is where I planned to spend my days, I worked hard at it, I can not now just quit and go back to work in a shop and try to catch up my social security and my retirement fund(That is what this farm is!)I do take very good care of my animals and crops because I have no outside income most of the time so if I don’t take care of them I won’t eat,and I like to eat,the govt/agribiz crowd wants a control mechanisim with which to gain control over agriculture and in so doing stop or discourage many small farmers and homesteaders from raising livestock,they do not need this program to fight disease if you research you will find we already have a good system in place and besides disease in America is not a major issue,most folks take good care of their animals health,passing another batch of laws won’t make the few who don’t care about disease care any more,anytime the gov’t gets involved in anything they screw it up,I know of no exeptions, leave folks alone,honor the Constitution,and things will be fine ,but try to hijack my rights and liberty and I will fight back, as will the folks on this forum,they are simply exerciseing their right to speak so please think about what you said and study for yourself and maybe you will come to see what is really going on,and if not,well thats your choice.
Comment LEE — July 6, 2006 @ 11:12 am
Lol why do you people keep making up stuff about me? how many times do i need to state who I am and how much real knowledge I have about farming? I own one and have ever since I was 11 years old! I am a 16 year old beefmaster breeder/training vet technician and know a whole lot more about livestock and health then ya’ll apparently which is weird considering my age lol why would i be some old guy sitting at a desk leaving comments about something I don’t know about. are ya’ll blind? you clearly are and not reading anything I say. but anyways I was wondering if any of you have some funny fatcs/cartoons or anything to make my speech interesting because its kinda boring I don’t wanna put people to sleep lol. I will be putting both point of views in my speech as I stated before, and my conclusion so far is that I believe it should be voluntary to small farmers and mandatory to large producers when fully developed and running smoothly in 2009
Comment Small Beefmaster Breeder — July 6, 2006 @ 11:22 am
Beef boy: 98,000 No NAIS readers arent crazy fools. Do the numbers. Real people see real problems with the USDA NAIS program. That is why there is a comment period. The USDA is not all evil people. They are soliciting comments to find out what real users thing about their proposal.
Back when NoNAIS stormed the USDA I called and spoke with someone there. She said that it is important to realize that this is a proposal and they want feedback. She also said that there WILL BE NO EXCEPTIONS. All animals will be include from all levels of producers big and small. She repeated that. The small producers will be burdened by this because they can’t spread the costs out over larger number of animals. Go see the article about costs. Use the search box. It is going to be $100 or so per head for total costs for most producers. That is too much.
I would suggest you stop the name calling and start actually reading and understanding the USDA regulations before you make such absurd comments and make a fool out of yourself in public. Of course maybe that is why you are hiding your identity so people wont know how much of a fool you are.
Comment McNeals Poultry — July 6, 2006 @ 11:56 am
And who are you number nine? Inquiring minds want to know. You come in making accusations. You tell lies. You hide your identity. You snipe at other people. You disparage the character of others. Try being polite and learn about your topic before you show yourself to be an idiot like you just did.
Comment BETT — July 6, 2006 @ 11:59 am
Obviously a shill for the government or big beef.
Comment walterj — July 6, 2006 @ 12:00 pm
I believe, BeefMaster, that, as the others have said, you do need to go back and reread…or maybe read for the first time, what the USDA had said they were planning with NAIS. It is very apparent that you have bought the goods that the USDA is trying to sell, hook, line and sinker. Or, as many are saying, maybe you are actually a schill. Either way, the insanity of NAIS must be stopped.
You say that you want to do it(to paraphrase a bit), for the good of your animals. OK. well, what “good” will it do your healthy animls, when the USDA death squad comes through to eliminate them all, because there “may” be a case of something or another 10 miles down the road. Now, they’re not 100% sure there is a problem 10 miles down the road. The tests haven’t come back, but, that’s the way it is. Oh, they’ll run some tests on yours, but then slaughter them all before they get the results back…you know…just in case. Even something like hoof and mouth disease could get your entire herd killed. A disease which, if you are actually a cattle raiser, you know is most always treatable. Or did you miss that memo.
Whatever happened to allowing animals to build natural immunities? Factory farms, over medicating and animals kept in tight quarters got us into this mess in the first place, and now, the USDA is trying to say just the opposite. If you don’t believe it, start Googling about factory farms in China, and you’ll find articles stating that it is now believed, (but of course not widely published), that this recent strain of flu startef in the factory farms there, and not in the backyard flocks, as the government and media will have us believe.
You see, it seems that the USDA cannot decide why they actually want and need NAIS, so we have gone from national security and terrorist prevention, to disease prevention. Now all you hear about is the “depopulation” plan that the Feds have….just in case….. Shouldn’t that raise red flags all over the place? It does to me and every other logically thinking person. Doesn’t the word “depopulation” scare you, even a bit?
Also, are you comfortable giving out all your information to the Feds, when the last month alone has shown the entire world that they can’t keep their own data safe, let alone our life’s work. Once all of our information is in a hackable data base or some USDA yahoo takes their laptop home and looses it, then tell me how comfy cozy you’ll feel not knowing who may now have access to all of your farm information, right down to when and why the chicken crossed the road. That ought to be enough right there to make one want to run screaming the other way.
Are you comfortable with more and more of your freedoms slipping away? Are you ready to have all our foods produced by Tyson and Monsanto, because they are the ones with the government “in”, and all the rest of us be hanged? Monsanto has already stated publically, in the past, that it is their goal to basically take over agriculture worldwide. Is this what you really want?
Are you ready to be considered more of a criminal than a bank robber because you forgot to register something or make a report? Even most parolled rapists and murderers don’t have to report their every move like the USDA wants us to have to do, everytime we move an animal. Is that REALLY ok with you?
Tags for disease trace back. Well, that would be great, but it is not necessary. See, if you pay attention, most dieseased/tainted food problems are due to the processor and/or the slaughterhouse. So, as long as the package is marked with those 2 names, problem solved. Easy…no extra cost to anyone…no Big Brother sticking their nose in where it doesn’t belong. Ah, but that’s NOT what the USDA wants now, is it? And Mad Cow? It has already been stated that it cannot be passed from cow to cow, and they have seemingly been able to track everything back quick enough now (except for the supposid Alabama cow, and that entire thing has myself and a large number of others very suspicious).
Finally, have you read anything at all about what is going on in the UK and Australia? The USDA keeps telling us all is going great guns there. BUT, then talk to the farms and ranches. The ones actually having to deal with the messes their governments made. They’re telling US farmers to fight with all we’ve got against it. The comparable programs in those countries are a mess. A MAJOR mess.
Anyway you look at it BeefMaster, NAIS is dangerous, and if the documentation is read through, its quite obvious to all who take their freedoms and farms seriously that NAIS is a disaster waiting to happen for the small farms. By the way, ever give a thought as to why big ag is for it? Have you looked at how much NAIS does, or should I say, doesn’t, affect them?
And why do you think the USDA was so careful as to not release this information until it started to leak out? It is because they were afraid of all this. The fight they knew they would have on their hands once the people actually saw NAIS for what it really was.
You might want to think good and hard on your support of NAIS.
And, whatever your views, if you want to be taken seriously, do cut the name calling.
Comment Kim P. — July 6, 2006 @ 12:14 pm
good grief people do I have to say it again? I am a 16 year old girl doing a speech which will include both sides of this issue I have read and researched everything there is about NAIS I am a beefmaster breeder I own 9 head of cattle and have been in the buisness ever since I was 10-11 years old. I own my own animals, my father doesn’t own any or know anything about cattle. I am training to be a vet technician and know a lot about animal health especially cattle. I don’t think its right for the usda to force this system on small producers i think its right for large producers and they need to focus more on sluaghter houses and dairy factories where they feed calves milk containing blood meaning feeding dead back to living causing mad cow disease etc. I’m not stupid. I’m not some old guy who doesn’t know what I am talking about I want to know if anyone wants something in paticular to be in my speech and I could use some help making it more interesting. I know what I am talking about so stop saying I don’t, I have read everything over the past several days and I am very knowledgable in cattle I am also the 2006 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Grand Champion Supreme Scrambler and I win a lot with the beefmasters I raise, breed, and train. STOP with the stupid ideas of who I am. and being so paranoid that I am spying on you or something lol that is funny and childish and ya’ll are spose to be adults!
Comment Small Beefmaster Breeder — July 6, 2006 @ 12:31 pm
That’s about the level of intelligence to expect from a USDA plant! ‘Small BeefMaster Breeder’, you make yourself very obvious — gives us all a great illustration of how the USDA and its minions work — disinformation/misinformation. When you have no real information to bring to the table, insult people!
Comment Pat from Snohomish — July 6, 2006 @ 12:34 pm
the beefmaster girl is right ya’ll are the ones acting childish making up stuff like her being a spy and stuff. maybe you think i’m a spy to, well your right! i’m a usda 007 spy who has nothing else to do but read and comment on this website. the 16 year old girl is more mature than all of you, how embarrasing is that? she stated that she isn’t for it being mandatory for small farmers, unlike you people i read her comments. maybe we should help the girl out instead of calling her a spy?
[It is interesting to note that “Tim” is sending this comment from the same IP address (computer network site) as the “Small BeefMaster Breeder”. -WJ]
Comment Tim — July 6, 2006 @ 12:41 pm
Thank you Tim, finally someone who doesn’t think I’m a spy that works for USDA. I appreciate you really reading my comments do YOU have anything you think I should put in my speech?
Comment Small Beefmaster Breeder — July 6, 2006 @ 12:48 pm
no actually I’m not a very good speaker but maybe someone else here will be able to stop the name calling like an adult and give you some personal views.
[Again, “Tim” is sending this comment from the exact same IP address as “BeefMaster”. Also of note is that these recent messages were sent one after another very quickly from this same computer system. -WJ]
Comment Tim — July 6, 2006 @ 12:52 pm
haha your right I am because I am trying to get the adults to act like adults and stop calling me a spy would you please post both comments and I will now only comment under Small Beefmaster Breeder
[Oops… This time it looks like “BeefMaster” mistakenly kept the ID of “Tim” when writing this message. She outs herself. Funny girl. -WJ]
Comment Tim — July 6, 2006 @ 12:55 pm
by the way Tim is my father’s name not my name.
[Hmm… Forging her father’s name for postings? Interesting. Me thinks the girl needs to spend more time reading and understanding the information about NAIS and less time playing around on computers. -WJ]
Comment Small Beefmaster Breeder — July 6, 2006 @ 12:59 pm
would please stop this mess WJ would YOU please tell them I’m not a spy maybe they will listen to you
[Small Beefmaster Breeder, I have no idea if you are a spy or not. I do appreciate it when you do not make repeated duplicate postings. That is spamming and not appreciated. I can see your computer IP address ever time you post with one of your various identities - just so you know. Consider it your little personal ID tag… There are other ways you are tagging yourself as well. I’m glad you like the idea of getting tagged. Personally, I do not appreciate the idea any portion of NAIS going mandatory and that includes tagging. It is not the government’s business to micromanage our lives. It would be good if you would do your research and understand the material before declaring that you know all there is to know, that you have read everything there is to read in a few days and that everyone else who opposes you is wrong, crazy and stupid. That kind of name calling is hurting what little credibility you might have had. There are a lot of articles on http://NoNAIS.org and elsewhere including university studies that refute virtually everything you have claimed. NAIS like programs are in effect in other countries and they are not working. I’m not going to do your homework for you so I suggest you get familiar with web research. Google is your friend. Now try and keep it civil, polite and mature. After you get done learning about NAIS I suggest you discover what REAL ID is all about. That is also supposed to go mandatory in 2009. Look in the right sidebar of NoNAIS for the term REAL ID and use Google as well. Cheers, -WJ]
Comment Small Beefmaster Breeder — July 6, 2006 @ 1:01 pm
I’m spending time researching and trying to get opinions for my speech i will be giving at the National Beefmaster show where people from all over the U.S. will be listening and I will put all views into it. I’m not completely for NAIS I think it is wrong to force it on small farmers. why wont ya’ll listen to me?
Comment Small Beefmaster Breeder — July 6, 2006 @ 1:06 pm
I thought you WJ would really read my comments and be more mature but apparently not guess you are just like the people calling me a spy
Comment Small Beefmaster Breeder — July 6, 2006 @ 1:07 pm
Thanks for nothing guys, didn’t want to call ya’ll names but seriously read your comments and maybe you’ll realize how childish ya’ll are acting not me
Comment Small Beefmaster Breeder — July 6, 2006 @ 1:09 pm
Property Rights
link
Comment LuAnn — July 6, 2006 @ 1:23 pm
Again I know it is moving to mandatory in January 2009 I’m not asking anyone to do “my home work” I was asking if anyone had certain opinions they wanted me to put in my speech that a lot of breeders will hear. You don’t know whether or not I’m a spy WJ? lol are you serious? Why would a spy read your website? they don’t care about you as you stated yourself they don’t care about small farmers.
[The reason I said “I don’t know if you are a spy or not” is simple accuracy. I don’t know you. Not a big concern. I’m glad you understand that NAIS is moving to mandatory in 2009 under the current rules, even with their saying only if necessary. I’m also glad you understand that NAIS should not be mandatory for the small farmers and homesteaders. I hope you leave comments to the USDA about NAIS to that effect. See the Contacts section of the right sidebar for where to send comments. Good luck with your speech. Perhaps you’ll send a copy of the text. You have my email address. -WJ]
Comment Small Beefmaster Breeder — July 6, 2006 @ 1:23 pm
Let’s see…….
Girl
9 head of cattle
Age 16
Beef Master Breeding program
Father named Tim
Father owns no cattle
Been doing it since age 10 or 11
Giving a speech
Vet tech training
“2006 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Grand Champion Supreme Scrambler”
Little girl……do you realize you have just given out an awful lot of information about yourself. Enough so that someone could track you down if they wanted to do so. You hide behnd your anonymous name yet your giving out too many details…
Comment Anon — July 6, 2006 @ 3:01 pm
WOW people, I have seen it all now, on this good web site.. Remember when I told you a long while ago, beware the Pro-NAIS people who will come on to challenge you, intimidate you, harass, you, etc? Well, this Beef Master, is probably not a USDA rep, but he sure is a “Profiteer” and this is not name calling, just a fact as follows: Beef Master is Pro-NAIS, because he said himself, that he is not raising animals to consume, he is in the “BUSINESS” of producing “SHOW” animals which, if good quality, and shown in good standing, are in fact, worth a whole lot.. Beef Master is in the show business for “Profit.” The USDA is pushing greatly for NAIS animal ID especially at shows, or where animal stock mingle…So it is obvious, the Beef Master, is Pro-NAIS of that very reason.. He is not about to stop “showing” and be a “turn-coat” on the animal show organizations that are Pro-NAIS…WHY? Beef Master was to be the “PROFIT-MASTER.”
Basically, you have different Stokes for Different folks.. Although, Beef master says he is small time, he is into Profits “BIGTIME.” He will there for comply most “willingly” to NAIS to keep the money rolling in..
Beef Master, is also very “Narrow-minded” in that he is not objectively reviewing the USDA information, and observing what detriment it will have upon the People’s Violation of the Freedoms and Liberty’s to Freely own animals “WITHOUT” Government Intrusion or Violation. Beef Master, is obviously caught up in “tunnel Vision” due to the high value stock he apparently is raising for “Profit.”
We as American’s come from all sorts of walks of life, and territory in this country..We all have differing opinions and manners in which we speak to an issue or to each other..
I say this to show you, that this is very emotional, as it should be, to protect one’s Right’s, but let’s not become a Linch mob, here, just because a “Profiteering” MORON, likes the NAIS… Heck, Johann’s likes the NAIS also, but if he had a back bone, and actually came on the web site to speak, let him.. His ignorance and “Narrow-Mindedness” to the issue of protecting the “PROFITS” of Agri-Biz are obvious.. The same is true with Beef Master.. Although he is not apparently Big Agri-BIZ, he is never the less, “Agri-Biz” Profit oriented, there for Pro-NAIS.
People, as much as you want to stop the USDA and the NAIS, calm down a bit, and let MORONS be MORONS..about By-gone’s, like the NAIS…Beef Master is succeeding in derailing your forward momentum, by stooping to his own level of behavior and you are following him there. Let it go, and move on, with the Fight..Even MORONS have a RIGHT to voice their opinion, so let it go.. The USDA is not going to “continue” on just because you let Beef Master have his say..
If you recall on my Birthday, the 24th of June, I was personally attacked and accused of being Pro-NAIS, on this web site, and I run with the IOWANS AGAINST NAIS web site, along with other major players against NAIS..Just because you say you are against the NAIS, does not give you a right to stifle any and all opinions, just because you don’t like them..
Heck, me talking here just may flair you all up again. So be it, if that happens, I can take your emotional outbursts..
WalterJ has a great web site here, and WalterJ has a desire to maintain an organized, positive, and constructive view about NAIS and NoNAIS on this web site.. Let’s back off a bit people, let the Beef Master “profit” as he may, as the Big Agri-Biz do also, that is why they are all Pro-NAIS..
Let’s just agree to disagree,and calm down..
PS Johann’s is probably glad someone else is getting the “Brunt” of the flack from NoNAISer’s….
Best we all target Johann’s again folks.. He’s the cat in the Bird’s seat to Stop this NAIS…
Thankyou good people,
Dean Ayers
Glenwood, Iowa 51534-6218
DeanAFOSI@aol.com
IOWANS AGAINST NAIS
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Iowans_Against_NAIS/
Comment DeanAFOSI (IOWA) — July 6, 2006 @ 3:45 pm
:) thank you WJ
Comment Small Beefmaster Breeder — July 6, 2006 @ 4:00 pm
lol actually it is impossible for me to make any profit since I don’t sell any cattle I buy cattle usually around $1500-3500 and show winning? i get trophys, belt buckles, maybe $40 every now and then nothing near the money me/my father puts into feed and buying my cattle, yes they are my animals but my father supplies the money obviously since I am only 16 and a girl buy the way please stop calling me a guy thats annoying and why are you calling me names again? I thought I straighten that all out, now you went and acted childish again and calling me names/accusing me of stuff when obviously you do not know who I am. I am not all for NAIS, I hate the way slaughter houses treat animals and cramp them together in small places etc. I love my animals they are my babies, I know that they should focus more on slaughter houses, feed lots, and packing plants. No one in the show area of cattle can really make a profit unless they show market steers and win grand champion at a major show and auction it off more a lot of money but only a few people get that lucky a year. I do not raise steers. So you calling me a big agri profit whatever was just a stupid comment because you are in fact wrong
Comment Small Beefmaster Breeder — July 6, 2006 @ 6:33 pm
Everyone: “Small Beefmaster Breeder” is a young lady from Texas. Sara is from a small East Texas town. She lives on 25 acres and has 9 head of registered cattle. For the record she is no USDA employee, nor does she work for any big Ag company. She is just a well off kid that the local County Extension Agent has spun up.
Everyone needs to keep in mind that in Texas the local County Agents work for (TAMU) Texas A&M University. The TAMU Extension Program has a contract with the Texas Animal Health Commission which is being reimbursed by the USDA to sell NAIS to us Texans . On the dark side of NAIS is the “Hitler youth” type programs . Sara is a victim of this program, which is sponsored by our tax dollars. We have unearthed several in our state.
You cannot expect a 16 year old girl to understand that our entire country was founded on the very right to freely own property ( animals are personal property) without unwarranted intervention, intrusion, or surveillance by the government. Sara has no comprehension of the number of men an women that have sacrificed their lives so that she can have the right to own that nine head of cattle just like the mega agricultural factory farms. She likewise has no idea nor can she understand that BIG FACTORY BEEF would like to see her out of the cattle business no matter how small she is. They know they can’t take her cows, but with the aid of programs like NAIS they sure can regulate her out of business. It’s been a tried and true cooperate program in other industries for years. If you can’t beat the competition, then get on a government regulatory advisory board and regulate them out of business.
Sara also misunderstands about having to report her animals at shows. For example she will be attending the Junior Beefmaster Breeder Convention and National heifer show in Waco starting July 17. It’s a breeding animal show. Even under the watered down NAIS proposals that recently was published by USDA /TAHC she would be required to report all movements of her animals.
I wonder if Sara understands that in the future if NAIS were to be implemented, if even one animal in the show she attends turns up with lets say foot and mouth TAHC/USDA will track back her show animal that attended the show. TAHC more than likely would kill all nine of her very valuable animals if they were commingled with the animal that was attend the show.
I would like to ask Sara one question. Do you understand the financial loss that would happen when they come to your barn and kill Fritzi’s Cheyenne and her herd mates because they might have been exposed to FMD? Many people think the government will pay you fair market value for the animals they killed. They will. But fair market value for a calf is what a beef calf is, not a show animal. Your $7,000 show animal becomes a $500 bar ditch calf.
[Actually, at the April 20th, 2006 testimony by the USDA Animal ID representative Dr. John Wiemers before the Vermont House Agriculture Committee Dr. Wiemers specifically and clearly stated that it is highly unlikely there will be any compensation at all for animals killed by the USDA. Please read this article. The government plans to pay $0 for your $7,000 show animal or my prized $15,000 breeding animal. This is but one small reason why we must fight to stop NAIS. If you do not understand what TrailBoss is talking about, see the discussion of Depopulation on pages 31 and 36 in the GAO Report 05-214 and read this article. -WJ]
Comment Trailboss — July 6, 2006 @ 11:05 pm
Walter: I am just describing the current Texas Animal Health Commission indemnification program here in Texas in case Sara would like to call over to Austin and ask them about the program.
She needs to keep in mind that TAHC’s funds to reimburse livestock owners comes from the USDA. If USDA cuts off the funds TAHC cant pay squat.
We have unfirmed reports that TAHC came to north Texas summarily killed a whole lot of chickens to “control” some type of bird flu. While the big chicken farmers were reimbursed for their chickens the little folks with more valuvalluable birds were not even paid at all.
Comment Trailboss — July 7, 2006 @ 6:34 am
if wehad a chicken hotline
we could confirm and report
on the bad things being done
to us…record on video
and get it out to the public..
anyone interested in organizing
a chicken hot line
contact sid sargent 479-824-4738
siddartha@care2.com
11210 n. old cincinatti rd
lincoln.ar 72744
warrentless wire tappers welcome
Comment sid sargent — July 7, 2006 @ 9:19 am
well i just can’t resist getting
into the psycological fray…..
dean is right to let the thing go
why do we love distractions so????
we all want to control the outcome….or act as though we do
but really…be careful what you
wish for..especially when your
ego is the wisher….we should all
be focused on the seventh
generation …..and the future
of our planet..our own lives
don’t really matter..but our
vision of the future does….
don’t waste time arguing with
idiots (like me)
Comment sid sargent — July 7, 2006 @ 9:49 am
Dear Mr. Jeffries,
I think that the crux of this issue is whether NAIS will be mandatory or not. In the above article, you write that “There are no exceptions”, but it isn’t clear why you believe this, and the USDA documents repeatedly state that the program is voluntary.
I think it would be very helpful to display a prominant link to an explanation of why you believe that this will be a mandatory system. Perhaps you could place that link where you state that “There are no exceptions”.
If this is on track to be a mandatory program, you will find some allies among the Freedom Democrats community.
Comment Adam Ricketson — July 7, 2006 @ 12:15 pm
Actually I don’t live near east Texas you might have me confused with someone else…but I do have a heifer named Cheyenne is trailboss Mrs. Gilmore?
Comment Small Beefmaster Breeder — July 7, 2006 @ 2:34 pm
oh nevermind your my county agent? wait lol I’m confused I don’t think I’ve given my county agent info on my new cheyenne heifer
Comment Small Beefmaster Breeder — July 7, 2006 @ 2:39 pm
and you said East Texas town not East Texas sorry
Comment Small Beefmaster Breeder — July 7, 2006 @ 2:40 pm
Thanks for shining some light on this, Trailboss.
You phrased one of my thoughts exactly. One of the things lil miss Beefmaster and all other pro-NAIS people need to think about is that say you’ve complied 110% with the letter of the mandate. You’ve paid way more than you thought you were going to have to, but you’ve stuck with the program. You’ve filled out paperwork, and online form with a level of paranoia you didn’t know existed. And then one day the NAISi stormtroopers decend on your farm. “Why?” you say. “I did everything right. What’s the problem?” Missy you’re cattle have co-mingled with disease-ridden or un-ID’d animals and must be destroyed.
Oh yessurie it could and will happen. Not only have you paid these men to come and kill your animals–most likely without proof or validity, but you’ve also made it reeeeal easy to find you. You’ve made their job so easy they’ll probably thank you and tell you to have a nice day on there way down the drive.
And if it isn’t disease that’ll get your beasts it could just be Corporate Director X’s decision that it’s in the best interest of the Beef Industry if you cattle were bought as breeders for the new export line. “What, she wants $7000 for one of them pissy things–no way. Condemn em and get em here for “testing”"–you again, have paid for and paved a superhighway right to you, your livestock and your assets for anyone who can claim a better right than you to them to come and get them by whatever means.
And that’s because that’s what happens in a country where 16 year olds don’t know the Constitution, their rights, or what Democracy is. That’s what comes from handing over your freedoms to be tracked by anyone. And that’s what happens when people give up their Democratic Rights to a Totalitarian State Run Organization.
Any of us with Teenage Children would do well to heed this example. When I was 16 I had read Animal Farm, Brave New World, Fahrenheit 451. I had studied and written essays on American Society post-WWII. I knew what the Declaration of Independance meant, and the Constitution. And I knew how to look at both sides of an issue and split it down the middle to find the best of both sides–to hold a “middle ground”.
I am now very glad we homeschool our children and are teaching them how to voice their opinions and be heard.
Ms. Beefmaster–The good people of this blog tried to help you from railroading yourself without even knowing you. I hope after this you’ll wake up and be a little bit scared. And if you aren’t, then I’m the one who’s scared.
http://www.podchef.motime.com (I’m not one to hide behind my psudonym ;->)
Comment Podchef — July 7, 2006 @ 2:50 pm
I’ll be honest i didn’t think about that although I did know that from reading it somewhere. I didn’t realize that tracking the animal to where it came from, where it is, and what animals it has been around would also include mine and a diseased animal being at a same show. Makes sense though. That would make my showing/raisng/breeding carreer come to a complete stop because thats way to much money, my father would not buy all new calves especially since how far I have come with getting them as good as they are now, and Cheyenne is going to be one of my best calves giving me even better ones. Sadly my brother will be the one to benefit the most from my hard work because in 2 years I will only be showing at Nationals so my brother will be showing my most of my best cattle. I hope to start saling some show heifers when I graduate and get to a good price for them. I know I got a hard 2 years to get my name really out there though. Anyways thanks for the comment trailboss. Lol I kinda feel embarressed someone knows who I am and was reading all those crazy comments. I was just looking for opinions but ended up being put down by a lot of people who didn’t seem to really read my comments or understand what I was saying. Its okay though I’m almost finished with my speech I interviewed a few ranchers around they mostly seemed to like it one said he was gonna sale all his cattle but then changed his mind and said he liked it. I understand why a lot of people don’t like it, I personally am kinda both ways I don’t like certain things about it but some things make sense to have in the system. I don’t think it should mandatory at all for small farmers, big farmers it definitely should be but not until planned in January 2009.
Comment Small Beefmaster Breeder — July 7, 2006 @ 3:29 pm
lol i found the word saling in there thats spose to be selling
Comment Small Beefmaster Breeder — July 7, 2006 @ 3:33 pm
Walter I hate to make more work for you but I persmonally think that you need to take your reponse to comment #49 and turn it into a headline post. Lotta GOOD stuff there
Comment BETT — July 7, 2006 @ 5:35 pm
Podchef, There is another even more likely and scary scenarios that worry me. Start with simple, honest, incompetent mistakes and go from there…
Scenario A:
1. I sell a piglet from our breeding herd to John Smith homesteader.
2. After leaving our premises John’s pig comes in contact with another pig and gets infected with a disease but this Animal Movement and contact is not reported to the USDA.
3. Joe goes to his vet to get the pig cured.
4. The vet reports the disease to the USDA as legally required.
5. The USDA incorrectly trace-back the disease to my farm because there is no other reported contact. The disease was never here but that is not their concern.
6. I wake up tomorrow morning to the sound of my livestock guard dogs going nuts as the USDA begins slaughtering my prized herd of heritage breeding sows and boars without any testing, warrant, knock on the door (Thank you to the recent Supreme Court decision about “No-Knock-Entry”) and no appeal. According to Dr. Wiemers of the USDA the government will not make restitution or pay compensation for killing my healthy innocent animals.
7. The genetics that I have worked so hard to develop for pasture-ability, mothering and quality are lost forever. Even if I could rebuild our herd it would take years and hundreds of thousands of dollars I do not have.
8. We lose our home because we can no longer pay our mortgage.
9. We’re now homeless and a burden on society.
10. Society loses my income taxes. My customers lose our quality piglets and pork. My family goes on the dole and your taxes go up to pay more welfare.
Scenario B: Just like Scenario A except in this case the error is caused by the miss-entry of a number in the USDA Animal Tracking database such that a sick animal in another location is incorrectly credited to our premises. Proceed to Scenario A, Step 5 and beyond.
Scenario C: Just like Scenario A except this time it is someone who does not like you so they create a false trail leading back to you so all your beloved livestock are slaughtered.
Scenario D: Terrorists (domestic AR or foreign) spread animal disease spore every 20-km in order to create a grid of killing zones which the USDA then depopulates killing of all livestock in America. See GAO Report 05-214 pages 31 and 36 about USDA planned 10-kilometer radius zones of killing of all diseased and healthy, domestic and wild animals in the event of an outbreak of disease. This scenario is so easy and so likely that it makes NAIS and depopulation into possibly one of the dumbest ideas in the history of mankind. Think about it, Foot & Mouth Disease spore is easy to collect in Africa. Some terrorist could smuggling it back with ease and release it from a plane or back of a car traveling the interstate highway system. The spore travels for 30 miles easily on the wind according to the VTAoA and USDA, maybe hundreds or thousands of miles according to other reports. By the USDA’s own plan they will then kill all animal life within 10-km radius of each and every outbreak of the disease. Depopulation, especially without testing, is a very, very dumb policy. The USDA is creating a gaping hole in National Security, an indefensible Holland Tunnel across the whole nation who’s destruction will rend the very fabric of our society and eliminate all livestock from beloved horses to deer to cattle to pigs, etc. Please, someone forward the above paragraph to the Department of Homeland Security, the FBI, etc. Maybe they will talk some sense into the USDA and stop this insanity.
Scenario E: Hackers/Terrorists hack into the USDA database and plant false leads of disease incidences around the country resulting in the USDA killing teams depopulating 10-km radius zones all over the place before they realize it was faked. Remember the article about Data Insecurity…
I’m sure there are other mind-numbing examples of mistakes the government can make using their new improved powers of detection and destruction. I’m not anywhere near paranoid enough or imaginative enough to think of them all. The USDA is creating more and more powerful regulations and in doing so it is opening the way to every great errors down the road.
NAIS is very scary.
Comment walterj — July 7, 2006 @ 6:10 pm
Walter your scenarios are not only scary but all too possible. If A, B, and C haven’t happened yet–thinking about the East Coast Avian Flu exterminations a few years ago–then the may well begin to happen before 2009.
You are right–there is no room to let our guard down. We cannot feel safe until NAIS is drastically changed or obliterated. The very fabric and future of our country is at risk here. One begins to wonder if the USDA hasn’t already been infiltrated by terrorists beyond the usual suspects promoting their globalist agenda.
Comment Podchef — July 7, 2006 @ 7:31 pm
Wow! Small Beefmaster Breeder, I’m a teenager too, not even quite as old as you.
I didn’t read all your posts, but I did skim through them enough to have some idea of what happened here. May I offer a little advice? (If you do not want to hear it, don’t read what follows.)
If you are being “put down” and retaliate by posting under a different name supporting yourself, you only confirm their suspicions and you convict yourself of immaturity. That is no way to defend yourself. When coming under fire, I think the best way to handle it is to explain yourself and apologize (if an apology is warranted), or, if the criticism is to a level that you cannot reply civily or they will not listen to explanations, just leave.
Finally, as an aside, people can generally understand a person better when they use proper punctuation and capitalization. Also, breaking things up into paragraphs is very helpful. This was the main reason I did not read all your posts. It is too much of an effort this late at night to wade through them.
Mr. Jeffries, your scenarios explain some major pitfalls quite well. Do not forget the spread of disease done by wild and feral animals. Since these animals cannot practically be tracked, NAIS will be completely ineffective at controlling a disease outbreak, the only useful purpose it can possibly serve.
Sofia
Comment Sofia — July 7, 2006 @ 9:33 pm
Folks,any of you who are new to this issue or wonder about “claims” made by WJ and others really should check out the issue for yourselves,I don’t say this to talk down to you or anything but there are reasons that Walt and the rest of us are sreaming from the rooftops on how potentially “HORRIBLE” this NAIS is,Walter is not “claiming” anything he is simply putting out the imformation and saying “HEY,We have a problem here! When I talk to people I tell them here is the info.YOU go check it out and educate yourself,that way when someone says that guy(me) does’nt know what he is talking about you can say “I” checked it out for myself and this is what I’ve learned.As Walt has pointed out the USDA “draft” plan says time and again MANDITORY and this document has NOT been withdrawn so any prudent person must conclude it is still “The Plan” And throughout it references are made to timelines to manditory,and manditory VS voluntary and all stages manditory by 2009 and so on.Also if one checks out what ‘ole Johnnes has been saying right along,he wants to see it mantitory,and the NIAA(National Institute for Animal Agriculture) says they want it manditory and they’re the ones who basicly came up with NAIS and they represent groups like “MONSANTO” CARGILL MEAT SOLUTIONS,DIGITAL ANGEL
Comment LEE — July 7, 2006 @ 9:59 pm
I’ve been having trouble with this goofy comp so my message above got cut in half,or only loaded half or somthing,anyway the rest of what I wrote was to the effect that if these are the folks behind NAIS then I don’t think we’re being too paroniod if we think that they want to make this thing manditory and we should all keep educating ourselves as to whats happening,thanks!
Comment LEE — July 7, 2006 @ 10:09 pm
Everyone, it is a “clue” to which side of the NAIS issue, you are communicating with, when they expressly state their “desire” for you, WalterJ, or anyone else to establish “proof” beyond a shadow of a doubt, before, they, “allegedly” will change their minds as to joining NoNAIS.org or not….
It is obvious, that if Pro-NAIS was such, a “great thing” for “everyone” the USDA would have been “shouting” it from National Media Rooftops all over the TV, radio, newspapers, etc…
They are “Not” doing that folks.. WHY?
Because the NAIS is a bogus, not even completed, having no direction, regulation proposal, that for years in the making, they (USDA)cannot even decide whether it is Actually “Voluntary” or going to be “Mandatory,” unless, we all comply like sheep walking to the slaughter.
The USDA threaten us that it will go “Mandatory,” sounds more like Jews of the NAZI era going to the “shower” to die, like sheep to me! Interesting that history attempts to repeat itself, by Oppression of Man!
Instead, of parading such a “Wonderful” Planned NAIS Proposal to the world, the Pro-NAIS backer’s,the Agri-Biz motivated “Profiteers,” and others like Animal Vet’s who stand to gain “profit” from USDA legal kickback of fine money to them, as well, as the additional Vet expenses to “Chip” animals, etc… favor the NAIS, and they come onto “this” web site to demand “Proof” from Our side…
What more could we all ask for, then the “wolves” demanding “Proof” from the alleged sheep of their so called National Herd….
Take humble “Pride” my friends.
“We” are making a dent into the “Oppressor’s” ability to take “de facto” action against us. Otherwise they would not be “coming” to us, on our web site…
Keep up the good Fight..
The Pro-NAIS, and USDA.inc are very “worried” indeed…
As for the “younger” folks starting to voice their opinions here, I think that is well and good, even if they are not yet “on track” with all the information… At least they “are” here, reading, inputting, and learning…
That’s what this web site is about…To educate, the uninformed, young, old, and all in between…
Go get ‘em people…Bring them to this web site, and all like it “Against” the NAIS…
Dean Ayers
Glenwood, Iowa 51534-6218
DeanAFOSI@aol.com
IOWANS AGAINST NAIS
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Iowans_Against_NAIS/
Comment DeanAFOSI (IOWA) — July 8, 2006 @ 2:03 pm
So now our freedom is chipped away one more little piece at a time. I have written letters to my senators but they just reply with what looks like pr from the ag department. I don’t think they have even read my letters never mind understood them. Vote against these fools!
Comment Hector Enderson — August 7, 2006 @ 8:11 pm
All this nais stuff is going to do is make people more resistant to government officials. We’ll take our livestock out of the public eye and then not declare taxes on it either just like drug dealers so in the end the government loses big time just as they ahve lost in their pointless war on drugs that wastes billions of dollars and accomplishes nothing but making drug dealers rich. Soooooooo want to buy a chicken?!
Comment Mandy — August 7, 2006 @ 9:22 pm
You are right to be upset and fight the NAIS. We have a program much like it for our cattle here in Australia. I’m not sure if it covers all animals or not like NAIS. In any case it is turning out to be a real disaster. Cattlemen are losing money on it both coming and going, we have records for millions of fake cattle in the data system and it is going to drive people out of business. It is just the opposite of what we were promised when we got into it. Seems anything the government does takes longer, costs more, doesn’t work right and drives people out of business. Usually the small businesses are the ones that suffer the most. Beware the NAIS/NLIS.
Comment George Lastrum — August 9, 2006 @ 10:51 am
To you federal bureaucrats that monitor this website - it’s the Mexican green onions AGAIN, stupid! How many times do fruits and veges from south of the border have to sicken Americans before you stop the insanity and really protect our food supply, instead of demonizing American farmers and ranchers. E-coli and hepatitis - food safety or $$$?
Comment Texas Goat Gal — December 6, 2006 @ 3:26 pm
Link to comment #66:
link
Comment Texas Goat Gal — December 6, 2006 @ 4:16 pm
I have not read everything here yet but as a homesteader in a small farm area the NAIS would be a large burden on a lot of us. We just purchased two young pigs to grow for our own use. If this system were to be fully in place the small farm that sold us the pigs would have to register them, we would have to track them and the local processor would no doubt have paper work too. All 3 families in this example do not have the time or money to do this. Most of us farm in addition to the other jobs and responsibilities we have. I get creeped out by any big government sticking its nose into my simple life.
Comment Colleen — June 27, 2007 @ 2:51 pm
I learned about NAIS from Jim Hightower’s Lowdown.
He says that the people who are pushing this is the NIAA, a private organization, the National Institute of Animal Agriculture, made up of 2 groups; corporate agriculture and hawkers of surveillance technologies.
They conceived the program, wrote the USDA proposal, and are pushing hard to impose it on all of us
I’m furious.
The feed store owner said they have already started with him. He will soon have to monitor all feed sold, and who it is sold to, so if you don’t report your chickens, but you are buying chicken feed, then the government agent (chicken cop) can come to you place and fine you.
[In line with that I would strongly suggest that people figure out how to provide their animals with feed from their own land. Make it a winter research project. -WJ]
Comment Brenda Gaiones — October 21, 2007 @ 7:24 pm