National Animal ID Creates Questions Not Answers
I have asked Government several questions as to this program and how it will affect me. I got a "canned" letter in response, basically telling me not to worry about it, be happy. Perhaps you can get some real answers out of them. All I hear is that I am mis-informed, but they won't tell me how. By the way, I am one of those conspiracy nuts, vocal idiots (names I have been called to my face by Pro-NAIS people), who have read NAIS and found it to be the most intrusive ruling I have ever read. The Draft is a must read.

1: Why is the USDA pushing traceability back to the farm in instances where the packing plants send bone-in meat to Hong Kong and Japan? Seems to me it is the packing plant NOT the farmer at fault. They just mentioned again how important it is to have traceability back to the farm, when things like this occur.

2: There are well over 2 million farms in the United States, and when one includes the homesteaders on an acre or 2 of land with a 1/2 dozen chickens, the numbers are probably well over 4 million. How can the USDA claim "success" in registering only 250,000? Especially, when a lot of those registrations are fraudulent. Idaho used a company called Global Animal Management that got "creative", as people were refusing to 'volunteer', so they extracted data from Idaho brand data base and registered 13,907 illegally. Texas is using "sub-contractors" from Oklahoma, who are pretending to do a farm survey in order to extract information and use that as "voluntary" registrations. One can no longer get any sort of farm loan without getting a premise ID. The USDA calls all these voluntary??? If one takes the thousands of involuntary and fraudulent registrations off the top, I would venture that the number in reality is less than 150,000. How can the USDA claim people are volunteering?

3: Why do the USDA reasons for have NAIS keep changing? First, it was for FMD (Foot and Mouth Disease). When it was pointed out that we haven't had FMD here in 70+ years, it was for terrorism. (Which would more likely occur on a feed lot, CAFO - Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations - or chicken house, than on Grannie's 6 chickens.) When that did not work it was changed to Mad Cow. Which would not be happening if our fine USDA had not allowed cattle to become cannibals, in the first place. Why they are still allowing cattle to be fed chicken parts, chicken litter (from chickens that have eaten cow), cow's blood (also being fed to calves) and restaurant scraps (also containing beef and bones)? Amazing isn't it? 3 sick animals and we have to trace back to every animal everywhere forever! Especially, when it was the USDA that caused it from day one, WHY? The latest scare tactic is Avian Flu; which is caused by keeping chickens confined in large houses wallowing in their own manure. (Grain Article) Why is the USDA blaming the small farmer? Why does the USDA blame the small farmer for Exotic NewCastles, when it was brought into this country illegally on fighting chickens from Mexico? If that doesn't work, then it's for the Global markets. What does the buyer in China or Japan have to do with my animals that never leave this area?

4: Why are store-bought meats being irradiated? Or in 10-18% solution? Is this because of bad farming practices or because the USDA is not watching the slaughter houses and packing plants properly? E-coli does not come from a farm, it comes from cattle being slaughtered while covered in manure. Why is the USDA trying to trace it back to the farm?

5: Why is the USDA calling this a voluntary program, when Mr. Johanns just stated that if we didn't "volunteer", he was going to make us (mandatory)?

6: Why is it I can buy a gun and keep it unregistered, use it and go hunting, and carry in most Southern states-all without a permit, but I will not be able take my horse out for a ride without telling the government?

7: Why is the USDA claiming that everyone is for this program, when they took a survey of only 60 people, all of whom belonged to the NIAA (National Institute for Animal Agriculture) and got only 47 all for it? Since it was a hand picked group of Pro-NAIS people, it is interesting that they couldn't get 100%.

8: An ear tag never stopped a disease, will these?

9: Almost 10% of the people in this country are functionally illiterate, how is the USDA planning to force them to use NAIS? Another large group do not speak English at all, what about them? What about those without computers, electricity, and telephones? Those who are in dire poverty-over 200,000 of those? How are you going to register them? Or will the USDA wait for "non-compliance" and take their homes and animals away?

10: What happened to the Constitution? Since when did I give up my right to own property, and to that of privacy?

11: What right has the government to take my animals, that I bought and paid for, and make them part of a "national" herd? What right do they have to make me "labor" for them without compensation? What right do they have to force me to buy ear tags, implants, scanner, new computer, software and pay for reports each time an "event" occurs? ("There will be costs to the producers".) Isn't this an enormous TAX? Isn't that illegal? What right have they to make me report every move my animals make? Why am I subject to this kind of surveillance? Why am I considered a criminal, as they have to report like this, too? Are you aware of the Kansas State University study that found NAIS to cost the average 250 head cattle farm an extra $2086 a year, and because the tags are the least expense ($2.25)part, it will cost each and every farmer approx. $1500 a year? Try selling a $500 grade horse with this "added value" tag on it... or a 1/2 dozen chicken with $1500 a year for eggs.

12: What right has the Government to turn feed stores and vets into spies? They are supposed to report "events", like seeing a non-registered animal (vet). Do you think I would call my vet if an animal is sick and it isn't registered? Do you think I will be buying from feed stores again? What do you think will happen if there is a serious outbreak? Do you think people are actually going to tell the Government an animal is sick, knowing they will " depopulate"? Do you actually think this program will make willing partners out of the small farmers?

13: Why does my home have to have a "premise ID", when the only other ones who have it are criminals?

14: Why were the only people involved in the creation of NAIS those from the Agribusinesses and the Tech corporations (NIAA)? Why weren't homesteaders and farmers consulted?

15: Why do the agribusinesses get away with having a lot number and not tagging each animal? I have seen numerous chickens running around loose, after the trucks come to clear out the local chicken houses, don't they count? If anything they have more illnesses than a farmer's chickens. Are these chickens bacteria free, is that why they don't need to be tagged? Do you remember the cow that jumped the fence at a slaughter house recently? If that animal was from an agribusiness, why doesn't it count? As I recall, it didn't get caught for several weeks. Wouldn't it be "spreading disease" all the time it was on the loose?

16: Why is it the Government agents keep saying that none of these questions are true, when all one has to do is read the Draft?

Thank you.

Laura Richardson, Tennessee

RE: Premises Identification Essential to Animal Health and Safety By Agriculture Secretary Dennis Wolff