Just saw this NAIS info this morning

[Ginia]

Thought you should all be aware of this. Very upsetting

USDA Plans to Use Breed Registries to Implement NAIS

USDA plans to use breed associations to force NAIS registrations, beginning as early as March 2008, less than two months from now. USDA's Business Plan calls for breed registries to start using an official Animal Identification Number, or "AIN" in their registry. And since you must first register your property in NAIS before you can obtain an AIN, this could effectively implement the first two stages of NAIS for anyone in those registries!

The breed registries for cattle, horses, sheep, and goats are potential targets, but the Plan does not indicate which breed registries have agreed to implement NAIS.

Take Action: Contact your breed association or other livestock registry and find out if it will be implementing USDA's Plan.

Ask the registry:

Do you plan to require members to use the USDA's 15-digit Animal Identification Number (AIN) to enter or maintain animals in your registry?

Do you plan to require members to use the State's or USDA's premises registration system in order to obtain a breed registration number?

Can you please confirm the registry's intentions in writing?

Tell them that you do not want them to be a tool for implementing the government's plan for NAIS!

Next Steps:

If they plan to force their members into NAIS, consider finding another association to meet your needs if possible. If you do leave your association, be sure to tell them why.

Spread the word! If you find out that your breed association plans to force NAIS on its members, tell all the people you know who are in that association or considering joining. Post to the online groups that focus on your type of animal. Let people know how the association is working against the best interests of its members.

Email us to let us know what your breed association says. We'll post a list of organizations that are requiring NAIS and those that aren't.

More Information

The USDA published its Business Plan in December of last year. You can download the Plan at http://farmandranchfreedom.org/content/Government-documents. The Plan sets aggressive targets for implementation of NAIS. One of the strategies for achieving those goals is "harmonization" among various systems that already use individual identification. Harmonization involves changing the existing programs so they use the NAIS-compliant Animal Identification Numbers (AIN's). (Plan, pp.28-29).

As part of its harmonization strategy, USDA lists having breed registries begin using NAIS AIN's in March 2008, less than two months from now. (Plan, p.52). The AIN is a 15-digit internationally unique identification number. It starts with "840" which identifies the animal as coming from the US. (Plan, p.30). In order to get an AIN under NAIS, you have to register your property ("premises registration" under the NAIS plan). The legal effect of this registration is unknown, because there has been nothing like it before - permanent federal registration of citizens' property, linked to an issue (animal ownership) that carries potential liabilities.

With this harmonization strategy, USDA plans to use our private associations to force livestock, poultry, and horse owners to register their property and tag their animals under a government program, despite the continued protests of animal owners across the country.

Contacts for more information

Liberty Ark Supporters: The Liberty Ark email system is still down. You can contact the Coalition by emailing one of the Steering Committee members, Karin Bergener, at bergener@... or calling her at 330-298-0065.

FARFA List: As always, you can reach us at info@... or 866-687-6452 with any questions.

Working together, we can make our voices heard.

Judith McGeary

Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance

www.farmandranchfreedom.org

866-687-6452

This email service uses active, trackable links. If they do not come through your email properly, or you are not comfortable with them, you can always find the materials by navigating our website.

 

[Just Us N Texas]

Sounds as if they're going to use every means possible to make it impossible for us to be small time breeders and owners doesn't it? Eventually, it will only be large corporations that will be able to have any kind of animals. Does this sound like freedom to you? Sounds like communism to me.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Thanks for the heads up.

The Extension Agents seem thoroughly brainwashed.

 

[Jean_B]

Playing Devils Advocate here.....I don't think I'm going to get my underwear in a bundle over this, for a number of reasons.

First of all - Uncle Sam can scrutinize my operation all they want. I diligently declare ALL of my income and ALL of my expenses, so they aren't going to be able to nail me for tax evasion. The only ones who might squirm are those who aren't reporting their income from their horses appropriately, and quite frankly, I don't feel too sorry for them if they get nailed.

But more importantly, if there is an outbreak of some disease etc. associated with a particular animal they will be able to track where that animal has been and appropriately quarantine, etc. I'm not talking just horses. Hello?!? Remember Mad Cow? Remember Hoof & Mouth?? Yes, I want to know where those infected animals have been and whether or not I have anything to fear for my own animals. JMHO

 

[nightflight]

Playing my own Advocate -

Do you know that one day someone drove by, counted the horses in my pasture and added their livestock value to the property tax? Would anyone care to guess what a then 19 year old QH and a 29 year old arabian were valued at by someone not in touch with the horse market? It was high, I'll tell you that. Not selling them, just two retired old riding horses. What do you think papered horses will be taxed at - as provided by the registry. Can you see the headaches that could be caused by people buying horses and then never doing a transfer? Please, buy my horse - I'll give you a $600 discount to cover the first year of taxes you have to pay for OWNING it. Yeah. That's going to help the horse market a lot.

What happens when there is an outbreak of something or other at the neighbors place and you have to PROVE that all of your horses have been vaccinated and wormed to the nines? You can't really prove that you gave those shots yourself, a vet would have to do it for you. $$Ouch$$. Lets be sure to keep those receipts in a place where they are easy to get to so you can prove it on demand.

It's Sunday, forget that trail drive. Sorry! You can't take your horse off your property! The office doesn't open until Tuesday - holiday weekend and all, and if you move a horse without notifying someone in 24 hours you are in violation! Oh no! You might be a terriorist! A threat to national livestock security! Everyone, Beware of YOU!

I have nothing to fear from my own animals. That's the point. We DON'T have anything to fear from our own animals. Who is this bill really aimed at, and why are average horse owners being caught up in it?

Argh

Edit Add:

I have problems with some food preservatives, and out of a sense of wanting to, you know, live, I pay attention to where my food comes from and how it is processed. For my own reasons I support local farms and farmers and try to purchase products from smaller family run operations. This bill could also make it more difficult and expensive to obtain foods like this - no doubt it will make them more expensive to produce. Already McDonalds can make a hamburger with beef imported from South America more affordably than I can with goods produced here.

Last Add:

OMG! Does that make me a hippie?!?

 

[targetsmom]

I seem to be a bit in the dark here, as I have no clue what NAIS stands for and its purpose??

But I do tend to agree with Jean_B and I won't panic, at least until I hear more. All our income and expenses are reported to the IRS and the value of all our horses is reported to the town for taxation, so I have no big worries there. By the way, we aren't taxed on the horses, because we went to the trouble to have our farm classified as a "Farm" for town tax purposes. And my vet vaccinates my horses - and I have the records (huge bills) to prove it.

 

[nightflight]

I'll just start telling everyone who looks at buying a horse to get reclassified as a farm before they transfer ownership. Good call. Thanks.

No really, that is the big deal. It means that everyone who owns a horse is going to have to go into a database and jump through all the hoops that people who are in the business of horses already do. For some of us that do give our own vaccinations - well, it may or may not work out. It could add thousands in expenses every year.

You really will have to file reports every time you take an animal off of your property, and as a business will have to open your barn and records to inspection at anytime with no notice. The problem is that people who are not "a business" will be in the same boat.

Will you still be able to choose what vaccinations to give that mare in foal? Or does the state vet get to decide for you?

This will impact everyone with a horse - and everyone thinking about horse ownership. Those in the business won't get the same taxes on a high dollar show horse that the owner who isn't a breeder will. We'll just pass the buck to our buyers - how many microchips, vet visits, and taxes on our non-business horses horses (like my retired riders) do you think we can get them to pay for? Crud! We have to show a profit too! Double that!

<- The above is my vent. It probably won't happen that way with horses, just with the meat you eat, milk you drink, eggs you buy...oh-my!

 

[Ginia]

And suppose there were to be an "outbreak" of a disease. Do you think the government would have any qualms about coming onto farms within X number of miles from the outbreak and simply "destroying" animals of the same or similar species and burying the "offending bodies", whether they were infected or not. People, you may not be old enough to remember it happening before, but it has! Wake up and fight for our rights!

 

[muffntuf]

Welll holy hanna, how did they sneak this in without the rest of us knowing? I have read through the documentation provided and I am not in favor of this. Sorry but what's next? Branding humans?

 

[seahorse]

Sorry but what's next? Branding humans?

Probably so.

Thank you Ginia for starting this topic. We need to tell everyone about NAIS.

 

[Shari]

This is something folks better start paying attention too because it is not going to go away. There are already programs in place that follows diseases and finds the source, quickly. Works well and without the Added things NAIS has.

If you have not read the NAIS Gov web site please do.

Some might not think it is a big deal but it will be.

Biggest problem is one.. the Gov can't even keep up with the programs in already has in place,, two .. is not listening to the millions of horse and livestock owners that do not want this.

Other thing I do not like and please do not tell me it could never happen. Is all our horses and livestock become part of the "National Herd". Means we pay for said animals but the Gov really owns them. They can come in at any time for any reason and take or kill your animals and the way it is worded ..the owners have no legal recourse...means you can't sue them for any reason.

Oh... and all that 24 hour paperwork to take an animal from and too your property. And if you do not comply they can inforce steep fines and or take your land away from you to pay for said fines. Pretty scary reading on the Gov NAIS web site.

Basically the Gov is saying all animals owners are too stupid to do the right thing and we should have no rights. Goes against everything that is written in the original Constution.

Will get off my soap box now.....

 

[xxs]

I have tried to warn people about NAIS, but a lot just won't listen..after all..HEY! this is America we're talking about! Here is the link to the user guide draft http://animalid.aphis.usda.gov/nais/naisli...Guide.html#loss

I feel this is a very scary situation.

Those of you who live or show dogs in Louisville Ky. are getting a taste of what the world is coming to.

 

[Shari]

When I talk to people about this, many just do not care because it is not a bother now, or haven't read the Gov web site in detail, believes everything the Gov says or does not believer the US gov could do something like this or as long as they can about their business they do not care what happens.

Problem... most people in the US live in Suburbs and cities so no bother to them right now and because they are not affected at this point and it does not get in their way, they do not find it a problem.

Or they think all small farm livestock owners are germ infested.

My worry, is I like to buy from small family owned and clean farms for most of our meat and Veggies. I have chickens.

Gov it going to make it Ny on impossible, once this program comes in full swing, to have the option to eat safe and healthy food.

I have written to the powers that be and more often than not my letters have been ignored. Sigh ~~

What will be next... we can't have our own orchards and Veggie gardens?

I hay my place for my horses... will they also end up putting something in place making this impossible?Just sad the US is going this kind of direction.

 

[horsefeather]

I am totally against NAIS also! And, I am TOTALLY honest with my income taxes. Someone mentioned they didn't have to pay taxes on their horses because they are listed as a farm....we are listed as a farm and we pay taxes on our horses year after year, after year. etc.

I only hope folks PAY attention to this threat and write, phone, what ever you have to do. I'm going to!!

Pam

 

[mcharr36]

This is NOT Europe or Russia! This still the US of A. We still have rights and freedoms. NAIS will remove all of that. And yes, small farms and organic producers are next.

Already, food importers do not have to list country of origin. That is voluntary. GMO foods do NOT have to be identified. I don't know about you, but I want to know what my food is laced or crossed with. What if you are allergic to acertain food and it's been GM'd to improve production? Or your religion forbids certain foods? Wouldn't you want to know that vegetable has an animal gene in it? They are already out there.

Mad Cow and Scarpie would not exist if feed lots and feed producers would quit feeding meat to vegetarian animals. Cows don't eat cows. Same with sheep. And that is how both diseases got started. By feed lots trying to get around feeding grain and hay to vegetarian animals.

Whole industries were destroyed by England's practice of destroying everything within 50 miles of a disease outbreak. Dairy Farms that had been in families for hundreds of years were gone!

We have done quite well for the last 200 years at containing outbreaks. We don't need Big Brother telling us how to do it. IN fact we usually do a better job without all the red tape.

As far as the horseman's coucils go. They are selling us down the river. They stand to make big bucks by making us comply. I've gone toe-to-toe with them here in IL in the past over NAIS and I intend to do it again.

I don't know about the rest of you, but I've got much better things to do than nurse a barn full of sick horses. So, I try and make sure mine are all healthy. I don't the government telling me how to do it.

If you support NAIS, then don't come on this board whining when it's implemented and your herd is destroyed because of an outbreak of something in the next county.