Nais Suspended!!!

[sidepasser]

http://frwebgate4.access.gpo.gov/cgi...ction=retrieve

from another board:

For Immediate Release Contact: Shae Dodson, Communications Coordinator

June 12, 2008 Phone: 406-672-8969; e-mail: sdodson@r-calfusa. com

Court Decision Suspends USDA's Efforts to Establish
a New Privacy Act System of Records for NAIS

Billings, Mont. R-CALF USA was pleased to learn that on June 4, 2008, the U.S. District Court District of Columbia forced the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to suspend indefinitely its plan to establish a new Privacy Act system of records titled National Animal Identification System (NAIS). In April, USDA proposed to establish the NAIS system of records, which was to become effective June 9, 2008, and had published a notice soliciting public comments. R-CALF USA and other organizations submitted comments with the agency in opposition to USDA's plan. The court-ordered suspension was a result of the Mary-Louise Zanoni v. United States Department of Agriculture case. The suspension was published in Tuesday's Federal Register.

In its comments to USDA, R-CALF USA states: “R-CALF maintains that USDA has misrepresented the purpose, scope and nature of its proposed new system of records, and that USDA’s actual purposes of the proposed new system was simply to develop a national registry of real, personal and private property.
In fact, it is R-CALF's position that the actual scope of this NAIS registry was anything but voluntary, as media reports indicate there likely are thousands of U.S. citizens whose property was added to the NAIS registry against their will or without their knowledge,� said R-CALF USA President Max Thornsberry, a Missouri veterinarian who also chairs the group’s animal health committee.

It's also important to note that USDA has provided no evidence to demonstrate that the NAIS registry is even feasible, as no cost/benefit analysis has been conducted to determine if the cost of NAIS to food-animal owners can be recovered in the marketplace, nor has USDA provided evidence to show that things like normal loss of ear tags, data entry errors and/or computer malfunctions would not effectively thwart any traceback efforts,� Thornsberry pointed out. As a result of this lack of information, USDA cannot justify the need for its NAIS system or its related proposal for a new system of records.

R-CALF USA will continue to request that Congress put a moratorium on any funding for NAIS, and we are grateful that the judicial system has blocked the agency’s misguided plan, he concluded. We believe the pending lawsuit will demonstrate that USDA has improperly acquired information about many U.S. citizens and has wrongfully included their information into its so-called ˜voluntary" data base without their permission.

Note: To view R-CALF USA's comments filed May 30, 2008, on USDA's proposed new system of records, please visit the Animal Identification link at www.r-calfusa. com.

R-CALF USA (Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund, United Stockgrowers of America ) is a national, non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring the continued profitability and viability of the U.S. cattle industry. R-CALF USA represents thousands of U.S. cattle producers on trade and marketing issues. Members are located across 47 states and are primarily cow/calf operators, cattle backgrounders, and/or feedlot owners. R-CALF USA has dozens of affiliate organizations and various main-street businesses are associate members. For more information, visit www.r-calfusa. com or, call 406-252-2516.

[ladycat]

Not completely over.

8. No, it doesn’t mean that we are through with NAIS, but it means that we have another opportunity to put it in front of Congress and ask for a thorough investigation, and also we have great opportunity to capitalize on the FACT that the USDA has this database with no protection for those in it, and they have this ‘voluntary system’ with no one checking to see if those in the database actually want to be there or whther or not they are taken out when they request to be removed.

This could very well result in, effectively, a court ordered stay on the program.

http://nonais.org/2008/06/11/usda-su...tion/#comments

[ladycat]

NAIS remains fully functional

Contrary to many news stories and organizations' statements, the National Animal Identification System (NAIS) remains up and running, officials connected to the program told Feedstuffs this week.

http://www.feedstuffs.com/ME2/dirmod...5AB9A1DFF7B262

[MiniMama]

I know this is probably a pipe dream, but I wonder, just what would the Feds do if everyone who would be adversely affected by this goofy NAIS, refused to comply? That's a heck of a lot of people! All of the ranchers, the farmers, the hobby farmers, those who own a horse, or a couple of chickens, everyone. If we don't find a way to band together on this one, the next thing you know, the Feds will want to do the same thing with our dogs, cats, and other pets, then they'll decide our kids and grandkids are next! They've already been yakking it up about a National ID!

Wasn't there a quote by Benjamin Franklin, something about that if we don't hang together, we will hang separately? The government just keeps getting pushier and pushier, and I wonder just how much more will we take? Who the heck is working for who here, anyway? These jacklegs lord it over the rest of us, from atop the Hill, and think we owe them something. We owe our country patriotism, but we don't owe these bozos jack-you-know-what! Our ancestors must be rolling over in their graves right now, as we basically hand over our country to these thugs, the same type of thugs that they fought in order to gain a country, for themselves, and their posterity! What a sad commentary, that we have lost our backbone to tell the Federal government to go hang itself, just as our ancestors told the British government! We're a pitiful bunch!

[CowgirlGloria]

I got one of those questionaires from the government this spring. It referenced a farm I used to own, not my present place. It came with the usual dire warning that you must comply and send in an answer. The questions wanted details on everything you raised, INCLUDING THAT FOR HOME CONSUMPTION - home garden and such. I sent it back blank except for a hand-written explanation on the front that I no longer owned the farm in question.

I absolutely LOATHE the concept of NAIS. I hope that it is ultimately defeated.

[Scrounger]

I FINALLY got a call from the USDA about the Ag survey (the last week in May). They started asking me questions about what I had, how much I made, etc, etc. I told the lady on the phone that I realized that she was just the "messenger", but I wasn't going to fill out the stupid survey, nor answer it on the phone. The only thing I DID tell her was that I rent out part of my pastureland. She finally told me that she would put down that my farm was ALL pasture and that I rent it out. Never got ANY info on how many acres, how much, or anything. She never got the info on chickens, goats, hay, or anything else, either.......

Good thing accuracy isn't important with surveys.......

[MiniMama]

Originally Posted by CowgirlGloria

I got one of those questionaires from the government this spring. It referenced a farm I used to own, not my present place. It came with the usual dire warning that you must comply and send in an answer. The questions wanted details on everything you raised, INCLUDING THAT FOR HOME CONSUMPTION - home garden and such. I sent it back blank except for a hand-written explanation on the front that I no longer owned the farm in question.

I absolutely LOATHE the concept of NAIS. I hope that it is ultimately defeated.

Good Lord! They even wanted to know what you were raising for yourself?! Not that they need to be sticking their nose into our business, at all, but that's downright idiotic! Good for you that you sent it back, blank, but I wonder what they would have done, had you sent it back, without the explaination? Gosh, you suppose they would have shown up in their little black helicopters, and some AK47's, (or whatever it is that they use nowadays)? At the very least, they would have sent nasty threatening letters, demanding answers! I know not everyone likes George Carlin, but, (having been watching a few YouTube clips of some of his stuff, since he died), I think we should take on his attitude about stupid people, etc., (possibly without the extra language. LOL!), and treat the Feds the same way, 'cause they surely have no common sense! I've always said that although we all do stupid things, we shouldn't make a career out of it. Apparently, the Feds haven't caught on to that little concept!

[Sabrina67]

We also recieved one of those surveys....It is still here...unfinished. I looked through it and it was very invasive really. You had to list EVERYTHING.
Maybe they won't pack me off for not doing it.

[ladycat]

Originally Posted by MiniMama

the next thing you know, the Feds will want to do the same thing with our dogs, cats, and other pets,

The feds have already discussed that possibility.

[whiterabbit454]

ok dumb question but why do they need to know what all you have? i plan on having 3 cattle alot of chickens and a small orchard and grape vines how will this NAIS affect me?
how do i stop it? why are they doing it? thanks

[Kmac15]

The way I understood it was that you would have to have a tag on any animal going to a processor or vet or show.
so as long as you processed your own, doctored your own, and never showed you could get away without tags.

[MiniMama]

Originally Posted by ladycat

The feds have already discussed that possibility.

That doesn't surprise me in the least!

[ladycat]

Originally Posted by MiniMama

That doesn't surprise me in the least!

A couple of year ago I found a bunch of documents about it at the USDA website and also the Texas agricultural dept website. I posted them either at this forum or somewhere else, I don't remember where.

[doohap]

Originally Posted by whiterabbit454

... why do they need to know what all you have? ... why are they doing it?

Simple: control the food and you control the people.

Peace and Privacy,
doohap

[InHisName]

Next thing will be GHIS- global human identification system.

[RedHogs]

ok dumb question but why do they need to know what all you have? i plan on having 3 cattle alot of chickens and a small orchard and grape vines how will this NAIS affect me?
how do i stop it? why are they doing it? thanks

You are in kentucky??? correct...

Well in your state as in mine I'm not far from you.... We have been having real problems with Psuedorabies on small farms, there hasn't been a factory farm throw a positive in a long time.....Tn, KY, GA, MS, Fl.... the worst areas right now.... This is can be an airborne disease with 2 - 5 miles transmission, This can be carried by many rodents... do your animals breath???? Do you have possums or racoons. This is just what's happening now....

This is a set-up to fight serious herd health diseases, This is not a system to determine fault. If you own animals, they can be subject to disease thru no fault of yours.

If infected, you animals can afffect millions.....

Ky is very pro-active, they host many national livestock shows and are world renowned for they horse related bio-security, Ky is very cutting edge..... NAIS is a national sytem that will look alot like what you are already doing now......

Individual ID's on race horses are not a new thing....

[Bearfootfarm]

NAIS is a national sytem that will look alot like what you are already doing now......

Except for the fines and reporting requirements, and the extra costs to the farmers

And it WILL NOT make any difference in diseases, since they manage to track them down NOW without NAIS

[sidepasser]

There will also be the problem of vets who do not want to do the extra paperwork, hire an extra person to handle that paperwork and believe that it is not a worthwhile endeavor so will drop large animals and farm calls.

I have been warned by my vet that when this system goes to mandatory, he will no longer practice on livestock but will limit his time to small animals only. Said too much money was involved for expenses vs. income made..so no go. I have heard many others are thinking along the same lines..so with a shortage of large animal vets already - add to that vets who will drop livestock and you will have a crisis.

I plan to sell all my horses if this system comes to pass and get out of livestock altogether and no I will not register my farm, nor my animals. I don't think that a system as bloated as the US Government needs to spend millions to track animals rather than feed it's POOR PEOPLE.

I also doubt that any government that cannot keep up with illegal aliens running about in this country would be any better at tracking a stray cow or horse.

[Ruby]

Originally Posted by whiterabbit454

ok dumb question but why do they need to know what all you have? i plan on having 3 cattle alot of chickens and a small orchard and grape vines how will this NAIS affect me?
how do i stop it? why are they doing it? thanks

They want to know what all everyone has, so when the time comes it can be redistributed. You know the "Haves" has to share with the "Havenot's".

Thats how it will start. They will have a record of who has what, and will take it and give it to the ones who don't. Isn't that how "communism" works?

[MiniMama]

Originally Posted by sidepasser

I also doubt that any government that cannot keep up with illegal aliens running about in this country would be any better at tracking a stray cow or horse.

Ain't that the truth?!