Global Animal Mgmt

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A New Threat To Rural Freedom

NONAIS

Animal ID Makers In Hog Heaven

National Animal ID Run Amok

StopAnimalID

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The Issue

The large food animal producers and the RFID technology manufacturers have partnered with the USDA for the purpose of designing and implementing a national database of all animals in the country.  

The large producers want the system as cover so they can continue to import animals from foreign countries that don't have the same health and safety standards we have.  When a diseased animal is found, this system will allow them to track down other animals imported at the same time. 

The justification for this system is food safety - but it has nothing to do with food safety.  It will not prevent diseased animals from being imported and consumed. If food safety were the issue, the obvious solution would be to prohibit the importation of animals from foreign countries. 

On the front page of the USDA-NAIS website, they indicate that this system is just for livestock, however if one looks

a little deeper, they will find that the USDA plans are to require the registration, chipping and tracking of ALL animals - including pets. 

NAIS Brochure - USDA

"The goal of the NAIS is to have the capability to identify all animals and premises that have had direct contact with a foreign animal disease or domestic disease of concern within 48 hours after discovery."

The key to interpreting that statement is 'direct contact with foreign animal disease'.  Obviously wild birds cross borders.  Do you have a bird dog?  Or a cat?  Are they likely to come into contact with a 'foreign disease'.  This is how they will justify the requirement for the registration and tracking of ALL animals.

Butch Otter wrote a constituent letter that confirmed the plans to require registration of all animals by 2008. 

"Develop, implement, and test a process that will allow tracing a livestock animal through multiple livestock industry segments, across state and national borders, to its herd of origin within 48 hours in an efficient and cost effective manner."

But the Modus Operandi of the government is to do a pilot project with a limited objective and then to add on once the system becomes operational.  In the case of the NAIS animal tracking system, they are starting with cattle, but the USDA goal is to eventually include all animals.  What that means is that you'd have to pay a tribute to the government for the privilege of owning an animal.

Even the way that Idaho Department of Agriculture went about this was deceptive.  It was supposed to be a voluntary program but - without the permission or knowledge of animal owners in Idaho - they turned over the private information of Idaho animal owners to a private corporation for conversion and registration in the Premises databases.  went ahead and registered the premises of all animal owners from their many databases on Idaho citizens and their animals. 

Notice that the private corporation is a 'human and animal' health corporation. 

Idaho Title 25, Chapter 2

25-207B.  IDENTIFICATION OF LIVESTOCK, POULTRY OR FISH -- RULES FOR
DISEASE CONTROL. (1) In order to provide for disease control and increase the
traceability of infected or exposed animals or fish, the division of animal
industries, in cooperation with the state brand board, is authorized to
promulgate rules for the identification of livestock, poultry or fish and the
registration of premises where such animals or fish are held.
 

So... it started out with cattle but the domestic deer ranches were included.  The Idaho law includes livestock, poultry or fish with our regard to whether the animal owners are a commercial, interstate food producer.

Creating Markets Where There Wasn't One

As the story goes, feeding the animal parts to the cattle gave them a disease that is transmittable to people and it has a very scary name -

From the USDA - NAIS Brochure

Of course word spread rapidly around the globe and thanks to the 24-hour news cycle, we had the images of sick cattle and people burned into our minds. 

Oh My God.. this is a serious problem!  What Oh What Can We Do?  We must stop the spread of this brain mushing disease! 

Tat..Tat..Ta-Tah... Fortunately, there was a solution...

Testing the Animals For the Disease?   Noooooo

Government Won't Allow Mad Cow Tests; Meatpacker Sues

Ok... How about this - Pay a fee to the government to put your name on the computer system of a public-private partner and buy expensive technology to allow your animal to be tracked with a GPS system.    OF COURSE THAT'S THE SOLUTION!   Silly us... for not thinking of it before.