--fewer food choices
--fewer local, grass-fed and organic options
--fewer small farmers/ranchers
--invasion of animal owner's personal privacy
--destruction of personal property right
--bigger agribusiness
--more government invasion
--higher food cost
--increased taxes
Sounds like something we all look forward to doesn't it? This could very well be the scene across our landscape soon if we don't stop the efforts of our government (and big agribusiness) to put into place the National Animal Identification System (NAIS).
You may not of heard of NAIS yet (as the media isn't covering it) or if you have, you might think that it doesn't effect you as you don't have any animals. BUT if you like buying your food from local farmers, this system just might put them out of business which means you loose your food source which will ultimately give us all fewer choices and higher food prices as only the big guys will survive...so in the end, it does effect you! And to add insult to injury, if you have a few animals as pets, this will effect you all the more. This is not just a farmer/rancher issue--this is a food freedom issue!
There is a newly released, 8-minute video on the NAIS from Liberty Ark Coalition that does a very good job of explaining this invasion. To view video go to: http://www.libertyark.net/NAIS-new/NAIS%20Clip/
I would suggest after you view the video, that you poke around their website and read more about NAIS and become more familiar with it and see for your self how over reaching this is.
This program is at the moment voluntary (it's become a forced voluntary in some states) but the goal of the USDA is to make it mandatory for all.
WHAT IS NAIS?
---- A (short) background ----
The National Animal Identification System poses a serious threat to all farmers, ranchers, livestock owners, and companion-animal owners, whether they are organic or conventional, small or large, involved with animals for business or for pleasure. If it is made mandatory, every person with even one horse, cow, chicken, pig, goat, sheep, or virtually any other livestock animal on their premises will be required to register their homes and property into a database and subject their property and animals to government surveillance.
The USDA has been working for over five years to force NAIS onto American animal owners. NAIS is designed to identify and track each and every individual livestock and poultry animal owned by family farmers, hobby farmers, homesteaders, and pet owners across the country.
USDA claims that NAIS is a disease tracking program, but has refused to provide any support for its claims. In reality, NAIS will impose high costs and government surveillance on every farmer and animal owner for no significant benefits, and will likely force many small producers out of business. NAIS does nothing to improve food safety for consumers or prevent animal diseases. This program is a one-size-fits-all program developed by and for big Agribusiness.
NAIS will increase consolidation of our food supply in the hands of a few large companies and put the brakes on the growing movement toward local food systems.
A grassroots movement has already successfully stalled USDA's plans for NAIS, which originally called for the entire program (premises registration, animal identification, and tracking) to be mandatory by January 2009. It is imperative that people speak up to protect the right to farm and the right to choose our food supply!
Another website to check out that is also covering this NAIS issue-- http://www.farmandranchfreedom.org/
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