CONGRESSIONAL HEARING ON NAIS, MARCH 11 Updated (3/20/2009) You can submit written testimony for up to 10 days after the hearing
The U.S. House Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy and Poultry will hold a hearing on "animal identification programs" on Wednesday, March 11, 2009. This is the first time in several years that any Congressional Committee will hear testimony about NAIS! It is critical that the thousands of farmers and consumers who oppose NAIS make their voices heard in this process!
STEP 1: Before the Hearing:
New England does not have any representatives on the subcommittee, so contact your own Representative and ask him or her to approach the Subcommittee to urge them to oppose NAIS. If you're not sure who represents you, go to www.congress.org
When you call, ask to speak to the staffer who handles agricultural issues, and talk with them about your concerns about NAIS. Use a brief personal story to explain how NAIS would impact you. Emphasize that you want them to ask hard questions of both the industry and USDA representatives, and to make sure that people representing those who oppose NAIS are also heard at the hearing.
STEP 2: At the Hearing:
If you are in the DC area, please try to come to the hearing!
WHEN: Wednesday, March 11th - 10:00 a.m.
WHERE: 1300 Longworth House Office Building (go to http://www.aoc.gov/cc/cobs/lhob.cfm for maps and parking information)
WHAT: Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry -- Public hearing to review animal identification systems.
The subcommittee will hear invited testimony only, so you won't be able to speak at the hearing. But it is still good for the subcommittee to know that a lot of people care enough about this issue to show up in person!
Immediately after the hearing, we encourage you to visit the Subcommittee members' offices. Be polite and concise during your visit. Let them know that you were at the hearing because you are against NAIS. Briefly bring up one or two points that you felt weren't covered at the hearing that show the problems with NAIS. Keep your visit short and thank them for their time.
STEP 3: After the Hearing:
*** You can submit written testimony to the subcommittee before the hearing, at the hearing, or up to 10 days after the hearing. Send your testimony to the Hearing Clerk, Jamie Mitchell, at Jamie.Mitchell@mail.house.gov Be sure to put "March 11 Hearing - Animal Identification Programs" in the subject line. Keep your comments clear, polite, and concise.
If you are submitting comments you can draw ideas from the comments submitted by FARFA on the USDA's proposed rule for NAIS, posted at:
www.farmandranchfreedom.org/content/files/090202_FARFA_Comments_USDA_rule.pdf
For more information about NAIS, go to www.FarmAndRanchFreedom.org
Action Alert: NAIS in Appropriations Bill Updated (3/2/2009)
The 2009 omnibus Appropriations bill, HR 1105, passed the House last week. The bill includes $14.5 million of funding for NAIS, which is significantly less than the amount requested by the USDA for FY 2009.
Representative Obey (D-WI) included a statement in the record about the intended uses of the appropriations for the USDA, including timelines and performance goals for NAIS. This statement does not mandate NAIS because it is not part of the bill itself. But it implies approval of USDA's Business Plan and pushes USDA to move forward with implementing it, including the use of existing disease control programs and other coercive tactics to implement NAIS.
Call your Senators and ask that they support an amendment to strip the NAIS funding out of the bill! You can find your Senators' contact information at www.congress.org or by calling the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121.
The good news is that it appears that the provision that would have required the School Lunch Program to buy meats only from NAIS-registered farms did NOT make it into the omnibus Appropriations bill. Thank you to everyone who contacted their Congressmen last summer and fall to oppose that provision!
To read the Omnibus Appropriations bill, go to www.thomas.gov and enter "HR 1105" in the search box. Click the option for "Bill Number" and then hit "search." Rep. Obey's explanatory statement can be read by clicking on the link for "H1653-H2088" under "Note" (towards the top of the page of the search result).
OTHER NEWS:
The House Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy and Poultry has announced that it will hold a hearing on Wednesday, March 11, on "animal identification programs." The agenda and list of witnesses is not yet public. Look for an alert as soon as we get more information!
Animal owners, consumers and taxpayers:
NAIS ALERT! Protect your right to farm and to eat local food!
The USDA has proposed a rule to require all farms and ranches where animals are raised to be registered in a federal database under the National Animal Identification System (NAIS) for existing disease control programs. The draft rule covers programs for cattle, sheep, goats, and swine. It also sets the stage for the entire NAIS program to be mandated for everyone, including anyone who owns even one livestock animal, for example, a single chicken or a horse.
It is critical that the USDA and Congress hear from the hundreds of thousands of people who will be adversely affected by the NAIS program. This includes not only animal owners, but also consumers who care about local and sustainable foods, taxpayers who object to wasteful government programs, and advocates for a safer food system.
STEP 1: Submit comments to USDA online or by mail. The comments must be received by USDA by March 16, 2009.
Submit comments online at:
http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=DocketDetail&d=APHIS-2007-0096 Click on the yellow balloon under "add comments."
Or mail two copies of your comments to USDA.
Docket No. APHIS-2007-0096
Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS
Station 3A-03.8
4700 River Road Unit 118
Riverdale, MD 20737-1238
Clearly state that your comments refer to Docket No. APHIS-2007-0096.
(Download sample comments.)
STEP 2: Send a copy of your comments to your Congressman and Senators.
You can find who represents you, and their contact information, at www.congress.org
BACKGROUND
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has been working for over five years to force a National Animal Identification System (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:
- Replace states' existing, well-functioning disease response and brand inspection programs with an untested, expensive and unreliable system;
- 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.
Despite promises to the contrary, the USDA's new proposed rule would make portions of the NAIS mandatory for thousands of people in every state. Anyone who participates in federal disease control program for cattle, sheep, goats or swine will have their premises registered. The NAIS Premises Identification Number (PIN) will become the only form of premises identification acceptable for USDA animal health purposes, with no opt-out provision.
The proposed rule would also limit official Animal Identification Numbers to the NAIS-compliant 840-numbering system, laying the groundwork for future regulations that would limit people's options on the types of tags they could use.
The proposed rule is not final yet. You can help stop it by visiting the Federal Registry and making a comment. Go to http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=DocketDetail&d=APHIS-2007-0096 and click on the yellow balloon under "add comments." And send a copy of your comments to your elected officials, letting them know how you feel about NAIS.
The 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. The proposed rule is an opportunity to get thousands of objections in the formal record, and have an even greater impact. It is imperative that people speak up to protect our right to farm and our food supply!
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Go to www.FarmAndRanchFreedom.org or contact Judith McGeary, 512-243-9404 or Judith@FarmAndRanchFreedom.org
This page was last modified on March 23, 2009 at 5:40:13 AM.
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