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Barnyard Buddies:  Thoughts on Animal ID?  |
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MullersLaneFarm
True Blue Farmgirl
596 Posts
Rock Falls
IL
596 Posts |
 Posted - Mar 20 2006 : 07:20:01 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by ThymeForEweFarm
When you take away the small farmer's right to raise animals as she believes is healthier, and force factory farming on that farmer and her customers, you've change entire lifestyles. Farms shut down. No, it won't be ok.
Robin - This will mean the death of our dream and our chosen lifestyle. Our animals won't be ours anymore, but part of the "National Herd" subject to the whim of the government and agri-business. Meaning, if they want to come onto our property and exterminate our food supply, they could. Without reason and without compensation. Think it is far fetched?? There is a bill in the Commonwealth of VA to do just that:
http://www.westonaprice.org/federalupdate/aa2006/actionalert_012406.html
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Virginia bill HB982 (from Secretary of Agriculture Robert Bloxom and sponsored by Del. Lewis) will let the Virginia Department of Agriculture (VDACS) adopt regulations - WITHOUT going through the Administrative Process Act and WITHOUT any public input - that will:
let Dept. of Ag. agents carry out unwarranted search and seizure on premises that keep poultry
be immediately enforceable
have no sunset clause
require a license to keep ANY poultry
make violation a Class One Misdemeanor ($25,000 fine and a year in jail)
The Code of Virginia (Sec. 2.2 - 4011) ALREADY PROVIDES for creation of emergency regulations in case of "an imminent threat to public health" but the emergency regulations would have a sunset clause (12 months with renewal possible) and they need the approval of the governor.
HB982 creates a Perennial State of Emergency and effectively eliminates the 4th Amendment for anyone who owns poultry - even one bird. The bill does not define "live-bird market" or "production unit." Just as they defined a "dairy farm" as any premises where one dairy animal is kept, they can define "production unit" as one bird and "live poultry market" as premises where one bird is kept.
Our freedoms are being eroded little by little in favor of the government and business ... isn't that facism??
Cyndi
Say NO! to National Animal ID
http://www.NoNAIS.org
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Illinois_Against_NAIS
Joshua 24:15
Muller's Lane Farm
http://www.mullerslanefarm.com
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MullersLaneFarm
True Blue Farmgirl
596 Posts
Rock Falls
IL
596 Posts |
Posted - Mar 20 2006 : 07:27:09 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Horseyrider
I don't see any rights being handed over. Will I lose my right to free speech? Assembly? To bear arms? Exactly what right am I losing?
Am I willing to be told what to do? Sure; within the boundaries of reason. That's what government's for; to make rules for the greater good. I'm no conspiracy theorist. I don't believe Big Business is out to get me, nor the USDA. I've known too many people in both.
My family will be giving up our right to feed our family in the way we deem healthy. My family will be giving up our right to raise our children to become responsible adults in the way we see fit.
No, Mary Ann - With the Coggins test you dont HAVE to have them done. With NAIS we HAVE to register our premises and all of our animals.
If the USDA is so concerned about the safety of our food, why did they reduce the number of meat inspectors last week? Why don't they individually test each animal as it goes into the food system (like Japan currently does) instead of sitting in an office filling out paperwork.
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I'm happy for you if you've made lifestyle decisions that bring you satisfaction by producing food in a manner you see fit. However, not everyone feels the way you do about it, and feeling differently doesn't make them wrong. Until you're able to step up production and feed the country at an affordable price the way commercial producers do, and take the risks they do in order to feed them, perhaps the strident attitude should be one that's written and then deleted.
We don't WANT to step up production and feed the country. We want to have the freedom to feed our family.
Cyndi
Say NO! to National Animal ID
http://www.NoNAIS.org
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Illinois_Against_NAIS
Joshua 24:15
Muller's Lane Farm
http://www.mullerslanefarm.com
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Edited by - MullersLaneFarm on Mar 20 2006 07:50:34 AM |
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MullersLaneFarm
True Blue Farmgirl
596 Posts
Rock Falls
IL
596 Posts |
Posted - Mar 20 2006 : 07:42:34 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Horseyrider
Another comparison is rabies vaccination. It's also required by law. If we were facing a pandemic of rabies, officials might be more strident. But you can easily keep your dog, horses, cats, whatever unvaccinated. Who's local government has the $$$ in their coffers to go around and look in everyone's barns?
Then again, the government isn't zooming in (via GPS) on people's homes looking to see if they have animals that may be unvaccinated. Our farm has been assigned a national id. We didn't voluntarily sign up for it, it was given to us. They know we are a farm, they can check how many and what kind of animals we have on the place.
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I think the only time anyone will ever bother you about them is when there's the very serious and imminent threat for disease outbreak. I see you have heirloom varieties, something you'd like to protect. I'm afraid that if they're not registered, they may be destroyed out of hand if the bird flu starts changing to something people can catch.
How do they destroy a flock they have no knowlege of? Me thinks it will give them the exact location of all breeders so they can destroy the flocks "just in case" - without compensation to the owners, of course.
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If they are registered, has anyone discussed the possibility of bands instead of inserting a chip in the breastmeat? Banding would be much easier on everyone, and it would give you a method of watching your lineage and selecting for the best birds.
Yes there is talk of both wing banding and leg banding.
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Chances are people with farms under five or ten acres will be given a pass, or that make under $XXX per year will get a pass, or they'll use some other measuring stick to keep the return on their time reasonable, too.
I wish - but the NAIS draft plans to include ALL livestock - no matter how small. The grandmother that keeps a couple chickens for her personal egg use will be required to register both her premises and her hens.
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I think people like you and me will be very much under their radar. And like the Coggins tests and health certificates, they'll be a small irritation. I feel time will show that it's much ado about nothing.
I'd rather not take that chance. The erosion of my personal freedom and liberty is more than a small irritation. We are being stripped of these freedoms a little at a time. When will it be too late??
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
Benjamin Franklin, Historical Review of Pennsylvania, 1759
Cyndi
Say NO! to National Animal ID
http://www.NoNAIS.org
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Illinois_Against_NAIS
Joshua 24:15
Muller's Lane Farm
http://www.mullerslanefarm.com
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Edited by - MullersLaneFarm on Mar 20 2006 07:53:51 AM |
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Christine in Clark Fork
Farmgirl in Training
34 Posts
Christine
Clark Fork
Idaho
USA
34 Posts |
Posted - Mar 20 2006 : 09:34:18 AM
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It is nice to see the various views, both pro and con. I really appreciate seeing both sides of this issue. Making people "think" is a virtue. If our congress was this thorough and really looked at how the laws would affect real people, maybe only good, common sense laws would be passed.
Some thoughts--If the animal ID becomes law, would it be enforceable? If not, what benefit would it have? Would it create such a big logistical nightmare as to make it useless? Does one size fit all? Is there a better way to provide food security that actually makes sense?
Some time ago, I read the book "Fast Food Nation" and I remember something about chicken meat contamination. Foster Farms found that by monitoring only a few critical areas; they were able to stop approximately 99% of the contamination.
Maybe we need to find out where the critical areas of disease and contamination occur. It makes more sense to monitor a few areas really good, than to try to monitor everything unsuccessfully.
I love ya all; you make me think. |
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Mari-dahlia
True Blue Farmgirl
269 Posts
Marianne
Hoosick Falls
New York
USA
269 Posts |
Posted - Mar 20 2006 : 11:55:19 AM
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Maybe you all have already heard this but at the NAIS meeting in Maine last week they attacked the ag dept people, having the meeting, with cow manure and ended the proceedings. Don't mess with Maine!!
"He who would sacrifice liberty for security deserves Neither" Ben Franklin
We have to remember that when we are asking for handouts also. We the people have given up so many liberties.
I would prefer my Liberty back. Life, Liberty and the persuit of happiness, do we have it anymore?
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MullersLaneFarm
True Blue Farmgirl
596 Posts
Rock Falls
IL
596 Posts |
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ThymeForEweFarm
True Blue Farmgirl
705 Posts
Robin
An organic farm in the forest in
Maine
USA
705 Posts |
Posted - Mar 20 2006 : 12:18:45 PM
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It's disgusting. It's no way to make anyone understand how devastating NAIS is to small farmers and the rural communities they live in. Two people, who were not part of the meeting, came in dressed in costumes. The meeting was coming to a close. They threw manure pies at Shelly Doak and Dr. Don Hoenig. Shelly is the director of animal industry and Dr. Hoenig is the state vet. The attackers were chased but got away and haven't been caught yet. I assume the upcoming meetings will have security now.
Robin
www.thymeforewe.com
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Ginastjoe
Farmgirl at Heart
7 Posts
Gina
St Joe
IN
USA
7 Posts |
Posted - Mar 28 2006 : 8:20:04 PM
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If the govn. is really concerned about disease why are they trying to pass a bill to allow the importing of processed chicken from China. NAIS is a political move created, funded and pushed by big agribusiness. Small farmers and consumers will ultimately pay when cost and paperwork makes it impossible to compete with Monsanto, Tyson and the like (who by the way will need only to register and report a group lot, not "broken" herds found in smaller operations).
Local, sustainable farming should be supported, not NAIS which will serve to only concentrate our food supply and allow the import of meat from other countries known to harbor the very disease we are supposedly being "protected" from by NAIS.
And, Rabies and Coggins testing and IDing insures freedom from disease. I don't hear anyone here saying that testing poultry, swine, beef, etc. is a bad thing (in fact it works!), but NAIS requirements are not a way to test or monitor disease (as rabies and Coggins testing are), but a way to monitor the farmer.
I work for my state's govn. and in my area of work we take infested plants. We used to compensate the owners, but as funding decreased, we ended that program. Now we just take. I can see the same thing happening here. Since a RFID chip will not keep disease at bay (just alert officials to where livestock resides), how is it going to feel when they show up to take our life's work or our beloved pets and then not compensate us in anyway? These are real concerns that need to be addressed and this is where those of us who oppose NAIS really feel there is a huge issue. It is being passed without some people's knowledge, input or concerns for their way of life (e.g. Amish).
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TejasFarmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
105 Posts
Dawnn
Bartonville
Texas
USA
105 Posts |
Posted - Mar 29 2006 : 7:15:54 PM
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| I agree with Gina. I am not a conspiracy theorist...hell, I am a CORPORATE attorney. However, NAIS is a bad idea-more government regulation is a bad idea. It is not meant to stop contamination of the food supply, but to trace back. It is reactionary not proactive. What this country needs is sustainable community based foods supplies. Look at Monsanto... Do most Americans even have the knowledge let alone the choice to feed their families milk without growth hormones? Why are we the only country to allow this? |
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MullersLaneFarm
True Blue Farmgirl
596 Posts
Rock Falls
IL
596 Posts |
Posted - Mar 30 2006 : 05:28:49 AM
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Because we have given up so many freedoms, we are like birds in a cage waiting for our master to feed us what ever they want.
My 13 yo son made an observation the other day ... when will the government want to ID premises that have veggie gardens?? After all, some gardeners use pesticides, herbacides, insecticides ... all very dangerous ...
Don't think it will happen? Just let our freedoms keep being eroded and it will only be a matter of time.
Cyndi
Say NO! to National Animal ID
http://www.NoNAIS.org
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Illinois_Against_NAIS
Joshua 24:15
Muller's Lane Farm
http://www.mullerslanefarm.com
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LJRphoto
True Blue Farmgirl
760 Posts
Laura
Hickory Corners
MI
USA
760 Posts |
Posted - Mar 30 2006 : 06:29:09 AM
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i know everyone has a right their opinions and all, but i have to say, i'm a little shocked that there are people on this site advocating for corporate farmers. Animals raised in that corporate farm environment are MUCH more likely to develop and spread diseases than a small herd or flock on a small farm that gives the animals plenty of space and the ability to express their "animalness."
This just isn't the place i thought i would see it.
As for the NAiS, it's just a way for the gov't to make people think that they are doing something about a "problem" without really having to do anything. A population that lives in fear (of terrorism, of disease, whatever) is much easier to control than a population that feels secure.
"Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it's time to pause and reflect." -Mark Twain
http://ljrenterprises.blogspot.com/ |
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Horseyrider
True Blue Farmgirl
1045 Posts
Mary Ann
Illinois
1045 Posts |
Posted - Mar 30 2006 : 09:04:04 AM
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Laura, I understand. It may seem like it's contradictory, but in reality it's not. I've been part of the natural foods and organic gardening movement for more than thirty years. I've had homestead animals too, raising our own meat, eggs, and milk. I also got an animal science degree, and got to visit some really nice commercial producers. It's not at all like it's depicted in the media.
I have a friend who raises beef cattle. He has hundreds out pastured, and then brings them into feedlots for finishing. He's not a monster, and his animals are very well cared for; they are well fed, and enjoy a rich social life. Yes, disease is more of an issue for him because a bug can go through many animals like lightning. I don't see how it can be harmful, if he has a sick one inadvertantly go out, if he has tags or chips to determine where those his steer might have been with have gone. It really can stop the spread of disease.
I love my small farm. I love my animals. But not everyone can raise animals at home like we do, and they still need to eat. Who will raise the animals to support the factory workers, the city folks, the folks driving truck all week, the people in prisons, the people in institutions, etc? Those of us with just a few head can't do that. Perhaps you can afford to pay high dollar for protein sources, but not everyone can. Without big farms, all sorts of food would be out of the reach of many people.
quote:
This just isn't the place i thought i would see it.
You know what I expected to see on this site? Tolerance, and respect for the right of others to feel differently. |
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Horseyrider
True Blue Farmgirl
1045 Posts
Mary Ann
Illinois
1045 Posts |
Posted - Mar 30 2006 : 09:44:10 AM
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| Oh, and do you know who most of those "corporate farms" are? People like Stan and Patty, Bud and Darlene, Kent and Susan, and Darren and his dad and uncles. They're family farms. There are tax advantages to incorporation. The margin is so thin on commercial farming they need every edge they can get. |
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LJRphoto
True Blue Farmgirl
760 Posts
Laura
Hickory Corners
MI
USA
760 Posts |
Posted - Mar 30 2006 : 10:13:24 AM
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Mary Ann, perhaps my terminology is incorrect. I'm not talking about family owned farms, incorporated or not. I'm talking about HUGE farms that are owned by faceless corporations that have 15,000+ animals inside a "barn" who never see the light of day because every available acre is being used to grow corn to feed the livestock (grass fed vs. corn fed is a whole different discussion). I know exactly what this looks (and smells) like. I used to drive by it every day.
And how is the tagging going to help when the USDA keeps reducing the official number of animals being tested for anything? That's not a rhetorical question. If you have an idea on the practical aspects of requiring farmers to tag every animal and track it's every movement and then not testing those animals for anything I'd love to hear it.
"Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it's time to pause and reflect." -Mark Twain
http://ljrenterprises.blogspot.com/ |
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MullersLaneFarm
True Blue Farmgirl
596 Posts
Rock Falls
IL
596 Posts |
Posted - Mar 30 2006 : 10:48:52 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Horseyrider
I don't see how it can be harmful, if he has a sick one inadvertantly go out, if he has tags or chips to determine where those his steer might have been with have gone. It really can stop the spread of disease.
the NAIS isn't meant to STOP the spread of disease, but to TRACK it.
quote:
But not everyone can raise animals at home like we do, and they still need to eat. Who will raise the animals to support the factory workers, the city folks, the folks driving truck all week, the people in prisons, the people in institutions, etc? Those of us with just a few head can't do that.
but why punish the families whose raise their own food? The animals we raise are NOT going to feed the populous, but we will be weighed down with funding this since we will have to tag EACH of our animals while the larger producer only has to assign a number for their LOT of animals.
quote:
quote:
This just isn't the place i thought i would see it.
You know what I expected to see on this site? Tolerance, and respect for the right of others to feel differently.
[/quote]
Funny, I do see tolerance being practiced. There has been a lively conversation and many folks with differing opinions voicing how this will affect them personally.
If the USDA wants this in place to protect folks that cannot raise their own food, then let Agribusinesses that feed them voluntarily sign up. I can see absolutely no reason (and this is after speaking with Dr. John Weimer who helped draft the NAIS) that the NAIS should be mandatory.
There are already so many checks and balances in place - why not enforce what we already have???
Cyndi
Say NO! to National Animal ID
http://www.NoNAIS.org
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Illinois_Against_NAIS
Joshua 24:15
Muller's Lane Farm
http://www.mullerslanefarm.com
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Horseyrider
True Blue Farmgirl
1045 Posts
Mary Ann
Illinois
1045 Posts |
Posted - Mar 30 2006 : 12:39:24 PM
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I guess I just don't feel as passionately about it as you do. I don't see it as a big deal at all. You do. If they want my animals chipped, I don't care. One is chipped already; it was mandatory by the breed association. And it's mandatory that he and his dam had to have health certificates and to have Coggins tests to go to their keuring in Milwaukee. I'm glad they did it, because it was some measure of assurance that sick horses would be kept home.
I really feel the small livestock producers on hobby farms are going to be far under their radar, and we'll all do just fine. Remember how everyone got worked up about Y2K? The doom and gloom predictions about that never materialized, either. *shrug* I just don't see it the way you do. |
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MullersLaneFarm
True Blue Farmgirl
596 Posts
Rock Falls
IL
596 Posts |
Posted - Mar 30 2006 : 2:34:20 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Horseyrider
I really feel the small livestock producers on hobby farms are going to be far under their radar, and we'll all do just fine. Remember how everyone got worked up about Y2K? The doom and gloom predictions about that never materialized, either. *shrug* I just don't see it the way you do.
After speaking with Jim Kunkle (IL Dept of AG) and Dr. John Weimer (USDA) I know for certain that the small livestock producers and homesteaders raising their own food are definately very much ON the radar, especially for mandatory premise ID. I heard this expressed by both of them many, many, many times during our meeting.
Now, I can relate the Bird Flu scare with the Y2K scare - then again, the Bird Flu is serving the USDA a purpose - making folks scared enough to buy into the NAIS.
I guess I am so passionate about this because it will adversely affect my lifestyle. Take 50 chickens to the processor 4 times a year with a minimum of $2-$5 a bird tagging PLUS filing with the USDA - More fees with the 6-12 hogs we raise for folks. More fees with heritage turkeys. Now our milk cow and beef steer - well, that may be what we're left with once the USDA is finished with us. I don't have the extra cash to fund this project just so I can put meat on my table.
Do you raise a garden?? Would you accept this so easily if the USDA wanted you to ID your premise and each vegetable (or plant) you grew? don't think it won't happen. It is what is happening already to our animal food supply.
Cyndi
Say NO! to National Animal ID
http://www.NoNAIS.org
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Illinois_Against_NAIS
Joshua 24:15
Muller's Lane Farm
http://www.mullerslanefarm.com
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Edited by - MullersLaneFarm on Mar 30 2006 2:36:57 PM |
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Horseyrider
True Blue Farmgirl
1045 Posts
Mary Ann
Illinois
1045 Posts |
Posted - Mar 30 2006 : 5:19:19 PM
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I guess if I was still raising chickens, it'd be moot. They'd either be tagged at the hatchery (because they had them first) or I'd just quietly butcher at home. I did that much of the time before, anyway. They're not going to have the funding for the manpower to trace down and check up on every backyard hobbyist's chickens.
If they wanted data on my veggies, they could have it. It'd either make me more organized, or I'd estimate to the best of my ability. They couldn't tag my cherry tomatoes; they never make it to the house!  |
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Mari-dahlia
True Blue Farmgirl
269 Posts
Marianne
Hoosick Falls
New York
USA
269 Posts |
Posted - Mar 30 2006 : 5:35:14 PM
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Who the heck is going to inplant these things anyway? Around here there are no Vets that make house calls. The traveling vet has become non existant in this area even with all of the farms here.
As an organic farmer I have to track my lowliest carrot from organic seed to sprouting to where it was planted, when it was harvested, when it goes to market and when it was sold. NO KIDDING
All of this is on paper and checked by an inspector every year. They can sink this kind of money and legislation of vegetables you would think that we would already have a paper trail for our meat. Would'nt a paper trail for farmers under a certain size work? Those of us without Vets on staff will not be able to meet the new proposed requirements. |
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LJRphoto
True Blue Farmgirl
760 Posts
Laura
Hickory Corners
MI
USA
760 Posts |
Posted - Mar 30 2006 : 8:16:58 PM
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#1- Y2K had nothing to do with the passage of unfair laws.
#2- Do you realize that what you are suggesting is that we just forget about laws and break them at our discretion when we don't like them instead of insisting that our lawmakers do their jobs well??
"Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it's time to pause and reflect." -Mark Twain
http://ljrenterprises.blogspot.com/ |
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Horseyrider
True Blue Farmgirl
1045 Posts
Mary Ann
Illinois
1045 Posts |
Posted - Mar 31 2006 : 09:41:15 AM
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#1- Y2K was example of needless hysteria. Many thought it would be horrible, that power grids would shut down, banks would crash, and the world as we knew it would end. People stored vast amounts of food and thought it was akin to the End Times. None of that happened.
#2- I was asked what I would do. So I said what I would do. You live within your comfort zone, and I live within mine. I never ever EVER cheat on my taxes, but I have been known to speed once in awhile. If I speed, should I go to the police station and turn myself in, or should I lobby and demand that my legislators raise the speed limit?
Or should I just be a normal person who goes about living her flawed life? |
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ThymeForEweFarm
True Blue Farmgirl
705 Posts
Robin
An organic farm in the forest in
Maine
USA
705 Posts |
Posted - Mar 31 2006 : 10:15:51 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Horseyrider
I really feel the small livestock producers on hobby farms are going to be far under their radar, and we'll all do just fine. Remember how everyone got worked up about Y2K? The doom and gloom predictions about that never materialized, either. *shrug* I just don't see it the way you do.
http://thymeforewe.com/satellite.html Make note of the date. Less than a month ago the government took a satellite picture of my land. I'm a small farmer. I'm not living under the radar - I'm front and center. This photograph was sent to me out of the blue by Farm Service Agency - a government agency. It came in Monday's mail. That's my land outlined in yellow. It's so accurate it leaves out the corner that was sold to someone who wanted to build a cabin. I didn't request this. This wasn't done because I've asked for it. I already have a satellite photo.
Y2K wasn't a government mandate. Hysteria, while I think the gov't likes it, is not a goverment mandate. It's not a logical comparison. Neither is chipping an animal as a requirement for club membership or a Coggins test. They aren't government mandates that you can be fined over for every day you don't comply. They aren't government mandates. You choose to do this on your own. Nobody has forced you to do this against your will. If this passes I don't get to make a choice. I either do it or I break the law. You get a choice, so it's all fine and dandy.
quote:
Originally posted by Horseyrider
I guess if I was still raising chickens, it'd be moot. They'd either be tagged at the hatchery (because they had them first) or I'd just quietly butcher at home. I did that much of the time before, anyway. They're not going to have the funding for the manpower to trace down and check up on every backyard hobbyist's chickens.
We don't all buy from hatcheries. I haven't for years. I have a closed flock and make very few exceptions. When I need a new rooster I get one from another small farmer. Individual birds won't be tagged. Lots of birds will receive a number.
If the program isn't going to be staffed they're grossly wasting my money. Satellite imaging is so accurate in many areas that you can see people driving cars. It's not going to be hard to track down anyone. They had no problem finding me. After getting the satellite picture from FSA this week I realize we can't under estimate what can be done.
quote:
Originally posted by Mari-dahlia
Who the heck is going to inplant these things anyway? Around here there are no Vets that make house calls. The traveling vet has become non existant in this area even with all of the farms here.
As an organic farmer I have to track my lowliest carrot from organic seed to sprouting to where it was planted, when it was harvested, when it goes to market and when it was sold. NO KIDDING
All of this is on paper and checked by an inspector every year. They can sink this kind of money and legislation of vegetables you would think that we would already have a paper trail for our meat. Would'nt a paper trail for farmers under a certain size work? Those of us without Vets on staff will not be able to meet the new proposed requirements.
We're either going to have to buy the equipment and tags and do it ourselves, or pay somene to do it. A vet call to my farm starts at $100.
Yes, it's a lot of paperwork. If I take my doe to a neighbor's buck one half mile from here it requires paperwork. If I take my goats to the vet to have them chipped, it's more paperwork. And if they get sick - more paperwork. More time. More expense.
As for organic meat - how do you put a synthetic chip in an animal and call it organic? Simple answer - do as the USDA has already done - change the rules for the big guys.
The growing season has started. I can't beat my head on the wall over this thread anymore.
Robin
www.thymeforewe.com
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MullersLaneFarm
True Blue Farmgirl
596 Posts
Rock Falls
IL
596 Posts |
Posted - Mar 31 2006 : 10:48:22 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Horseyrider
I guess if I was still raising chickens, it'd be moot. They'd either be tagged at the hatchery (because they had them first) or I'd just quietly butcher at home. I did that much of the time before, anyway.
We did that (butcher ourselves) for years and decided that for $2 a bird, it was worth it to have them processed. When you're butchering 50-100 at a time, it is a full weekend of work.
Not all of our birds come from a hatchery, only the Cornish X meat chickens which are segregated from the rest of our flocks. Our egg flock is mostly homegrown. We do trade with other local closed flock farmers.
quote:
They're not going to have the funding for the manpower to trace down and check up on every backyard hobbyist's chickens.
Then why mandate that we sign up if they don't have funding or manpower to trace the animals?? Why waste my time and money?? both are in short supply.
We are looking into setting up a mobile butchering service to offer to the local small producers so we won't have to take animals
Cyndi
Say NO! to National Animal ID
http://www.NoNAIS.org
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Illinois_Against_NAIS
Joshua 24:15
Muller's Lane Farm
http://www.mullerslanefarm.com
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Ginastjoe
Farmgirl at Heart
7 Posts
Gina
St Joe
IN
USA
7 Posts |
Posted - Apr 01 2006 : 8:09:08 PM
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Post-mortem tests for disease like BSE and such are already proven useful in the US. However, USDA only tests 1 out of so many caresses due to time, money and lack of staff. NAIS is not about food safety; it is about tracking the farmer and creating yet another bureacracy nightmare (I won't debate whether this is unintentional or not at this time). It is not even about Govn. tracking (persay), but about big business being able to track farmers and control the food industry. Sound like a consspiracy? Well, consider who is actually behind NAIS (the inventors, investers, instigators of the system itself).
Robin, receiving a sattelite photo of my property would have shocked me speechless. I, too, feel we will never be under the radar. We will probably be the the source of income for this insane program.
Mary Ann, I respect your differing opinion. Certainly it is important we are all able to express ourselves; however, I am not sure you are accurately considering the difference between a horse hobbiest and those of us who make a small living or sustain our families from our livestock. Chipping a few horses does not compare to 50-100 chickens. Horses are a huge investment and you are not likely to eat your horse in order to sustain your family (but one never knows). What confuses me though is that you are so adament about the idea that you wouldn't be a govn. concern so you would violate their law, but yet you won't help stop the program from being our reality?
I heard a story on Coast-to-Coast radio a few weeks ago about a research facility that sold some (non-invasive) research hogs to a slaughtering facility. The butcher, who must have had a very keen eye, saw a bit of glass shining in one of the cuts of meat. Apparently, he had shattered the capsule that holds the RFID chip. Do you want something like this in your meat? This is why I chose to raise my own for my family (I don't sell meat to the public) and this is but ONE of the reasons I don't want NAIS. |
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brightmeadow
True Blue Farmgirl
2045 Posts
Brenda
Lucas
Ohio
USA
2045 Posts |
Posted - Apr 02 2006 : 7:43:57 PM
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Several people have hit on the problem that I see - I didn't mind tatooing my purebred Angora rabbits for the breed registry - this was required if I wanted to sell purebred, registered rabbits, or if I wanted to show them in a rabbit show. But my records were my private records - I didn't have to send them in to a government office.
When it becomes MANDATORY for grade animals (likely to be raised for meat, and selling for a much lower price) I don't see how investing in the technology to tag your own animals or taking them to a taxpayer-funded tagging station and paying a fee per animal can be an economic proposition for the small producer. It seems like it is likely to make the small producer just throw up their hands and quit.
I see whole chickens for sale at the (retail) grocery for $3-$4 regularly. I am amazed that anyone could make money incubating, feeding, housing, butchering, and cleaning chickens for a (wholesale) price of $1.50 to $2.00 each. Even if free-range chickens go for quite a bit more at the retail level, the producer is still competing in the market with that $3.00 chicken. And his costs are quite a bit higher per chicken.
It's a pretty small jump to think that this is a plot to eliminate small farmers! I've never been much of a conspiracy theorist but sometimes lately I've been leaning that way. My boss says "never ascribe to malice what can be adequately explained by incompetence" and I try to keep that in mind, too!
So maybe the chicken producers should turn to raising llamas...
You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands - You shall be happy and it shall be well with you. -Psalm 128.2
Visit my web site store at http://www.watkinsonline.com/fish or my homepage at http://home.earthlink.net/~brightmeadow |
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Barnyard Buddies: Thoughts on Animal ID? |
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Thoughts on Animal ID?
