Kathryn posted this on another list; thought it was pertinent for this list
as well.

Merry Christmas,

Sandra

USDA forcing livestock producers into NAIS

<http://www.agweek.com/> Grand Forks Agweek
Published: 12/08/2008

RAPID CITY, S.D. - The South Dakota Stockgrowers Association is disappointed
to learn of memos recently sent from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to
veterinarians across the country, calling for registration of livestock
owners in the National Animal Identification System.

SDSGA Vice President Kenny Fox, of Belvidere, says veterinarians are being
told to sign up cattle owners who take part in standard animal health
procedures necessitating a vet such as brucellosis vaccinations, diagnostics
testing and many others. Fox says USDA is effectively mandating NAIS
registration and the stockgrower group is urging USDA to rescind its memo
immediately.

"Time and again, USDA has promised that the NAIS is a voluntary program, and
time and again they try to force involvement in their program," Fox says.
"They know that independent agriculture doesn't support a mandatory system,
so they keep telling us 'don't worry it's just voluntary,' while they go
behind our backs and use every conceivable method of coercing producers to
sign up. They talk the talk but they don't walk the walk."

Fox says the stockgrowers hope USDA will realize the mistake it has made in
issuing the Sept. 22 memo, and thinks it should contact every recipient,
telling them not to sign up a single producer unless that producer requests
it.

"I encourage every animal owner to contact members of Congress, U.S.
Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer, Chairman of the Senate Ag Committee Tom
Harkin and Chairman of House ag Collin Peterson as well as ranking members
Saxby Chambliss and Bob Goodlatte. Explain your concerns with NAIS and ask
them to insist that USDA retract the memo," Fox says. Call the Stockgrowers
office at (605) 342-0429 for these phone numbers.

Producers can be removed from the NAIS database if they choose. In fact,
SDSGA President Larry Nelson of Buffalo, S.D., has successfully taken his
ranch off of the NAIS database.

"My wife and I wrote a letter asking to be removed because we hadn't
realized that it was a voluntary program, and we later received a letter
from USDA indicating that our request had been granted," Nelson says.

Nelson says that at the time, he agreed to register his premise, but wasn't
under the impression it was voluntary.

Any producer wishing to "un-register" his or her premises should write a
letter to USDA APHIS and ask to be removed. Producers should contact SDSGA
for more specific information including a mailing address.

- Larry Nelson


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