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  • From: Lucy Goodman <goodows AT infinet.com>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] NAIS
  • Date: Wed, 01 Nov 2006 05:12:12 -0500



Brigette,

Do you think NAIS as it stands will really work to trace back all pathogens especially when the big farms will get exemptions? I too understand traceback but we already have this with USDA organics, the scrapie testing and do we need this for non food animals? and what about produce which is the source of about 50% of food born illness. Will NAIS keep e-coli 157 from getting into the water system? i don't think so. All I see is yet another unfunded mandate, another badly written and vague regulation small farmers must follow. the argument about not being able to afford this is valid especially for small farmers whop are just starting up and my not have a lot of income yet nor resources for the money. Sure we can just all go out of business leaving the big guys behind and isn't that what the WTO/USDA/industrial ag want any how? The demise of the small diversified farmer?

I also do not like the idea of my livestock becoming a part of the national herd once I register my farm and the animals being a part of the national herd means they really do not belong to me any longer and the state can come in a dispose of them if they deem it necessary (and not because there are any ill animals on the farm either). So unlike you Brigette i am not at all in favor of the NAIS program as it currently stands. I am not against traceability of animals but i do not think a one size fits all for both industrial ag and human scale ag is the answer.

Lucy Goodman
Boulder Belt Eco-Farm
Eaton, OH
http://boulerbelt.blogspot.com

Andy,
Thanks for the link. I appreciate knowing what others are saying publicly. I do have a different view, however, largely because in Michigan we have spent several years now dealing with the bovine tuberculosis problem, and I am well aware of what that disease outbreak has cost not only farmers of all sizes but taxpayers as well. The size of an operation has nothing to do with a disease outbreak like hoof and mouth or avian flu. And if an outbreak occurs, all producers will be impacted, as will all consumers. Even those who don't eat meat. Michigan taxpayers as well as producers have footed the bill for helping to bring the TB problem under control. Taxpayers would also help to foot the bill for any other large scale disease outbreak. People tend to ignore the number of by-products that come from animal agriculture...products that we use on a daily basis without giving it a second thought. The incident like the manure pie takes place when the reactionaries have run out of valid arguments to make and can find no other means to communicate.

We all wanted trace back when the recent e-coli outbreak occurred. Why resist a method of trace back on animal products so vehemently? Consumers want to be reassured that food products are safe and if I can help assure that my products are safe, isn't that to my benefit. I don't buy the argument that the program will put family farmers out of business, either. It's singing the same old sad song, poor pitiful me. If one can't meet regulations designed to protect our food supply, then perhaps one should find another occupation.

Brigette
Avalon Farms Homegrown



Andy Wendt wrote:


Here is a link to an article in USA Today that Joel Salatin was interviewed for about NAIS:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-10-26-animal-id_x.htm

--Andy
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