Homestead mailing list

[Wendy <crazygardens AT verizon.net>]

I think the push for this was to jump the stock for the RFID chip, insertion 
and reading equipment.  I wonder which big stock holder was the driving force 
behind this?  It would be interesting to find out.  If I had the time, I 
would look at the sponsors of the bill that started this whole nightmare for 
a lead or two.  It has already been more than "voluntary".  They have already 
tied certain state funding to the development and enforcement of a state 
version, so in some states, their version of NAIS is mandatory (I think 
Wisconsin is one of them).  I would have no issue with chipping live animals 
coming into the country, but even requiring them to be tracked across states 
is too much.  
 
In PA, the "voluntary" regulations (voluntary for now, but even the PA 
website I read implied that it would be made mandatory) even included 
non-food horses.  Our regulations required us to file for permission to move 
the horses anytime we wanted to move them off the premises.  What a pain in 
the butt.  Get permission to go on a trail ride?  Get permission for a 4H 
show?  INSANE!  
 
I also own a pet potbellied pig and am on a list for people who own, train, 
rescue these pigs.  The ear tags that were mandated in the mandatory states 
are for full sized swine with no variation allowed for miniature pigs (you 
can't microchip a pig).  Those tags are bigger than my girl's whole ear! 
INSANE!
 
NAIS also applied to anyone transporting animals for show purposes.  Not too 
intrusive if you show cattle, but once again the performing pig shows (mostly 
pots) have had to avoid states with mandatory regulations.  INSANE
 
The concept that ONE cow started this expensive nonsense is ... well... 
nonsense.  I would look at the money trail to find the real reason.
 
The reason big agribusiness got a break is obvious.  Big business always gets 
a break when the Republicans are in power and the little guys are screwed.  
 
Wendy

--- On Fri, 2/5/10, Marie McHarry <mmcharry AT gmail.com> wrote:


From: Marie McHarry <mmcharry AT gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Homestead] A little (or a lot) of resistance pays off
To: homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org
Date: Friday, February 5, 2010, 2:22 PM


On Fri, Feb 5, 2010 at 12:06 PM, Gloria Morris <gloriamorris59 AT gmail.com> 
wrote:
> So much for Bush being less "big government" and Obama being more. I
> love it when political stereotypes are demolished by reality. :)
>
> This is good news for small producers and homesteaders.

The system, as designed, was always insane (not that that alone
usually stops the feds when they have their minds' made up). It was
all based on one cow and it was intended to apply to all livestock,
even those not known to be affected by BSE. On the face of it, that's
a huge waste of money, and a huge expensive for all producers (and
probably prohibitive for small ones). To my way of thinking, for what
that's worth, not accepting downer cows at stock yards probably went a
long way in preventing the appearance of any more cows in which BSE
could be detected from appearing in the food supply. After all, unless
the science has rapidly advanced the disease can't even be detected in
cattle younger than three or four years.

Personally, I think it was part of a general trend in government to
make consumers terrified of everything.

Marie
_______________________________________________
Homestead list and subscription:
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/homestead
Change your homestead list member options:
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/options/homestead/crazygardens%40verizon.net
View the archives at:
https://lists.ibiblio.org/sympa/arc/homestead