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  • From: "TradingPostPaul" <tradingpost@riseup.net>
  • To: livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [Livingontheland] Alert: USDA plans to use breed registries to implement NAIS
  • Date: Sat, 12 Jan 2008 13:46:32 -0700


Subject: Alert: USDA plans to use breed registries to implement NAIS



USDA Plans to Use Breed Registries to Implement NAIS

USDA plans to use breed associations to force NAIS
registrations, beginning as early as March 2008, less than two months from
now. USDA's Business Plan calls for breed registries to start using an
official Animal Identification Number, or "AIN" in their registry. And
since
you must first register your property in NAIS before you can obtain an AIN,
this could effectively implement the first two stages of NAIS for anyone in
those registries!
The breed registries for cattle, horses, sheep, and goats
are potential targets, but the Plan does not indicate which breed
registries
have agreed to implement NAIS.

Take Action: Contact your breed association or other
livestock registry and find out if it will be implementing USDA's Plan.

Ask the registry:

a.. Do you plan to require members to use the USDA's
15-digit Animal Identification Number (AIN) to enter or maintain animals in
your registry?
b.. Do you plan to require members to use the State's
or
USDA's premises registration system in order to obtain a breed registration
number?
c.. Can you please confirm the registry's intentions in
writing?
Tell them that you do not want them to be a tool for
implementing the government's plan for NAIS!

Next Steps:

a.. If they plan to force their members into NAIS,
consider finding another association to meet your needs if possible. If
you
do leave your association, be sure to tell them why.
b.. Spread the word! If you find out that your breed
association plans to force NAIS on its members, tell all the people you
know
who are in that association or considering joining. Post to the online
groups that focus on your type of animal. Let people know how the
association is working against the best interests of its members.
c.. Email us to let us know what your breed association
says. We'll post a list of organizations that are requiring NAIS and those
that aren't.


More Information

The USDA published its Business Plan in December of last
year. You can download the Plan at
http://farmandranchfreedom.org/content/Government-documents. The Plan sets
aggressive targets for implementation of NAIS. One of the strategies for
achieving those goals is "harmonization" among various systems that already
use individual identification. Harmonization involves changing the
existing
programs so they use the NAIS-compliant Animal Identification Numbers
(AIN's). (Plan, pp.28-29).

As part of its harmonization strategy, USDA lists having
breed registries begin using NAIS AIN's in March 2008, less than two months
from now. (Plan, p.52). The AIN is a 15-digit internationally unique
identification number. It starts with "840" which identifies the animal as
coming from the US. (Plan, p.30). In order to get an AIN under NAIS, you
have to register your property ("premises registration" under the NAIS
plan). The legal effect of this registration is unknown, because there has
been nothing like it before - permanent federal registration of citizens'
property, linked to an issue (animal ownership) that carries potential
liabilities.

With this harmonization strategy, USDA plans to use our
private associations to force livestock, poultry, and horse owners to
register their property and tag their animals under a government program,
despite the continued protests of animal owners across the country.

Contacts for more information


Liberty Ark Supporters: The Liberty Ark email system is
still down. You can contact the Coalition by emailing one of the Steering
Committee members, Karin Bergener, at bergener@config.com or calling her at
330-298-0065.

FARFA List: As always, you can reach us at
info@farmandranchfreedom.org or 866-687-6452 with any questions.


Working together, we can make our voices heard.

Judith McGeary
Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance
www.farmandranchfreedom.org
866-687-6452






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