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  • From: BluebonnetHillMiniaturesRanch AT webtv.net (Elizabeth B.)
  • To: market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] NAIS (Brigette L.)
  • Date: Sun, 5 Nov 2006 19:59:54 -0600

How about the USDA blocking producers from testing beef for Mad Cow
Disease (BSE)? Hasn't the USDA been using fears of BSE as justification
for NAIS? What about the USDA's preventing Creekstone Farms from testing
to prove their beef is BSE free?

ARS and Fort Dodge Animal Health of Fort Dodge, Iowa, have signed a
Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) to develop a test
kit for use in diagnosing TSE's in animals. ARS--the USDA's chief
scientific agency--is in the process of applying for a patent.
http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/1999/991021.htm

Turns out the USDA profits from this whole BSE, TSE and NAIS mess in the
form of more bureaucracy, fees and fines as well as a share of the
patent on the BSE test. Is all this not a conflict of interest to the
very producers and citizens they protest to protect and aide?

By all appearances, the USDA is creating problems for small farmers and
producers with NAIS, what with the USDA's refusal to let vendors test,
in order to prove the justification doesn't exist, in their justifying
the creation of an unnecessary, mandatory, expensive, complex and
bureaucratic programs like the National Animal Identification System
(NAIS).

Elizabeth Tritt
http://www.NONAIS.org
http://www.farmandranchfreedom.org
http://www.stopanimalid.org
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Americans_Against_NAIS
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NONAISin-theUS http://www.downsizedc.org


Brigette Leach wrote........
One of the points that is being overlooked in most of these discussions
is the "science" of disease outbreaks. NAIS is more than just food
safety. The outbreak of bovine tuberculosis in Michigan, caused by free
ranging white tail deer having contact with pastured dairy cows and
their food sources, has cost producers of all bovine considerably, as
well as tax payers who have footed the bill for locating infected
animals, testing, and indemnification to producers who herds have been
depopulated. Regardless of herd size or management practices, disease
can be contracted. If you haven't dealt with a disease outbreak, and
particularly one caused by something outside of your control, I don't
think one can fully appreciate the impact. Even though beef animals in
southern Michigan had never had any contact with the TB positive dairy
operations in NW Michigan, producers found their markets over the state
line had suddenly disappeared. Same thing for producers in the upper
peninsula with markets in Wisconsin. I'm not talking about evil CAFO's,
I'm talking about family farms who market anything from a few head to a
few hundred. And disease doesn't always confine itself to one species.
The TB issue in our state has dire implications for wildlife as well.
And while bovine TB isn't easily transmitted to humans, it is most
likely to be contracted when a hunter handles a contaminated deer,
becoming exposed via of lungs and blood.
How would you feel if someone in the northern part of your state had an
outbreak of some disease, but you knew your animals were clean, still
until USDA or your department of ag can get a handle on the area
impacted, a moratorium is placed on all sales. Now you spend
weeks/months continuing to feed an animal who is ready to market? This
scenario has a cost, too.
As to being able to test every bovine for mad cow for a few cents,
totally untrue. There is only one testing facility, in Iowa, and the
process costs far more than a few cents.
If everyone takes a step back from the emotion regarding safe food, evil
CAFO's and industrial agriculture, and deals with the science of
diseases and food safety, you might have a chance to make headway with
the paper pushers in DC. Facts have credibility. I have enough
experience working with state and federal electeds to know that you need
to focus on how the NAIS impacts you without all the accusations and
rantings about the "big guys".
There are literally thousands of ways for foods of many types to become
contaminated...at farms big and small, during processing, at the
supermarket and in the home. These blanket statements about
contamination always being the fault of big operations simply isn't
true. It is most likely to be what garners media attention, however. If
you don't believe my claim, contact your state department of agriculture
for the reported and investigated cases. The information is subject to
FOIA, so don't think you can't get it.




  • Re: [Market-farming] NAIS (Brigette L.), Elizabeth B., 11/05/2006

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