Dear Ms. Phelan,
Thank you for your recent correspondence regarding the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National Animal Identification System (NAIS). I genuinely appreciate your taking the time to share your thoughts with me on the important issue.
Growing up near Parker, Kansas, I participated in the day-to-day operations of our family farm and learned how the livestock industry contributes to a safe food supply and a robust economy for the State of Kansas and for the nation. Like my own family, farmers and ranchers in the United States today are among our most innovative citizens. They understand that technology can be harnessed to raise our standards and production to even higher levels of excellence, allowing the U.S. to compete in new markets, facilitate domestic growth, and create new jobs.
Currently a voluntary program, the NAIS is a cooperative State-Federal-industry partnership to standardize and expand animal identification programs and practices to all livestock species and poultry. The NAIS integrates three components-premises identification, animal identification and animal tracking. The long-term goal of the NAIS is o provide animal health officials with the capability to identify all live stock and premises that have had direct contact with a disease of concern within 48 hours after discovery.
It is important that we protect our food supply, but equally important that we protect the privacy to those who work hard to produce our food supply. Guaranteeing this privacy and ensuring effective dialog between producers, consumers, lawmakers and regulators will be critical for the continued growth of the agriculture industry. As I continue to monitor the progress of the NAIS, I assure you that I will keep your concerns in mind.
You are the reason that I am here, and I appreciate your contacting me regarding this important issue. I encourage you to visit my website brownback.senate.gov for information on the issues on which I am working. Please do not hesitate to contact me in the future.
Sincerely,
Sam
Sam Brownback
United States Senator
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I have a few thoughts about this letter, but first, tell me what you think. Does any one here speak newspeak?
if you want to call him and ask why his form letter did not acknowledge any of the issues I brought up, the number is {202} 224-6521
4 comments:
I'm not sure what he actually said that holds any importance. It seems like he hasn't made up his mind, that he does have the homesteader's interests in mind, but not necessarily that he intends on advocating for them.
Well, looks like he landed squarely on the fence, doesn't it?
Amy (amyleaton on LJ)
It's an art, to say so much, and not say anything!
Justin, bingo. This is a form letter where he is attempting to personalize himself by telling me irrelevant things. I asked a simple question, where do you stand on this issue, will you stop it if it causes small farms and homesteads to lose everything because they can not afford to pay {currently it will cost me up to $1,400} for the chips or will not buy the chips because of religious beliefs and end up paying the fines?
amy, I would agree. Though I am sure he has made up his mind. He just doesn't want to tick off a voter here, one way or another. {thanks for replying, it's nice to see you here}
Fancy, it's a wonderful talent, isn't it?
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