Will you pay attention? Or just pay?

USDA SELECTS KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY TO LEAD A BENEFIT-COST ANALYSIS OF THE NATIONAL ANIMAL IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM.

Thank you for the link Gina. I had a wonderful laugh at this one. Beneficial costs? For whom? Cargil? Wal-mart? Oh wait in my own State we have The Kansas livestock association that loves NAIS and have already signed up for it. And why would they love this program, because it pushes the small producer out of business, because China wants us to have this program in place.


There is no cost benefit to me. I do not sell my chickens or goats. And if I did, with NAIS in place, and for me to make a profit so I can keep paying the USDA I would have to charge you {we will round it up slightly to include state tax} $45 a bird. And I would barely make a profit. That would pay the triple taxes we have here and all the items that must be paid for with the NAIS in place. Would you be willing to pay me that much for an organic chicken? Would you pay your local raiser that much? Or would you rather spend the $2.00 a pound that Tyson will be able to still afford? {update on cost figures found here, Looks like my numbers will have to go higher}

That's what I thought.

It is predicted that NAIS will cost the average small farmer somewhere between $5- $35 per animal. These figures come from various people including the USDA. And this does not include the price of lack of privacy or religious persecution. {and yes it will be akin to persecution, because when NAIS becomes mandatory, everyone must obey or lose everything}

KState has a long history with the USDA, so the article doesn't surprise me in the least. It is unfortunate that I live in a state that doesn't seem to get it. And it saddens me that so many in the general public don't get it. Last night on the news there was a poll done that claims that 96% of Americans want to know where their food is coming from. I had a good hardy laugh. Where are all these Americans that claim to care so much about their food source? When I go to a store, I never see someone looking for where it was produced. They look at the price and the name, and choose based on those items. And why is 16% of our beef imported? We have plenty here, and if that many Americans really cared they would only be buying local beef. They don't care. They claim to so that they will look good to their neighbors, who are merely claiming to as well. It is the in thing to care locally.

Americans will eat anything. Yes, that is my statement. We are consumers, we are taught this at birth. A friend of mine that died a few year back use to say. "People will eat anything. If humans gave birth to 6 regularly and had 6 nipples we would eat ourselves." I hear we taste like chicken. And with NAIS on the horizon, it might be cheaper. This stems from the frustration of a government that will not listen to those whose policies it will really affect. The homesteader, the micro-farm, the hobbyist, the family farms, and anyone that eats.

I dare you, no I double dog dare you to walk to your pantry and see where your food is from. How much of it comes from your country?

This small rant is brought to you by the blogathoner that is raising money for Farm Aid. Without their help, more families will lose their farms.