Pardon the Interruption.

I feel like screaming. I don't get why people are so willing to roll over for the government. I don't understand why people feel like they need them to run their lives for them. What ever happened to be independent, to standing on your own two feet? When exactly did we become a country like the ones that we fight for freedom for? I feel like throwing myself on the floor and having the biggest hissy fight ever seen, just to get a little attention to what is going on.

Yes, I am talking about NAIS and the USDA once again. I know that I have been talking about it a lot lately. It seems as though I might be obsessing. And maybe I am. I have so many concerns about this program, and my future and that of my boys.

The USDA released a new business plan for NAIS.

a few key components

Traceability - The Way Forward

Emphasis is placed on animals that move within commerce and that are commingled with animals from other premises, not on movements within premises or for local events.

Why then is 4H requiring it in some states, if that isn't a local event what is?

4) Integrate automated data capture technology with animal disease programs.
By using NAIS-compliant identification devices that support automated data capture and integrating handheld computers/readers to replace paper-based forms, animal health officials will increase the volume and quality of the data, minimize errors and speed data entry into searchable databases.

This gets to the heart of why I got that email the other day.

Dear Phelan,, Have you written storys about FFA and 4-H ? see the www.ScoringAg.com main demo recordkeeping system.

Best Regards,
William Kanitz
President
ScoringSystem, Inc.

oh I so want to edit the above, but didn't. I was doing a little looking and found a comment by William Kantiz on Farm Gate {you'll need to scroll down} With a mandatory NAIS, be it by state or Federal laws, Mr Kanitz will lose his business. Now I see why he is against NAIS. Here is a little help for you, if I need to chip my animals for some reason, and not because it is mandatory {I understand chipping horses for theft reasons} I will go with your business, as long as you are not with NAIS. Even if you already have some things going for you in Panama.

6) Collaborate with industry organizations and animal health officials to accelerate the adoption of practices that will advance traceability. In partnership with USDA, non-profit industry organizations will promote premises registration within various species groups. Accredited veterinarians, in collaboration with USDA, will adopt NAIS data standards in everyday animal health management and disease program activities at the producer level.

I love the use of the word collaborate, then suddenly the word will. I don't read that there is a choice in the matter there.

Recent Animal Disease Costs

USDA has spent approximately $130 million on owner indemnification and control activities.

Exotic Newcastle Disease (2002)
Largest animal disease outbreak in the United States in 30 years. It took 10 months to eradicate the disease at a cost of $180 million

Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (2003)
USDA spent $5 million on its epidemiology investigation, depopulation and initial response.

5 million for how many cases of BSE in the US?

The USDA spent 810 million in 2 years,

Found this bit of info on Liberty Mnt. Ranch

Missouri resident Doreen Hannes has been researching the funding for NAIS and found the Bioterrorism Act of 2002 is a major funder for the development of the NAIS plan. She reports the Act gave $380 million to develop the NAIS plan. A USDA veterinarian told Hannes he predicted the plan would cost the taxpayers $33 billion to implement. This would not include the cost of continuation and cost to individuals raising the animals.
The states will jump at the $14.3 million in grant money available to them. "WASHINGTON, June 21, 2005-Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns today announced that USDA will be accepting funding applications from state and tribal governments to continue registering premises for the national animal identification system (NAIS). Approximately $14.3 million will be available to state and tribal cooperators.

Which is cheaper?

The Prairie Star posted this morning, this is the only bit of info worth repeating, sorry to...no journalist listed.
The draft plan was published in the Dec. 19 Federal Register and is available on the National Animal Identification System Web site at www.usda.gov/nais. Comments on the plan or other aspects of the system can be provided by sending an email to animalidcomments@aphis.usda.gov or by writing to the National Animal Identification System program staff, USDA, APHIS, VS, 4700 River Road, Unit 200, Riverdale, MD 20737.

From Farm Futures this morning; The entire article can be found here.

"We are basically at 48-hour traceability of poultry because of the National Poultry Improvement Plan and were very close to it with swine," Knight says. "We're about 80% there in sheep due to the National Scrapie Eradication program. Cattle, both beef and dairy, is where we have a lot of work to be done."

Did you read that one important part...they are using the voluntary programs to sign you people up. Better go check on your own if you use any of these programs to see if you have been signed up.

"Under the traditional system, if we have a disease outbreak we start from where the disease was found or where the animal was harvested and trace back through that animal's life," Knight says. "If we also have premise registration and the place of birth of that animal, we can initiate a trace back from both birth and death and meet in the middle. That cuts your average trace back time in half and that's going to be vitally important to achieve 48-hour traceability."

How many of you have no idea where your livestock came from? I don't need a chip to tell me where they were born, I already know. A 48 hour track back for the avian flu is ridiculous, in that 48 hour time all your poultry will be dead, and who knows where it has gone after that. Especially for those of us that do not have birds that leave their property.

"I see no reason to make it mandatory," Knight says. "We have a long history of success in the U.S. with voluntary programs. We're relying on producers to see that it's in their best interests and that it's the right thing to do."

Could we change producers to Big ag, and those that wish to sell overseas?

"Even if producers are skeptical about animal ID I encourage them to register," Knight says.

Is that begging?

Go on, go read the business plan and please, let me know what you think.