There is an interesting article on NAIS Sucks.
Five Minutes With Sharon Zecchinelli & Doreen Hannes?
By: Jolly
January 11-2008
I wrapped up 2007 with a series of interviews with people who are backing NAIS. It was an interesting and well-read series – even if I do say so – that explained in detail all the reasons that make animal identification a good idea. Sharon Zecchinelli contacted me, though, and demanded that the scales be balanced. "There are reasons it is not a good idea," she said.
Here is the salient point: NAIS is a controversial subject, a coin with at least two sides. On close examination, we might even have to count the edge of the coin and call it a three-sided argument.
There are contingencies of small farmers and hobbyists who don't like the idea. Not one bit. They see it as an unnecessary intrusion on their rights as private citizens - as a money grab by big business at the expense of the little guy - maybe even creeping socialism. One person harrumphed about the insanity of trying to ear tag chickens – she was stretching a point to make her point, of course.
But not to be tagged myself (as a slanted journalist, not an NAIS chicken), I invited Zecchinelli to stand in for the anti-NAIS groups and speak her piece. She agreed and invited her friend, Doreen Hannes, to participate. Their answers were impassioned, detailing the reasoning behind their position. Read on. It's interesting stuff, whether you're for it or 'agin it'
4 comments:
I have a question. I guess I can google, but I think I'll get a clear answer from you.
Does Farm Bureau support this? Our homeowners insurance is with them. Our membership fees are due, and they are asking for additional $$ to support their programs.
If they support NAIS, they can forget it. If they are against it, I'll consider it. I can't drop the insurance, because they are literally hundreds cheaper than the others, and they've been good to us over the years, insuring things that others wouldn't.
Never mind. I answered my own question. Now, I realize that by using FB, I'm actually hurting small holders, not even counting NAIS issues.
I need to re-think this whole thing and get on the phone.
Hey Wren, FB does indeed support NAIS. I know insurance is a hard one to find. You could try calling the smaller farm insurance companies, the local ones, ask them if they support NAIS, and if not, tell them what is up. You might get a break in their prices. Good luck.
Thanks for putting the Cattlenetwork article on your blog Phelan. The further it gets distributed the better.
It is getting worse, NAIS is. Now they have rolled out the disease compliance programs that have a net result of garnering the animal owner a premises registration number. The livestock owners in NC who have a hay shortage need to have or get a premises registration number in order to get emergency hay. Now, if it was me, I'd have thought ahead and gotten together with some other people and bought hay somewhere else rather than sell my soul to the devil. Getting a handout from the government always means loss of something or other.
Keep up your good fight.
Sharon Z
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