NAIS And the non-issue of privacy concerns

One of the biggest worries that we have is privacy right. NAIS is proving itself to not be very quiet in the way it is handling those that sign up...what I have proof that these people don't even know they have signed up.

If you are in the scapies program, you might want to read this:

The USDA Scrapie website lists EVERYONE by state that is enrolled in the program. Name address flock number what they raise. Dates enrolled, and status. Scapies Flock Program, click it, pick any state.

For those of you in Virgina, this is long, but you might want to see it.

Read and forward to as many folks that you know of in Virginia to act - ANYONE!

2. Email, phone, fax, snail-mail state vet BEFORE Dec 14th public opinion deadline that you oppose regulation - 2 VAC 5-206

EMAIL: richard.wilkes@ vdacs.virginia. gov
FAX: 804.225.2666
PHONE: 804-692-0601

3. ATTEND meeting Thursday, the 6th in Richmond to voice your opposition -
Thursday, December 6, 2007, 11:00 am, 102 Governor St., VDACS Boardroom, Richmond, Virginia.

The scrapie regulations being promoted needs to be opposed at the hearing and through email and or phone calls. In VDACS literature they were handing out at the state fair, VDACS openly declares that scrapie id and premises id will be rolled into NAIS.

For those not familiar with the NAIS, this is it in a nutshell:
Phase I: Registering your premises, linking it to GPS surveillance. This act strips away any property protection anyone has under the US constitution. Property is protected under the constitution – premises are not. The premises ID stay with the property for life. Phase 1, will force all animals within a certain area to be destroyed, without proof of infection if the USDA deems a disease eradicable. It will also stop movement of animals within that district, so that animals can't spread it.

Phase II: Micro-chipping every livestock animal you own (every head of poultry, swine, equine, camelids, sheep, goats, cattle and some fish, etc). This places all US livestock in the “National Herd” and the USDA will have jurisdiction over all livestock as well. This will mean chipping any animal the USDA deems as livestock and placing them in the hands of the government as well.

Phase III: Recording every movement your livestock makes to the USDA database within 24 hours from birth to death. This will include trail rides, fairs, petting zoos, shows, breeding, vet visits, etc. Non-compliance may result in $1000.00 a day fines and possible jail time. There are farmers or livestock owners that do not have the technology (Amish included) or access to comply. There are NO exemptions.

Due to high costs and other factors associated with this plan, it will put small farmers out of business. For more information on NAIS: www.nonais.com www.stopanimalid. com any of these sites will give further info.

Action is needed NOW:
This regulation will hurt small goat and sheep owners--potentially putting them out of business--and force them into NAIS by requiring them to register for a premises ID number.
According to proposed regulation 2 VAC 5-206, Regulation for Scrapie Eradication, sheep and goat owners must:
1. Register their farms with the State to obtain a Premises Identification Number
2. Keep records (which are subject to inspection by representatives of the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services) for 5 years every time they buy, sell, move from one management to another or show/exhibit a sexually intact goat or sheep, unless that animal goes directly to slaughter.

DETAILS:
Any violation of this regulation is punishable by a year in jail and/or a $2,500 fine.
Scrapie is virtually a non-existent disease problem in Virginia . According to information VICFA obtained through a FOIA request to VDACS, zero cases in goats and only 3 cases in sheep have ever been recorded in Virginia .
Farmers registering their farms for the scrapie program will be rolled into the National Animal Identification System if it becomes law, forcing farmers into the NAIS through the backdoor. Even if NAIS is not made law, the scrapies program is not needed in the state of Virginia .
Implementation is under the authority of Dr. Richard Wilkes, Chief State Veterinarian of Virginia .

Submit your comments calling for the withdrawal of this proposed regulation 2 VAC 5-206:

EMAIL: richard.wilkes@ vdacs.virginia. gov
FAX: 804.225.2666
PHONE: 804-692-0601

Write:
Dr. Richard Wilkes
Division of Animal and Food Industry Services
P.O. Box 1163 , Richmond , VA 232187

FACTS regarding the Scrapies program:

Directly from the Goat Working Group report to USDA 2004 (no recent reports have been uploaded on the net)

Premises ID

Since goat owners currently are already assigned premise ID numbers with the NSEP (Scrapie) program, we recommend using the current scrapie premises number during the phase-in period. This could be linked initially, and later the new premise ID protocol would be implemented.

Identification Devices - (The GWG is encouraging RFID development in Goats)

Research with RFID devices for goats is underway in other countries. The technology is widely promoted and may prove to be acceptable as ID programs move forward, but there has been insufficient testing in goats in a variety of managements as of this date.

Completion of objective trials of RFID devices and readers for goats must address the wide range of managements and marketing systems in the U.S. as well as the variety of breeds of goats, which have a range of coats as well as ear types.

… since there is no USDA approved site for electronic implants in goats, this area needs attention to address possible food safety concerns. Auricular (ear) EIDs are approved for sheep.

Implementation Time Table

Until electronic identification (RFID or other method) has been fully tested under the range of managements and environments; other methods of identification currently accepted with the Scrapie program should be acceptable for goat ID. As those trials are completed and design changes identified, the transition to a uniform method consistent with NAIS protocol would move forward. If sufficient funds are available to conduct this research and funds are provided to assist producers in the purchase of the devices, a three-year time frame could be adequate for implementation of a uniform national goat identification program. We support continuation of the current cost-sharing approach used for the Scrapie program.

Successful Implementation

The implementation of a successful national goat identification program will address and include the following components:

1. A gradual transition to the new identification protocol by using the existing Scrapie program-approved ID methods initially. Continued flexibility of ID methods/devices should be allowed.

2. Evaluate a system that would allow existing ID methods to be incorporated into a uniform National ID System. For example, the unique tattoo or electronic implant requirement of a dairy goat registry could be tied to a registration number that conforms to NAIS standards.

We also recommend ongoing communication our trading partners in North America while also communicating with other global partners to address the needs of animal identification

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This is a copy of an email I received. Did you note that the fines have increased? This post needs to be passed along, not just to people in Virgina, but to everyone, as it concerns all of us. Forget about owning personal property, forget about privacy, forget owning your own animals, this is the National herd we are talking about. People are being forced without consent and without knowledge into the NAIS and Premise ID programs.