Voulintary farm registration

What about the elevators, or coops, or such, that are located in a village? What about farmer's markets? This anti-dust thing is pretty far-reaching.

--->Paul

;o]

Larry

I raise cattle and horses in Middle Tennessee. I have not yet signed up, but it is going to be mandatory eventually. My biggest concern right now is that they are calling for radio-
frequency ID tags in the animals. When I take an animal off my farm, or when someone else brings an animal onto my farm, I will be required to log that movement with USDA via the internet. However, to do that, I have to be able to read the code off the radio-frequency ID tag on the animal. That code is not the same as the Premises ID code that is assigned to the farm where the animal resides. It is a different code, one that the farmer who puts the RFID tag into the animal doesn't know unless he has a reader to read it when he puts the tag into the animal. Currently, that RFID reader costs about $700.00.

I'm hoping that USDA will come up with a more affordable alternative.

Tom in TN

So far, there's been no fallout from NAIS here. But that will come. Perhaps soon, perhaps not for a long time, but it will come.

As written now, it will force me out of business eventually due to the recordkeeping requirements I am expected to comply with. The recordkeeping is almost as bad as being certified organic.

In the vague "think of the children" aspects of safety, NAIS is a good think. I could help contain and control a serious disease outbreak. But I have total faith in my governments ability to abuse such knowledge and power.

Its all about professionalism. We in animal agriculture are part of the industry of meat production. That cow isnt just your source of income, its someone elses food. No farm is an island. For example, this week, my neighbor who runs his bull year round with his cows had his bull come visiting. He just has a few cows, and does have a decent bull but now I get calves coming at the wrong time of the year (and with me laid up for the next 2 months its not like I can get him out). Plus everything his cows are exposed to mine are exposed to. Maybe if we get with national tracking and id we can get the people who still want to manage there cattle like it was the 1950's to get with the program or get out. It took farm id tracking, ear tagging and monitoring, and mandatory vaccination to eradicate brucellosis back in the 80's but we did it. Would have happened sooner if everyone got with the program. As it was, it took 10 extra years and cost us all a lot of money to do it.

Nothing about it scares me. I produce the best beef I can, in conditions where I try to follow labels and best practices, even when it costs me money. My genetics are top of the line cross breds focused on what the market requests. If my steaks are tough, I want to know, and do better. It seems like most of the people opposing this want to hide something, comingle what they produce inside a long chain of 'buyer beware'. Im kind of tired of subsidizing that. Since 1995 I've been in an electronic id, source verified program which includes carcass tracking. Getting a premisis ID was part of the deal for me. Its been worthwhile, at least a 10 dollar per cwt premium and I normally get an exta hundred pounds or so to sell.