Attend the first meeting of the
Lawrence County Chapter of
Ozarks Property Rights Congress
Tuesday, March 2 – 7:00 p.m.
Covenant Baptist Church,  1350 E. Industrial Rd., 
Mt. Vernon, Missouri

OPRC President c. Russell Wood will be the featured speaker at the kickoff meeting of the Ozarks Property Rights Congress Lawrence County Chapter.

For more information contact:
Eric Vimont, Lawrence County Chapter Coordinator 
417-366-0999 
vimontev@gmail.com

Non-Lawrence County residents are welcome to attend, so tell your friends!

FREEDOM = PROPERTY RIGHTS

The erosion of property rights affects all phases of citizens’ lives including land use, raising livestock, growing gardens, the food we buy, right to travel, health care, and educating our children. Are you concerned about the encroachment on our unalienable rights by the government? Wondering where it’s going to end, and what you can do about it? Learn more about what this important group is doing. 

Get involved!

Ozarks Property Rights Congress Meeting
Thursday, February 25 – 7:00 p.m.
Hayloft Restaurant, Mountain Grove, Missouri

(Come early, if you care to eat, as no food is allowed in the meeting room due to limited restaurant staff)

NAIS is not dead—Just renamed!

*NAIS will now be called  the Federal Animal Disease Traceability System.
*Premise identification  numbers are  now “unique location identifiers
*USDA says it would be fiscally irresponsible scrap all elements of NAIS.
* “As much of the failed NAIS program as possible must be salvaged”
*The “new” program will use the NAIS “840” ear tags.
*Massive public opposition has caused them offer a “new approach”
*USDA will enforce animal identification at the level of interstate commerce.  This would force Missouri producers into their program, as the state has practically no in-state feed lots or major slaughter facilities, causing most of the state’s livestock production to cross state lines. 
*Links to the USDA Question & Answer Fact sheet can be found at www.ozarksprc.com/   or   www.r-calfusa.com/   or  www.aphis.usda.gov/traceability

We will cover other issues that come up by meeting time.

Contact: 417-948-2379 or 417-668-5977
In case of bad weather call by 3:00 p.m. to confirm the meeting.

SPEAKER SAYS NAIS IS NOT DEAD: JUST RENAMED

     Contrary to what you are being told the National Animal Identification System is not dead; just renamed, reworded and still very much alive, This was the message brought to the Ozarks Property Rights Congress meeting in Gainesville Thursday, February 11 by Bob Parker who said he hated to bring that news. “Being one of those who has worked hard over the past four or five years to stop NAIS, nothing would please me and my co-workers more than to be able to report that indeed NAIS has gone away. But sadly it is still here under a new name and coming at us with a reshuffled approach”.  Parker read excerpts from a fact sheet released by USDA Feb, 5th which outlined the new approach.
    The animal identification program will now be called  the Federal Animal Disease Traceability System and premise identification registration numbers are  now “unique location identifiers.”  Parker pointed out that the USDA paper says that since so much tax payer money has been spent on efforts to implement NAIS that as much of the failed program as possible must be salvaged and used in the new program such as use of the NAIS”840″ ear tags. They say it would be fiscally irresponsible to disregard all elements of NAIS.
    USDA acknowledged that massive public opposition to their proposed NAIS program has caused them to revise the prior policy and offer a new approach .
    Parker noted that while USDA says the frame work for the new  approach will emphasize states participation, they are very clear and emphatic on one major point which seems non negotiable in their view. They intend to enforce animal identification at the level of interstate commerce as they said they would do under the original NAIS plan. This would force Missouri producers into their program as the state has practically no in-state feed lots or major slaughter facilities causing nearly all of the states livestock production to cross state lines.
    Addressing the issue of states like Missouri which have passed laws prohibiting forced participation in NAIS, the fact sheet points out that this program is no longer called NAIS and the new framework will spell out what states must do for their animals to be able to move in interstate commerce.
    Parker expressed disdain for those elected officials who quickly put out news releases bragging how they were instrumental in stopping NAIS. “They evidently didn`t read the rest of the story and were quick to make political hay. They do their constituents  a real dis-service by touting a hollow victory.”

OPRC president Russell Wood said links to the the fact sheet Parker was referencing can be found at  www.r-calfusa.com or http://www.aphis.usda.gov/publications/animal_health/content/printable_version/faq_traceability.pdf  under Questions and Answers: new animal traceability framework.

GROUP WARNED OF NAIS TAGS BEING PUT ON COWS AT SOME SALE BARNS

 Despite warnings of a winter storm approaching, the Ozarks Property Rights Congress  convened Thursday night, January 28,  in Mountain Grove to hear of the developing storm being perpetrated by the Missouri Department of Agriculture through local sale barns.
    Doreen Hannes spoke to the group about the practice started at some area sale barns, at the direction of MDOA personnel, of tagging cows with National Animal Identification System tags. She said according to all NAIS documents issued over the past several years, it is very clear that “840″ (NAIS) tags must be connected to a premise number of the producer where the animal was born and the premise number of the buyer of the animal. She said this is a back door attempt to bring unsuspecting sellers and buyers of cows into the NAIS premise registration program.
    Missouri passed a law (SB931) in 2008 which prohibits MDOA from forcing NAIS premise registration on citizens. At a hearing on the use of these tags held before Chairman Senator Chuck Purgason’s Government Oversight Committee recently, at which Hannes testified, state vet Taylor Woods and MDOA director Jon Hagler testified there was no official policy on use of the NAIS tags by these sale barn vets. “Some are using them and others are not . It`s up to the market veterinarian”.
    Hannes and others at the OPRC meeting told of sale barn owners and vets saying they had been told by MDOA personnel to use the NAIS tags in cows coming through the sale beginning Jan. 1   Other barns are saying they are not applying the NAIS tags.
    At the Jefferson City hearing, Senator Purgason instructed Woods and Hagler to submit their policy in writing, making certain that it reflects SB 931 requiring NAIS to be voluntary, and send the policy to  all sale barns as there is currently no policy that can be nailed down as MDOA is operating by word of mouth.
    “The sale barns are caught in the middle of this”, said PRC president Russell Wood. “They feel they have to do what MDOA tells them but at the same time they are going to have some mad customers who end up in the NAIS program just by buying or selling at the sale barn. Producers should ask their sale barn if they are using the 840 NAIS tags before they unload”
    Hagler stated in a letter to Senator Purgason that the NAIS tags being used have nothing to do with premise registrations. Hannes said, “Secretary Hagler is either ignorant about the NAIS program or misrepresenting the facts to the Senator. Tags starting with the number “840″ are official NAIS tags and must be tied to the premise of origin. Other wise there is no point in using them, as the stated purpose is trace back.”
    On another matter, a Douglas county property owner involved with a boundary dispute with the Department of Conservation reported that no headway had been made in resolving their differences.  At the Dec. 3rd OPRC meeting attended by department personnel it was agreed the two sides would meet and try to resolve the conflict. That meeting has not been held it was reported.

Ozarks Property Rights Congress
February 11 – 7:00 p.m.
Vaught’s Family Restaurant
On Highway 160 West of the junction of Highway 5 South
Gainesville, Missouri

On meeting night food is served from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

We will be discussing the latest developments in the USDA’s National Animal Identification System. The USDA claims they heard the opposition to the NAIS at the meetings last year and are going to “develop a new, flexible framework for animal disease traceability in the United States” Ozarks Property Rights Congress firmly believes that they are definitely not scrapping the program, but will come at us from a different angle.

Also, we are scheduled to have a report from Bob Parker on the hearing in Jefferson City (Jan. 13) on the “840″ NAIS tags being required at some Missouri sale barns.

And, as usual, other topics will be discussed that have come up since last we met.

If the weather is questionable, call before 3 p.m. to see if the meeting will be held. Contact numbers: 417-284-3742 or 417-948-2379.

Voice of the Ozarks Press Release 1/15/2010
Workshop to be included in General Management Plan

Voice of the Ozarks is an organization which seeks to protect the rights of people to access, to use, and to be involved in the management of public lands in South Central Missouri.  As you may know, we have most recently been working to protect your rights as they are concerned in the Ozark National Scenic Riverways.  There are armchair environmentalist groups which seek to take away our culture, heritage, and livelihood, allowing them to control our beautiful lands.  The general management plan for lands managed by the National Park Service periodically review the plan which gives them guidance for how to manage the resources of which they are placed in-charge.  Presently the General Management Plan for the Jacks Fork and Current Rivers management is being reviewed, revised, and drafted from public comment.

Many people throughout south central Missouri worked very hard to express their opinions that the management of the Ozark National Scenic Riverways should not further limit recreational activities on the Jacks Fork and Current Rivers and that these activities do not harm the water, land, plants and animals in this area.  Here are records from the Park Service for how many comments they have received and tallied and are in the process of understanding. 
Comment Forms–2,896 (57%)
Website–1,048 (20%)
Form Letters–778 (15%)
Individual Letters–359 (8%)
Total–5,117 (100%)

In a recent press-release National Park Service employee Dena Matteson gave the following information on how to access the public comments online:
‘Several documents have been developed that summarize the publiccomments received to date.  To access the PEPC website in order to review these documents visit: http://parkplanning.nps.gov/  Select Ozark NSR from the dropdown menu, then “General Management Plan” from the list of current
projects, and then “Document List”.’

In the opinion of the Voice of the Ozarks organization, we believe the workshop the Park Service plans to have, although other parks have this process, is unfair and is being used to get around the public comment received from southern Missouri.  This workshop on February 24 & 25, 2010 is being held in Rolla where access (roads, trails) and riverway watercrafts (canoes, boats) will be discussed to a further extent for clarification of how to best manage these activities. 

We will have representatives from our organization and representatives from various local organizations, however the Park Service is looking to limit those who attend this meeting in order to keep a fairly balanced number to appease such environmental organizations as the Leo A. Drey Foundation, Missouri Coalition for the Environment, the Sierra Club, and the Friends of the Ozark Riverways.  We believe that people representing any organization from this area should be invited for a formal discussion on how to best manage this resource with commentary from the people who best know how to manage the Jacks Fork and Current Rivers:  the locals and those who agree that we should take care of the resource, but also be allowed to use the land. 
Other groups that wish to limit recreation on the riverways are continually seeking to take away your rights to your public lands and waterways, your rights to be involved in public land management, and would eventually seek to limit the economy.  Their propaganda is they try to protect this land because we do not know how to, when in fact, the riverways was established here because we have taken very good care of these resources. 

To show you just how unfairly stacked this invitation list for the workshop is, please review the invite list and notice the organizations represented which seek to limit your rights, culture, heritage, and economy outnumber the list of groups which seek to help preserve your rights to use and access the Ozark National Scenic Riverways(list is in same order as invitation letter from workshop facilitator Mary Orton):
Tom Bedell, park concessioner
Denny Bopp, Wonders of Wildlife
John Mark Brewer, Voice of the Ozarks
Bill Bryan, Missouri Department of Natural Resources, State Parks
Carol Chrisco, Eminence Chamber of Commerce
Floyd Clark, Jacks Fork Watershed Committee
Trisha Crabill, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Mike Cullen, Camp Zoe
Wanda Cumins, Van Buren Chamber of Commerce
Carolyn Dyer, horse trail riders/operators
Susan Flader, Missouri Parks Association
Kally Higgins, non-motorized river use
R. Scott House or Michael Sutton, Cave Research Foundation
Brett Howell, horse trail riders/operators
Greg Iffrig, L-A-D Foundation, Leo A. Drey Pioneer Forest
Angel Kruzen, The Sierra Club
Jeff Lindsey, Van Buren School
Kathleen “Kat” Logan Smith, Missouri Coalition for the Environment
Steve Mahfood, The Nature Conservancy
Dave Martin, motorboat interests
Troy McAfee, hunting interests
Lynn McClure, National Parks and Conservation Association
Phillip Moss, scenic easement holder
Allison Schottenhaml, Missouri Show Me Backcountry Horsemen
Michael Smith, Missouri Department of Conservation
Stacy Smith, Eminence School
Robert Stout, Missouri Department of Natural Resources, Water Quality
Jerry Sugerman, Friends of Ozark Riverways
Shane Van Steenis, park concessioners
Ray Walden, Ozark Natural and Cultural Resource Center
Doug Warren, Current River Smallmouth Association (memorandum transmitted via U.S. Mail or facsimile)
Laura Watts, U.S.D.A. Forest Service, Mark Twain National ForestPlease contact Reed Detring at 573-323-4236 to express your opinion on this matter.
Please contact workshop host Mary Orton for more information:  702.914-8066.

To get information on contacting your elected officials and to join our organization, please visit: www.votozarks.org.   If you have information on organizations you would like represented at the workshop, please visit the ‘contact us’ page on our website.

GROUP WARNED OF NAIS TAGS BEING PUT ON COWS AT SOME SALE BARNS

 Despite warnings of a winter storm approaching, the Ozarks Property Rights Congress  convened Thursday night, January 28,  in Mountain Grove to hear of the developing storm being perpetrated by the Missouri Department of Agriculture through local sale barns.
    Doreen Hannes spoke to the group about the practice started at some area sale barns, at the direction of MDOA personnel, of tagging cows with National Animal Identification System tags. She said according to all NAIS documents issued over the past several years, it is very clear that “840″ (NAIS) tags must be connected to a premise number of the producer where the animal was born and the premise number of the buyer of the animal. She said this is a back door attempt to bring unsuspecting sellers and buyers of cows into the NAIS premise registration program.
    Missouri passed a law (SB931) in 2008 which prohibits MDOA from forcing NAIS premise registration on citizens. At a hearing on the use of these tags held before Chairman Senator Chuck Purgason’s Government Oversight Committee recently, at which Hannes testified, state vet Taylor Woods and MDOA director Jon Hagler testified there was no official policy on use of the NAIS tags by these sale barn vets. “Some are using them and others are not . It`s up to the market veterinarian”.
    Hannes and others at the OPRC meeting told of sale barn owners and vets saying they had been told by MDOA personnel to use the NAIS tags in cows coming through the sale beginning Jan. 1   Other barns are saying they are not applying the NAIS tags.
    At the Jefferson City hearing, Senator Purgason instructed Woods and Hagler to submit their policy in writing, making certain that it reflects SB 931 requiring NAIS to be voluntary, and send the policy to  all sale barns as there is currently no policy that can be nailed down as MDOA is operating by word of mouth.
    “The sale barns are caught in the middle of this”, said PRC president Russell Wood. “They feel they have to do what MDOA tells them but at the same time they are going to have some mad customers who end up in the NAIS program just by buying or selling at the sale barn. Producers should ask their sale barn if they are using the 840 NAIS tags before they unload”
    Hagler stated in a letter to Senator Purgason that the NAIS tags being used have nothing to do with premise registrations. Hannes said, “Secretary Hagler is either ignorant about the NAIS program or misrepresenting the facts to the Senator. Tags starting with the number “840″ are official NAIS tags and must be tied to the premise of origin. Other wise there is no point in using them, as the stated purpose is trace back.”
    On another matter, a Douglas county property owner involved with a boundary dispute with the Department of Conservation reported that no headway had been made in resolving their differences.  At the Dec. 3rd OPRC meeting attended by department personnel it was agreed the two sides would meet and try to resolve the conflict. That meeting has not been held it was reported.