From Doreen Hannes: - This is an article written for distribution to any newspaper or outlet on the NAIS tags being used in Missouri at sale barns. I tried really hard to not insert any opinions on my part.

 There are still a lot of questions I would like the Department of Ag to answer, but we had no invitation to cross examine on behalf of the committee, so it was what it was.

 Thanks, and God bless!

Doreen

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Hearing on Use of NAIS Tags at Sale Barns

© Doreen Hannes

On Thursday, January 13th, 2010 there was a Senate Government Accountability and Fiscal Oversight Committee hearing at the Capitol on the usage of National Animal Identification System “840″ tags by the veterinarians at sale barns across Missouri.

 The hearing was to allay the confusion amongst sale barns and determine whether or not the Department of Agriculture was following the voluntary parameters set for NAIS in Missouri by the usage of these “840″ tags.

 The NAIS  (National Animal Identification System) is a 3 part program. The first prong is Premises registration with a seven character number permanently assigned to a particular location housing or holding animals. The second prong is the use of these “840″ tags which necessitate a premise id number to be used. The third component is the reporting of movements from the ascribed premises and various other things such as vaccinations and tag replacements and “sightings”. 
 Near the beginning of December it came to light that many sale barn markets in the state of Missouri were using the 840 tags on cows going through chutes who had no official identification. It was reported that as of January 1st, 2010, all cows, with or without official identification, would receive the 840 tags when they went through chutes for health tests or pregnancy checks Different markets reported different criteria for this NAIS “840″ identification of cows. Some producers reported they were told they “had to” use the 840 tags in order to sell cattle at some sale barns.

 In 2008, the Missouri General Assembly passed SB931, prohibiting the Department of Agriculture from mandating or otherwise forcing participation in NAIS, and allowing for the immediate removal from the program of anyone who was assigned a premises id unless they were part of a disease control program or an ongoing disease investigation.

 This hearing was to clear up confusion on the law as it applies to both the state of Missouri and the veterinarians licensed by the state. Chairman, Senator Chuck Purgason, stated, “We want to clear up confusion, and to make sure veterinarians are not violating people’s rights regarding this program.”

 Missouri State Veterinarian, Dr. Taylor Woods and Secretary of Agriculture, Dr. Jon Hagler, did not appear at the beginning of the hearing. A representative from the Department of Ag and a veterinarian with the State Vet’s office, Dr. Linda Hickle, appeared, but knew little of policy and stated that the Secretary and State Vet were not aware that they were to be present at this hearing.

 Three other individuals testified at the hearing and during the last testimony, the State veterinarian and Secretary of Agriculture came into the hearing room.

 They testified that they had no official written policy on the usage of the “840″ tags and had communicated with the market veterinarians by face to face contact regarding the allocation of the 100,000 “840″ tags the Department has received from the USDA. They stated they had no particular agreement as to the distribution and application of the NAIS tags, but that the application of the tags was to be at the discretion of the market veterinarian.

 The Department was instructed by the Committee to write and distribute to all market veterinarians instructions on the usage of these “840″ tags and to inform the market veterinarians that the application of “840″ tags was to be done solely at the request of the producer in compliance with the law of the State of Missouri.

 No instructions or inquiries were made into how any redress is to be achieved by those who may already have been put into the NAIS program without their knowledge or consent by buying or selling cattle through a market that was applying the tags to all cows from January 1st through the time of the distribution of the letter requiring compliance with the state law.

NAIS - Let the Enforcements Begin
©Doreen Hannes for R CALF USA

 In the state of Wisconsin, which has mandated the first prong of NAIS through agency rule making, the prosecutions of individuals opposed to NAIS has begun.

On September 23rd, an Amish gentleman, Emanuel J. Miller was taken to court in Clark County Court Neillsville, Wisconsin, for an evidentiary hearing on complex civil forfeiture for failing to register his premises and moved immediately to the first stage of trial. Emanuel Miller and his father as well as their Deacon testified in the trial as to their objection to the NAIS premises identification number. As the USDA has proudly proclaimed in many glossy brochures, premises registration is the -first step- in the National Animal Identification System. The Amish in Wisconsin have become quite aware of this.

On October 21st, in Polk County, Wisconsin, R-CALF USA members, Pat and Melissa Monchilovich are going to trial for the same charges of complex civil forfeiture.  Pat and his wife raise cattle in Cumberland, and have failed to register property as a premises with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture Trade and Consumer Protection as DATCP has required by regulation.

This is the tip of the iceberg that is NAIS.  One could look upon Wisconsin as the sentinel case in the enforcement measures necessary to bring NAIS compliance in this nation.

Although the statute passed enabling DATCP to require premises registration, it did allow for exemptions. When DATCP wrote the regulations, they decided to disallow any exemptions. This is a major issue, particularly with the Amish community (and others) who hold religious objections to the program. As reported from the Miller hearing, the Amish say that although they cannot state with absolute certainty that the premises number is the precursor to the Mark of the Beast, they do know it is the first step of NAIS which leads to the individual numbering and tracking of animals, and believe that caution is in order to avoid discovering later that they had violated their beliefs and then have no recourse to remedy that error.

Despite a desire on the part of proponents of NAIS to negate the religious objections against the National Animal Identification System, the fact that it is a global program is indisputable. The enforcement measures and final details are left up to the member nations of the World Trade Organization.

In Australia, rancher Stephen Blair was fined a total of $17,300 for using the wrong tags on 177 of his cattle. Notably, the components of NLIS, the Australian animal identification plan, are the same as those in NAIS.

Another case where the identification of cattle was in violation of the identification mandate to facilitate global trade is the UK. In March of 2007, a dairy farmer, David Dobbin had an unspecified number of cattle whose tags didn’t match their passports. The EU regulations allowed DEFRA, the UK equivalent of the USDA, to confiscate both his cattle and his passports and require him to positively identify the herd within 48 hours or face their loss. It is a complete impossibility to positively identify animals without either the animals nor their paperwork, but that was the requirement. The case was put off for one month and then appealed on the basis that the agency couldn’t afford to keep feeding these cattle, so they were destroyed. Mr. Dobbin lost 567 cattle and was paid no indemnity at all.

At issue in the Wisconsin cases is that we are witnessing the first enforcement actions in the implementation of the National Animal Identification System. The fines in the charges brought against Emanuel J Miller and R-CALF USA members Pat and Melissa Monchilovich are between $200 and $5,000. Premises identification is just the first step of this program, then it’s individual or group lot identification and thirdly, the tracking of all movements. The final component is enforcement, which is now coming to bear in Wisconsin. More than 90% of attendees at the USDA listening sessions on NAIS said “No NAIS, Not Now, Not Ever!” If we mean that, we must stand in support of the people being charged in Wisconsin.

1) Miller trial
http://ppjg.wordpress.com/2009/09/27/the-lost-people-part-ii/
2) Stephen Blair, Australia
http://nqr.farmonline.com.au/news/nationalrural/livestock/cattle/cattle-producer-ordered-to-pay-17300-for-nlis-tag-breach/798558.aspx )
3) DobbinUK http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1545862/Christopher-Bookers-notebook.html

 
Used with permission of the author

For the results of Pat and Melissa Monchilovich’s trial

http://ppjg.wordpress.com/2009/10/22/look-what-1-5-million-can-buy-you-in-wisconsin/

9th Conference on Private Property Rights
Saturday - August 1
9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Cinema II Theatre, S. Highway 181, Cabool, Missouri

Sponsored by Ozarks Property Rights Congress

The theme for this year’s Conference is How Local Citizens Can Deal With Intrusive Governmental Agencies & Non-Governmental Organizations

Speakers:

State Senator Chuck Purgason will give his inspirational perspective on protecting ourselves from agencies.

Dr. Max Thornsberry, President of R-CALF USA will talk about the National Animal Identification System and the USDA.

Ray Cunio, Citizens for Private Property Rights, will discuss The Clean Water Restoration Act,   its connection with  Missouri DNR’s Stream Re-Classification and how these tie in with Agenda 21.  A representative from Missouri DNR has been invited to speak.

Bob Parker will be speaking on EPA and DNR plans for Missouri watersheds.

Doreen Hannes will bring us up to speed on the regulation of normal gardening and home-grown food practices. International treaties are effecting proposed legislation to control our gardens.

The afternoon schedule will culminate with a panel discussion/question and answer session.

For the 6th year, The REAL Conservationist Award will be given.  Previous recipients are: (2003)Sarah Steelman, (2004)The Texas County Commissioners: Joe Whetstine, Don Shellhammer, Linda Garrett, (2005)Wanda Benton, (2006) Ray Cunio and Derry Brownfield, (2007)Chuck Purgason and Russell Wood, (2008)Doreen Hannes, and Mary Rivera.

DVDs of the USDA/NAIS Listening Session, June 9, 2009 in Jefferson City will be available for purchase. We will also have a videographer there to video the Conference with DVDs available about after the Conference.

Admission is free, but donations are welcome!

Complimentary coffee & doughnuts at about 8:30 a.m.

A catered lunch is available on grounds. The menu includes pulled pork, or chicken, baked beans, coleslaw, potato salad, cobbler, & ice tea all for $6.50.  Or you can seek lunch on your own at area restaurants.