Business History Books » Business Plans » More NAIS
More NAIS
Question:
<<I don’t intend to surrender that easily>> You have already surrendered – they have already photographed your house. I can possibly retrieve the photo for you if you are interested. John Cowart
Response:
> <<I don’t intend to surrender that easily>> > You have already surrendered – they have already photographed your > house. I can possibly retrieve the photo for you if you are interested. > John Cowart
Yeah, go ahead.
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -><<The requirement of households and small farms that own animals to >register the premises so that the Department can subject these premises >to satellite surveillance is a clear violation of the Fourth >Amendment.>> >You’re too late… *ALL* houses and farms (along with everything else) >in the US are already being photographed by surveillance satellites on >a regular basis. As evidence, here is a photo of my house taken by a >medium resolution surveillance satellite. I certainly did not register >for or request this "service". >http://www.streamload.com/Deliver/Deliver.asp?cxInstID=35873071&nodeI… >There are much higher resolution photographs being made by other >surveillance satellites, but I haven’t figured out how to get to them >yet. >John Cowart
Access Denied You cannot access the content "HouseAerial.bmp".
Response:
> <<The requirement of households and small farms that own animals to > register the premises so that the Department can subject these premises > to satellite surveillance is a clear violation of the Fourth > Amendment.>> > You’re too late…
I’m glad you’re okay with it. I don’t intend to surrender that easily. — **** Please take a look at these pictures. http://www.american-pictures.com/gallery/usa/index_rural_indoor.htm There are an estimated 44,000 more locations just like these in the state of Texas alone, and over 2,000,000 in the US according to the US Census. There is no way they can comply with the NAIS. Does anyone really believe that people that have to live like this will comply with the NAIS? And, if they don’t the whole program is compromised. What will they do to these people? You don’t think they will fine them, do you? You don’t think they will take their property, do you. So, what will that say for our 14th Amendment of all being treated equally under the laws? Nancy Reagan had it right. JUST SAY NO! http://animalid.aphis.usda.gov/nais/about/pdf/NAIS_Draft_Strategic_Pl… http://www.tahc.state.tx.us/animal_id/2005Dec_Animal_ID_FactSheet.pdf http://NoNAIS.org/ J.C.
Response:
<<The requirement of households and small farms that own animals to register the premises so that the Department can subject these premises to satellite surveillance is a clear violation of the Fourth Amendment.>> You’re too late… *ALL* houses and farms (along with everything else) in the US are already being photographed by surveillance satellites on a regular basis. As evidence, here is a photo of my house taken by a medium resolution surveillance satellite. I certainly did not register for or request this "service". http://www.streamload.com/Deliver/Deliver.asp?cxInstID=35873071&nodeI… There are much higher resolution photographs being made by other surveillance satellites, but I haven’t figured out how to get to them yet. John Cowart
Response:
WESTON A. PRICE FOUNDATION INFORMATION ALERT March 20, 2006 I am forwarding to you an article I wrote for the upcoming Wise Traditions Journal (Winter 2005/Spring 2006) on the National Animal Identication System (NAIS). There has been an extraordinary amount of interest in this USDA instituted program. So, I thought it prudent to provide a heads up before the Journal was sent to you(currently being printed in a new format with a flat binding). The Foundation is working closely with member Judith McGeary in Texas and Mary Zanoni (Farm for Life) in New York as well as others on this very critical issue. At the end of the article is a list of resources for voicing your opinion on NAIS. THE NATIONAL ANIMAL IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM (NAIS) by Bill Sanda, Executive Director The development of the National Animal Identification System (NAIS) by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has created enormous controversy across the country over the past year. Some see such a system as a means to track and identify outbreaks in livestock of various diseases such as brucellosis, E. coli variants, salmonella and mad cow disease in a quick and efficient manner, while others see this as an encroachment on their civil liberties and privacy as well as an attempt to seal the fate of small- to moderate-sized farms and ranches. CORPORATE SUPPORT NAIS has been gaining support in agribusiness as a method for sourcing the origins of mad cow disease or possible terrorist biological attacks on U.S. livestock. Opponents point out the plan was drawn up by corporations like Monsanto, the National Pork Producers, National Cattlemens Beef Association, and Cargill Meat. It would require all owners of even a single farm animal to register their home with a national tracking system, including global positioning coordinates (for satellite tracking) and implant or tag every animal with a radio frequency device (RFID). Large-scale livestock producers say NAIS would help them control outbreaks of disease by allowing individual animals to be tracked to their origins. Small-scale farmers say the registration fees, RFID expenses and administrative bureaucracy of the system would drive them out of business. According to the timelines presented in USDA’s NAIS website ( http://en.groundspring.org/EmailNow/pub.php?module=URLTracker&cmd=tra… ) , the program is to be implemented in full by January 2009 with premise registration and animal identification mandatory by January 2008. However, according to NAIS head Neil Hammerschmidt, the implementation dates may be delayed. WHAT IS NAIS? The National Animal Identification System, which the USDA is currently in the process of implementing, is intended to identify animals and poultry and record their movements over the course of their lifespans, as well as track them as they come into contact with, or commingle with, animals other than herd mates from their premises of origin. According to the USDA, the ultimate goal of the program is to create a uniform national animal tracking system that will help maintain the health of U.S. herds and flocks. By January 2009, when the program is intended to be fully implemented and become fully mandatory, the USDA expects that NAIS will be able to identify all premises and animals that have had direct contact with a foreign animal disease or a domestic disease of concern within 48 hours of discovery. Currently, working groups comprised of industry and government representatives are developing plans for cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, horses, poultry, bison, deer, elk, llamas and alpacas. Many of these animals can already be identified through some sort of identification system, but these systems are not consistent across the country, according to the USDA. NAIS began to take shape in April, 2002 when the National Institute for Animal Agriculture (NIAA) established a task force to create an animal identification plan. USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and over 30 livestock organizations participated in this task force. The final report was presented at the United States Animal Health Association’s (USAHA) annual meeting in October, 2002, where the work plan was accepted through a unanimous resolution. APHIS then established the National Identification Development Team (NIDT), a joint state, federal and industry group to further advance this effort. Throughout 2003, the NIDT, consisting of approximately 100 animal and livestock industry professionals representing more than 70 associations, organizations, and government agencies, expanded upon the work plan to produce the initial draft of the U.S. Animal Identification Plan (USAIP). Although early versions of the USAIP focused on food animals only, other livestock species (such as alpacas, llamas, and horses) were incorporated into the plan. In April 2004, the USDA announced the framework for implementing the NAIS. IMPLEMENTATION The first step in implementing the NAIS is identifying and registering premises that house animals. Such premises would include locations where livestock and poultry are managed, marketed or exhibited. States implemented the capability to register premises according to the national standards last year. APHIS is currently training state officials on how to use a standardized premises registration system. USDA is also evaluating alternative registration systems that states or others have developed and want to use, to ensure these systems meet the national standards. In addition, USDA is working with states and industry to "educate" the public about the NAIS. As premises are registered, another component of the NAIS-animal identification-will be integrated into the system. Unique animal identification numbers (AINs) will be issued to individually identified premises. In the case of animals that move in groups through the production chain-such as pigs and poultry-the group will be identified through a group/lot identification number (Group/Lot IDs). USDA is developing the standards for collecting and reporting information, but industry will determine which type of identification method works best for each species. These methods could include radio frequency identification tags, retinal scans, DNA or others. As long as the necessary data are sent to USDA’s information repositories in a standardized form, it will be accepted. As premises are registered and animals or groups of animals are identified based on the standard protocols, USDA will begin collecting information about animal movements from one premise to another. With an animal tracking system in place, USDA says they will be able to perform rapid tracebacks in case of an animal disease outbreak. As envisioned, only federal, state, and tribal animal health authorities would have direct access to the national premises and animal identification information repositories. Interestingly, the National Cattlemens Beef Association attempted to have the "national database" privatized and put under their control. Tam Moore of Capital Press, January 27, 2006, reported that the USDA has dropped a 6-month-old plan for contracting with a privatized central database to launch the cattle segment of ID. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns had announced the single privatized concept back in July 2005. The Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund (R-CALF), United Stockgrowers of America and other ID critics questioned USDA’s intention to concentrate the data with a system the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association organized, then spun off as a free-standing nonprofit organization, the U.S. Animal Identification Organization. Instead of a single, private database, USDA, state and tribal animal health agencies will use multiple databases, relying on those who contract with the USDA to furnish livestock tracking information. Much of the responsibility for delivering the program remains at the state level. Stages of development will allow states to more readily establish their local action items, according to the USDA. To determine what your state is doing with regards to NAIS, please go to http://en.groundspring.org/EmailNow/pub.php?module=URLTracker&cmd=tra… . CONFIDENTIALITY The NAIS is supposed to contain only information that animal health officials need to track suspect animals and identify any other animals that may have been exposed to a disease. Animal identification and tracking systems maintained by the states or regional alliances will be an integral part of the overall NAIS information infrastructure. The state and regional systems will be able to collect and maintain more information than is required for the NAIS, yet only the required data need to be available for the national animal records repository. According to the USDA, to help assure participants that the information will be used only for animal health purposes, the information will be confidential and USDA and its state partners are to work to protect data confidentiality. KEY NAIS MILESTONES APRIL, 2005: The USDA issued its Draft Strategic Plan & Draft Program Standards for public comment, which ended in July of 2005 ( http://en.groundspring.org/EmailNow/pub.php?module=URLTracker&cmd=tra… ) . JULY, 2005: All states capable of premises registration JULY, 2005: Animal Identification Number system operational. The following dates may be delayed according to the USDA. Updates have yet to be issued. JULY, 2006 : The target date for the USDA to issue a proposed rule setting forth the requirements for NAIS premises registration, animal identification, and animal tracking. There will be a limited public comment period after publication of the rule (WAPF will issue an Action Alert when the comment period occurs). APRIL, 2007: Premises registration and animal
… read more »