Hello and welcome to the Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance e-news alert. We know you want to stay informed about what is happening with the National Animal Identification System and how you can make a difference. Feel free to forward this email to your friends and acquaintances.

In this alert:

County Chapters of Texas Farm Bureau Oppose Mandatory NAIS
Getting Information on The Candidates
Upcoming Public Meetings and Events
Membership Drive Continues

COUNTY CHAPTERS OF TEXAS FARM BUREAU OPPOSE A MANDATORY NAIS

The American Farm Bureau’s current policy on NAIS states: “We support the establishment and implementation of a mandatory national animal identification system capable of providing support for animal disease control and eradication, as well as enhancing food safety.&ruo;  (emphasis added)

Two county chapters of the Texas Farm Bureau adopted resolutions last weekend opposing a mandatory NAIS: Hamilton County and Van Zandt County. The Texas Farm Bureau meeting is December 2-4, and the American Farm Bureau annual meeting is January 7-10, 2007.

If you are a member of Farm Bureau and your county has not met yet, propose an anti-NAIS resolution! You can use the basic county resolution that is posted on FARFA’s website as a model. If your county chapter has already met, contact your delegates and tell them you want them to vote in favor of an anti-NAIS resolution at the state and national conventions. If you are against the NAIS and a member of Farm Bureau, then speak up!

GETTING INFORMATION ON THE CANDIDATES

FARFA sent a survey to every candidate running for state or federal office in Texas this November. Their responses are posted on our website at http://www.farmandranchfreedom.org/docs/politicians_positions_102.04.06.pdf If a candidate in your district didn’t respond, email them and ask them their position on the NAIS. The questionnaire is posted on the website, so you can email them another copy. If you have received a letter from an incumbent or challenger about their views of the NAIS, please email a scanned copy to info@farmandranchfreedom.org or mail us a copy so that we can post an excerpt.

The Liberty Ark Coalition is providing the opportunity for candidates in eve state to publicize their position about the NAIS. Tell the candidates in your district to go to http://earthwork.freedom.org/states/candidateform.dyn.

FARFA does not endorse any political party or candidate. We are providing this information so that voters can make an informed choice in November.

UPCOMING MEETINGS

FARFA’s town hall meetings continue to draw crowds.  We’ve had meetings in multiple locations in Texas and Tennessee, and are now going to Louisiana.  Many thanks to all of the volunteers who have been working hard to make these meetings happen!

Our upcoming meetings are:

Where: Athens, Texas, at Henderson County Sr. Citizens Bldg., Hwy 31 East at the Henderson County Fairgrounds Complex
When: Monday, October 30th, 7 pm
Contact: 930-871-2424

Where: Vinton, Louisaa, at the VFW Hall
When: Wednesday, November 1, 7:30 pm
Contact: Susie Stretton at nightsong@camtel.net

Where: De Ridder, Louisiana, at the Smyrna Baptist Church, Family Life Center, Sugartown
When: Thursday, November 2, 7:30 pm
Contact: Susie Stretton at nightsong@camtel.net
We've also been invited to speak at events in Oklahoma, South Carolina, Virginia, and Minnesota.  Keep an eye on our website for more information.

If you would like to have a hold a public meeting about NAIS in your area, please send us an email at info@farmandranchfreedom.org. Regardless of what state you are in, we can help you plan a meeting to educate the people in your area.

MEMBERSHIP DRIVE

If you are not yet a member of FARFA, please consider joining us!

Becoming a member of FARFA helps the fight against the NAIS. Your membership fees help fund FARFA's work - but even more importantly, more members means the government pays more attention to what we have to say.

FARFA was invited to testify at a recent hearing in front of the Texas Senate Subcommittee on Agriculture. One of the first questions the Senator asked me was: "How many members do you have?" In other words, he wanted to know why he d other senators should listen to us. We have the truth and facts on our side. But we need members to convince the legislators that they should listen to those facts!

And, of course, we need money to continue our education and lobbying efforts. We recently were given a $5,000 matching donation. Please help us to raise another $5,000!

In the past six months, we have:
* researched and developed informational materials: flyers, sample letters, brochures, the popular "Top 10 Myths", and more in-depth pieces
* distributed approximately 30,000 pages of those materials to the public
* worked directly with legislators to develop bills for both state legislatures and Congress
* hired a lobbyist to help with the fight in Congress
* filmed an ad for RFD TV that will air with the Equine Expo this fall
* had booths at fairs and events in Texas, Tennessee, and Colorado to spread the word
* provided advice and materials to people in over a dozen ttes to educate the public, organize meetings, pass county-level resolutions, and lobby state legislators
* hosted public meetings in Texas and Tennessee, some of which have drawn over 200 people and received both newspaper and television coverage
* written articles for multiple publications to reach those who do not have internet access

Help us to continue and expand these efforts! With this new money, we could also start paying for ads in those agricultural journals that are only printing stories from Agri-Business and the Government. We have to reach the thousands of people who are only hearing one side of the issue! What will it cost you if the NAIS is implemented?

We are gaining momentum in this fight, but we have a long way to go. Please help us to continue this important work by joining today. Visit our membership page at http://www.farmandranchfreedom.org/signup.html

Judith McGeary
Executive Director
Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance
8308 Sassman Rd
Austin, Texas 78747
(512) 243-9404
(866) 687-6452 Toll Free
www.farmandranchfreedom.org