The Senate is in the process of filing amendments to the Farm Bill.  We still do not have a definite date for the vote, but it could be very soon.  So we need to keep up the calls and faxes!
 
I spent last week in DC, meeting with Senate and House staff.  Several Senators said that they not been getting many calls about NAIS!  It takes just a couple of minutes to call both your Senators, and tell them to take Section 10305 out of the Farm Bill.  Please call or fax them today!

Take Action 

Call or fax both of your Senators now!  You can find contact information for your Senators at http://www.senate.gov. Or call the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask to be connected to your Senators' offices.
 
MESSAGE 1:  Take Section 10305 out of the Farm Bill because it implies approval of USDA's implementation of NAIS.   Section 10305 also provides false reassurance that the information in the databases will be confidential, when experience has shown that information in databases is vulnerable to both hackers and marketing misuse.
 
Some reasons NAIS needs to be stopped, not encouraged:

    * There is no evidence that it will improve animal disease control
    * It will not increase food safety, because food contamination happens at the slaughterhouses and processing plants
    * It will cost billions of dollars that individual farmers and our economy cannot afford
    * USDA's implementation of the program, through funding of state programs, has resulted in fraudulent and coercive methods being used to increase registrations.
    * Regardless of the protections in the bill, having the government or private entities compile this information leaves us open to harassment or worse by people who hack into that database or use the information for purposes other than what is intended.

Briefly explain to the staffer why this issue is important to you and your community, whether it's because you're a farmer or a consumer of local foods or a citizen concerned about intrusive and wasteful government programs.
 
MESSAGE 2: Congress should stop funding NAIS for the same reasons - it is an expensive and intrusive program that will not actually improve animal health or food safety.
 
MESSAGE 3:  Other than the NAIS provision, I support the competition provisions in the Livestock Title.  I urge the Senator to support amendments that increase competition in the livestock industry.  Make sure you're clear that we do want one change to the Livestock Title: Section 10305 and NAIS taken out!  Many of the Senators are struggling with the issue of the Livestock Title, the competition provisions, NAIS, and how it all interacts.
 
If the staffers have any questions, please have him/her call Judith McGeary at 512-243-9404.  And send an email to info@farmandranchfreedom.org to let us know how the staffer responded.

Helpful Hints for Contacting Legislators by Phone or Fax

If you are calling your Senators, and don't have unlimited long-distance, here are some toll-free numbers for the Capitol Switchboard:
866-340-9281
800-417-7666
877-851-6437
866-220-0044
 
Remember to ask to speak to the staffer who handles agricultural issues.  If he or she is not available, leave a detailed voice mail message, including the fact that you are a constituent and your phone number.
 
If you prefer to write a letter, it is best to FAX the letter to your Senator or Representative.  Because of security measures, letters mailed to DC take weeks or months to get there.  If you use email, follow up with a very brief call to make sure the email does not simply get overlooked.
 
Sample Letter:
 
Dear _________:
 
I oppose Section 10305 of the Farm Bill because it implies approval of the USDA's National Animal Identification System (NAIS).  NAIS has never been approved or even debated by either branch of Congress and few members of the Senate or House know the details of the program.  The USDA has not provided any scientific basis for this "feel good" program that will cost farmers and taxpayers billions of dollars, resulting in irreparable harm to independent agriculture in this country.  Although USDA claims the program is voluntary, it has funded coercive and misleading methods used by both states and private entities to force people to participate.  
 
I urge you to remove section 10305 from the Farm Bill and to stop funding for NAIS.
 
Sincerely,
Name
Address
City, State Zip

More Information on the Farm Bill 

Section 10305.  Section 10305 of the Farm Bill, as approved by the Senate Agriculture Committee, amends the Animal Health Protection Act to (1) insert a definition of NAIS; and (2) provide various exceptions from public disclosure for information collected under NAIS.  The inclusion of Section 10305 represents a tacit approval of NAIS, which is a very serious problem for the grassroots opposition to NAIS.  But it is not a complete adoption of NAIS, nor does it mandate NAIS directly.  Section 10305 represents a battle in this war against NAIS, but it is not a decisive battle for either side.  It's critical that we keep working to educate all the Senators and Representatives about the many, complex problems with NAIS.
 
Competition Provisions: Several very good provisions to increase competition in the livestock industry were included in the Committee's version of the Farm Bill.  For more information on the competition provisions, read this fact sheet. The tricky part is to make sure you're clear in your message to Congress: We support the competition provisions of the Livestock Title, but we do not support the NAIS provision!  NAIS will decrease competition in the livestock industry by burdening small and sustainable farmers, while providing loopholes for the confinement operations through the group identification provisions.  Section 10305 is not consistent with the rest of the Livestock Title provisions, and needs to be removed.

Support Our Work

It costs money to go to DC, maintain our website, send email alerts, develop and photocopy materials to distribute to both the public and to Congressional staff, and all the other things we do to protect your rights and food supply.  Please consider joining us, or giving an additional donation!  Membership dues and donations provide critically-needed funds.
 
Just as importantly, more members means more impact on the legislators.  Every staffer asked whether we had members in their state (we're up to 40 states!).  Many staffers even asked how many members we have in their state.  We can only represent your interests if you're a member!
 
Please visit our membership page to join or give an additional donation: http://farmandranchfreedom.org/content/join-farfa

Please stay tuned and be ready to take action again!
 
Sincerely,
 

Judith McGeary
Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance
8308 Sassman Rd
Austin, TX 78747
www.farmandranchfreedom.org
866-687-6452