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.

REMINDER: TOWN HALL MEETINGS

FARFA will be hosting two town hall meetings this week.  The first meeting is on Tuesday, August 8, at the Lockhart High School, starting at 7 pm.  We have a great line-up of speakers, including Representative Patrick Rose, Brad McClellan (campaign manager for Carole Keeton Strayhorn), Dean Barkley (campaign manager for Kinky Friedman), Hank Gilbert (candidate for Agriculture Commissioner), and others!
 
The second meeting is on Thursday, August 10, at the Ed Davenport Civic Center in Brady, also starting at 7 pm.  Again, we’ll have multiple speakers, including the regional director for Congressman Conaway and Representative Hilderbran.
 
Please come and tell others to attend!  We need to let the legislators and candidates know how important this issue is to the people of Texas.  There will be a question and answer session after the speakers at both meetings.
 
We are also planning a meeting in Hempstead for Tuesday, August 29 – more details to come.

TEXAS ANIMAL HEALTH COMMISSION MEETING REPORT

The Texas Animal Health Commission held its quarterly meeting on August 1.
 
Update on NAIS:  The staff reported that they have had approximately 18,000 premises registered in Texas.  They are over a month behind in entering the data.  The agency has hired additional employees and bought new equipment to try to keep up just with the voluntary premises registration.  One staffperson stated that they had received a large number of registrations during the last week of June, presumably because many people thought that there was a July 1 deadline.  Yet neither Dr. Hillman nor the Commissioners expressed any concern that many people have signed up “voluntarily” for premises registration based on false information!
 
NAIS and Elk:  In December 2005, the TAHC adopted regulations implementing NAIS for elk owners.  All three stages were required: premises registration, individual electronic identification, and 24-hour reporting anytime an elk was moved onto or off of the premises.  The Executive Director of the Exotic Wildlife Association spoke about the terrible impact these regulations have had on elk owners.  He stated that the “bottom has fallen out of the market.”  Cows that would have sold for $500 in December are now selling for $100.  Trophy bulls that would have sold for $2,500 are now selling for $1,000.  The volume at both public sales and private treaty sales has dropped anywhere from 10%-50%, in some cases closing down completely.
 
The TAHC has proposed to repeal the NAIS rule for elk.  Written public comment on the rule repeal will be accepted by the TAHC until 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 6.  Comments may be emailed  to  comments@tahc.state.tx.us, mailed to Delores Holubec, TAHC, Box 12966, Austin, TX 78711-2966, or faxed to 512-719-0721.
 
We must all stand together against NAIS.  Even if you are not an elk owner, you can send in comments telling TAHC that you don’t think NAIS should apply to any animal owner.
 
Equine Rules:  Under the Texas Administrative Procedures Act, an agency must review each of its rules every four years.  The agency may re-adopt the rules as they stand, amend or change the rules, or even repeal the whole chapter.  The TAHC is currently reviewing the rules relating to equines in Chapter 49 of the Texas Administrative Code.  This includes the rules governing Coggins testing and Equine Infectious Anemia.  The deadline for comments will be 30 days from the publication of notice in the Texas Register.  We will send out more information when it has been published.
 
New Commissioners:  Governor Perry has re-appointed Reta Dyess as the Commissioner for Dairy.  He has also appointed Thomas Kezar for the General Public, Ernie Morales for the feedlot industry, and Mike Vickers for veterinarians.  These appointments are subject to Senate confirmation.  Write your state senator and tell him or her that you want the appointees questioned about their views on NAIS, including their affiliations with entities receiving grants to promote NAIS.  They should also be questioned about their views on regulation of small farmers, homesteaders, and hobby animal owners.  If you do not know who your state senator is, you can find out at http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/fyi/fyi.htm 

SUPPORT FARFA’S WORK

If you are not yet a member of FARFA, please consider joining us.  Memberships start at $35/year.   Membership fees and donations support our efforts to educate the public through articles, advertisements, conference tables, and town hall meetings, as well as lobbying at both the state and national level.  Whether you are a farmer or a rancher, a consumer of local foods, or someone who cares about protecting our rights and traditional freedoms, FARFA is working for you!  If you would like to join FARFA, please visit our membership page at http://www.farmandranchfreedom.org/signup.html

Thank you for everything you are doing to help in the fight against the National Animal Identification System!
 
Working together, we can make our voices heard.
 
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