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

EQUINE SPECIES WORKING GROUP RELEASES NEW RECOMMENDATIONS

In recommendations that were just released, the Equine Species Working Group (ESWG) has apparently responded to the public outcry and recommended that equine movements not be reported. While this is a good development, it’s too early to celebrate.

First, the ESWG is only advisory and has no legal authority. USDA and the state agencies are not bound by the recommendations. The USDA has never formally withdrawn the 2005 published documents ­ the documents have been taken off the website so that the public no longer has easy access to them, but that has no legal significance. These earlier government documents would require horse owners to report movements.

Second, the ESWG is still buying in to the NAIS program overall, after an “initial voluntary period.” Horse owners will not be exempt from Stage 1 of NAIS, premises registration. So if you own a horse, you would still have to register your home with the government. Horse owners will not be exempt from Stage 2 of NAIS, animal identification. In fact, the ESWG recommends that horse owners be required to microchip their horses. The ESWG continues to endorse the ISO 11784/85 microchip, which is designed to be reprogrammable, so that someone could steal your horse and change its identity by simply reprogramming the chip.

The first two stages of NAIS, premises registration and individual animal identification, have not been shown to benefit horse owners or, indeed, owners of any livestock animals. Why should owning an animal be an event that must be reported to the government and place your property in a database? And why should people not be allowed to choose lower-cost means of identifying their animals that are not subject to the technological problems of electronic identification and, in particular, the ISO 11784/85 microchips?

Further, by endorsing the inclusion of horses in the first two stages of NAIS, the likely outcome is that horse movements will ultimately be tracked. The ESWG has not stated that tracking is unnecessary, merely that current forms of tracking for horses should be used. But once other animals are required to report every movement, how long will it be until the government says that the existing tracking of horses is insufficient and they have to be like other livestock? The slippery slope is too slippery.

These concerns are warranted by the ESWG’s history. For two years, the ESWG has recommended that virtually every movement of horses be reported to databases. In both 2004 and 2005, the ESWG recommendations stated that horse owners should be required to report to a database within 24 hours “when horses are transported interstate, *intrastate when commingled with other horses or livestock,* or to premises or events where a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI) or other equine health papers such as Coggins are required.” These recommendations would have required reporting of every show, trail ride, trip to the vet or breeding facility, or essentially any other movement of a horse off one’s property. For two years, the ESWG ignored the impact that such burdensome and intrusive requirements would place on horse owners. Now that they have chosen to change their position, there is no guarantee that they will not simply flip back to their original plan as soon as the public outcry has subsided.

The new ESWG recommendations are a step in the right direction. But horse owners need something more than non-binding statements to rely upon. And neither the working groups nor the government agencies have shown good reasons why any livestock animal should be subject to the requirements of NAIS. Carving out limited, and most likely temporary, exceptions for individual species is not the solution. Write your state and federal legislators to tell them so! Go to http://www.farmandranchfreedom.org/action.html for information on how to contact your legislators and sample letters.

The new recommendations can be found at http://www.equinespeciesworkinggroup.com/images/ESWG_Recommendations_-_August_1,_2006.doc

FARFA’S FIRST STATE CHAPTER

FARFA has been active at both the state and federal levels, working to stop NAIS and protect independent agriculture. We’ve made the most of our resources by working with individuals in multiple states at the grassroots level. Now, we’ve taken a new step ­ establishing a state chapter! FARFA of Tennessee is off to a great start thanks to the hard work of Everett Phillips and other volunteers. You can contact the Tennessee chapter at (865) 717-0728 or Tennessee@farmandranchfreedom.org.

We will continue to work with people in every state and establish additional state chapters as we grow. We have people from 47 states on our mailing list! NAIS, and other issues facing independent agriculture, must be addressed in every state and at the national level. FARFA is dedicated to protecting our rights across the country.

TOWN HALL MEETINGS

FARFA’s recent town hall meetings were very successful! Over 200 people showed up to the meeting in Lockhart, Texas . State Representative Patrick Rose committed to working to repeal HB 1361, and we heard from many candidates with similar positions. News 8 Austin covered the meeting, and you can find the story at http://www.news8austin.com/content/headlines/?ArID=168136&SecID=2 <http://www.news8austin.com/content/headlines/?ArID=168136&SecID=2> The meeting in Brady, Texas also received news coverage and attention from the local legislators. Many thanks to Pam Cantwell, Suzanne Gasparotto, and all of the other volunteers who worked hard to make the meetings successful!

The next meeting in Texas will be in Brenham, on Thursday, August 31, from 7-9 pm. For more information, contact Brad Stufflebeam at (979) 251- 9922 or brad@homesweetfarm.com or contact the main FARFA office at (866) 687-6452 or info@farmandranchfreedom.org.

FARFA of Tennessee is also hosting meetings and setting up information booths at local events. For more information, contact Everett Phillips at (865) 717-0728 or Tennessee@farmandranchfreedom.org.

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.

Keep an eye on the website for more upcoming meetings!

EMAIL PROBLEMS

FARFA has been experiencing server problems. Although the damage has been repaired, the email on the server was lost. If you have emailed Judith@farmandranchfreedom.org or info@farmandranchfreedom.org  in the last three weeks, and not received a response, please re-send your email. We also had to reconstruct the mailing list, so you may be asked to re-confirm your subscription.

We apologize for any inconvenience.

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