No cow left behind

There are two visible programs that call for greater accountability from livestock producers: animal identification and country-of-origin labeling (COOL). Although their stated purposes are very different, the final outcome may well be the same. There are some things to fight and some to welcome and embrace but we rarely have the wisdom to know the difference.

The first reaction to COOL is "big deal" as the retail meat counters are giving shoppers very little information on where the meat originated and the shoppers seem to be just fine with that. The original intent of creating a marketing program that promotes U.S. beef has been lost in the complaints of packers and retailers, that labeling each lot differently would be too much of a hassle, the cost of printing origin information on packages too great. I'm sure there is a cattle producer out there who still believes that the shopper will select his product over that of mixed origin because of quality, patriotism and food safety, but I haven't heard from him in a while.

What I have heard is resistance to comply with paperwork and intrusive regulation that identifies each meat producing entity. Without knowing it, we've shifted to animal identification--a whole 'nother ball game. Animal ID is a "voluntary" USDA program to trace back to producers when there is an emergency such as a disease outbreak or terrorist act. It seems strange that those who most strongly favor COOL are the ones who most strongly oppose Animal ID. Both are programs that make your product known to the supply chain and the government, if they wish to inquire.

The National Cattlemen's Beef Association has finally taken a stand on COOL with a simple argument that animals coming in from other countries should be marked; therefore, the U.S. producers should have to do nothing. That's a little too logical to fly in regulatory circles, but it may place the burden on the packer until retail and wholesale sectors team up to pass the pain upstream.

I think it's all going to come down to accountability, from conception to consumption or piglet to plate. The enforcement won't be based solely on regulatory compliance; it will be based on the ability to sell the animal. If you have pets and you don't transport them across state lines, no problem, but if you put your livestock into the channels of trade then there has to be a "trail" that is created and maintained all the way to the supermarket counter or the fast-food drive-through.

The livestock marketers (sale barns) have been the champions of the small cattle producers and they are still determining if they want to take on the paperwork and handling to be the first point of documentation. If so, they will have to be paid, directly or indirectly, for their service.

Another thing that we've got to stop dancing around is that the USDA Animal Identification program will become mandatory. It can't work any other way. The registration of your farm or ranch is the beginning, then the tagging of animals and tracking to the consumer. This can become automated with some additional work and cost for producers but it is not the 90 percent of volume that will be the challenge for public health officials, it will be the nebulous few who have a high likelihood of spreading a disease. If we don't have a national emergency with foot and mouth disease or terrorism, this may take a long time to implement, but it will come as sure as green grass in springtime.

I'm not really a pessimist about the outcome of COOL or Animal ID. The producer who does his or her job well is the one who should benefit. Those who are haphazard in their production will have the most difficulty. The stamp of USDA inspected and "a product of the United States" should signify pride and quality but it may not gain a premium in the marketplace.

Those who seem most opposed to the intrusion of government in their lives appear also to be those who are least likely to work with the system to have their viewpoint heard. That means the voices of protest are just background noise for those who come together to decide what's best for their industry. Paul Hitch, cattleman from the Oklahoma panhandle, who lost his battle with cancer last year, said at an NCBA meeting: "Those who show up make the rules."

Editor's Note: This is Ken Root's 35th year as an agricultural reporter. He grew up on a small farm in central Oklahoma and started his career as a vocational agriculture teacher. He worked in Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri as a broadcaster and was the original host of AgriTalk. He has also been the executive director of the National AgriChemical Retailers Association in Washington, D.C. and the National Association of Farm Broadcasters in Kansas City. Ken is now the lead farm broadcaster at WHO and WMT Radio based in Des Moines, Iowa. He has been a columnist for HPJ and Midwest Ag Journal for eight years.

1/26/09
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Date: 1/22/09

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Records 9 Reader Comments steve — 02/19/2009 09:02:10 the word is "overwhelmingly" sorry, long day at work! more about why NAIS is NOT a good thing ( most see that it is not good) unless you work for the USDA or are one of the big corporate ag which NAIS is good for you but why do they get one lot number per groups of animals and we have to tag and track every single one we own...why do they even need me to be part of their business or has slavery come into fashion again? ( the 13th amend outlawed "involuntary servitude") which is what forcing me to tell the govt every where I go with my horse is...I am made part of big ag without any of the benefits or profits but made to do all the work of tagging and tracking but they do not! Those who think NAIS is a good thing need a history lesson.... 1938- Nazi Germany requires that all Jews must register their premises and list all their property with the govt. We all know how that turned out! In the same time period, Stalin wanted govt ownership of all farms...to force his will, he sent in troops to shoot those who resisted...millions also starved, not even allowed to eat the grain they grew. Think it can't happen again...check out these stories about people being raided gestapo style by the USDA...Faillace "mad sheep killing and Henshaw pig massacre. Reader Comments esbee — 02/19/2009 09:02:20 Yes, it would require every last animal to be tagged/tracked 24/7 for NAIS to work but this is an impossibility...first the Amish who say NAIS goes against their religious beliefs. And others who do not want NAIS. (hey, have ya noticed the comments are overhwelinglu AGAINST NAIS!) For the other side of the coin, there is a voodoo religion called Santeria...it is legal in the US and they sacrifice chickens and goats, often in dingy city apts...will those animals be chipped and reported? They also sprinkle the blood of those animals on objects, as a cursing or blessing. Talk about a way to spread animal disease. I wonder if the USDa will go after them? NAH! They will "wink" at THAT but come after the rest of us! Reader Comments Mike Schultz — 01/27/2009 10:01:28 Ken, For someone who writes about their own wisdom, you must only read what you write. Do you work full-time for NCBA or USDA? I couldn't tell. Did you ever feed a cow or calf? Are you sure where the feed goes in and the manure comes out? USDA and your mentioned association have fought and attempted to screw up COOL from day one and when they saw it was supported, now they want credit for it. As one of the three representatives for R-CALF USA and as their COOL Committee Chairman, I was in Kansas City August 26, 2008 for the Livestock Marketing Association's industry meeting with over 60 organizations representatives. Only then--when USDA stepped out of the room--did we try to fix what USDA and some so-called "cattle associations" tried to break. We managed to rework in six hours what they (USDA) messed with for over 6 years. They just couldn't get it right. They certainly tried to sidestep the goal of producers and consumers while working as puppets for the packers by not putting an end to the question on the multiple label concern, visual inspections, simplified affidavits and records for all USA producers. You must be the only person who has never seen the support for COOL. If you want surveys ("Valid ones with a 40% response") showing the support for Country of Origin Labeling I can provide them to you. Why is it wrong to promote our product in the United States of America to our consumers here? We have the best consuming market in the world for beef. Our consumers' incomes--by a wide margin--is better than over 80% of the rest of the worlds' population outside the USA. Furthermore, you evidently haven't heard or watched the Beef Checkoff and what they haven't done for producers in the USA. How many millions of dollars since the inception of it have they collected? Why shouldn't we vote "yearly" on what to do for change, or for promotion advertising for USA BEEF in the USA? Why don't we open up the seats on the beef boards and allow room for new ideas? Why don't we break up the "Shared Staff Program" with organizations that do not represent anyone's best interest? Why are they not a standalone business with their own independent building or office? I am sure you think the new two, or even three-dollar checkoff proposal would be beneficial. It will, but it will be to the benefit of the packing industry. If we continue to just advertise beef which has--and continues to be imported and sold under the guise of the USDA "inspection" label. We will never see change, or food safety addressing imported practices or a choice for our consumers. Now for some facts. The beef industry needs changes, but more importantly--it needs competition. I hope to be a part of that change. Your article to me, tried to bash some very good cattlemen who live and work in rural areas of this country. Me and the ones I know support local businesses, schools, churches and our communities. We are good stewards of the land and always try to be caring of others. All we have asked for was an opportunity to promote our product here in the USA and let the importers do the same. This just gives consumers a choice, and through education and some media, it would be nice for consumers to have the right to know "where their beef comes from." It is about food safety. Did you not read about the problem recently with Clenbuterol? The Ministry of Health Jalisco (SSJ) has reported 9 confirmed cases of poisoning by clenbuterol in the city of Zapotlanejo, and there are still 5 more [likely] to be confirmed. The outbreak occurred on Monday [12 Jan 2009], and the affected people were taken to a hospital in Guadalajara. I see a scary amount of these articles. Here's an suggestion for you: look up "Tuberculosis outbreaks in the USA" and where it originates from. As for NAIS, if the borders were protected why do we need it? Add NAIS to your newly proposed National Bio Defense lab in Manhattan. It will be setting near a very serious Earthquake fault line called the Humboldt Fault Zone—a fault zone that has the potential to produce earthquakes in the 6 to 6.5 range. According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Tuttle Creek is preparing and catastrophe could strike. Being twelve miles east of the dam the Humboldt Fault Zone, a series of north-south fault lines that run from Oklahoma City to Omaha, Nebraska. This $150 million project with Tuttle Creek is all the proof you need that earthquakes are a real threat in Kansas. I don't know, but is or was common sense ever prevalent in the government? Finally, you have been disregarding comments on how well exporting has been for "USA producers" and even Creekstone (who fought the government to test for BSE). Imports are up about 25% from a year ago--and look at our prices now! I, like others, contend that "beef packers capture all benefits from exports and use imports to depress price." I haven't found a cowboy yet who ever received a check from Japan or China for the exported beef the packers sold them. If you have a copy of one, I would like to see it! I have seen the proof that they take full advantage of our markets by the use of imports. To finish off this, let's talk beef and live cattle imports, exports, numbers and dollars. In 2007, according to USDA ERS we had about one billion pounds of live cattle and beef exports with about five billion pounds coming here as imports. Who does this help? The USDA ERS reported that we had about a two billion dollar export total in trade and we IMPORTED about five BILLION dollars--can you add? How good is that for anyone but a packer? I have not seen the market respond in a very positive fashion, so I don't see how importing or exporting beef is to good for me or other USA independent cattle producers. I almost forgot about JBS the cattle and meat packer from Brazil, have you looked at how many cows are in Brazil? Pay attention. Working to protect the USA producer, Mike Schultz Proud member of KCA and R-CALF Brewster, KS Reader Comments GrannySue — 01/25/2009 03:01:20 I find it really hard to believe, belonging to as many consumer groups as I have over the years, that COOL is only attributable to beef promotions. Must be that the consumer amounts to nothing but a dollar figure in the minds of corporate agriculture. Of course, we already knew that. NAIS on the other hand, is a whole different ball of wax. How is it that this program that will not track disease until it has been introduced through a lack of inspection and a shortening of quarantines (in the name of free trade) is going to help us eradicate animal disease? How is NAIS, that stops at the slaughterhouse, going to protect anyone from food-borne illness, while the CDC, USDA and FDA all admit that more than 90% of all cases come from the packer/processor? NAIS won't stop imported disease, through legal or illegal importation, and cannot be a food safety program because it stops where contamination starts. Further, I am an American. Since when should I volunteer to give the government free reign over my property, allow them entry any time they feel like it without benefit of an issued warrant, or give the government the right to trample religious beliefs accepted for centuries by that same government? We ARE talking about the same government and an agency that sued a business to prevent it from testing (at its own expense) for BSE. We are talking about a government that allows importation of animals from countries known to have diseases, and does so with impunity. We are talking about a government that insists we do not vaccinate our animals against certain diseases because some foreign body (UN/WTO) says that our disease free status will be diminished. This is the government and agency you want me to sign my rights over to? I'll give you directions if you want, but I think you know where you're going. Why should a small farmer or backyard producer pay the bill for the corporate interests that have caused the problem? When was the last recall on Amish beef, pork, eggs or chicken? When was the last recall on non-commercial dairy? Funny - there haven't BEEN any!!! Go figure. What was the cause of the salmonella outbreak in spinach (um... CAFO runoff...)? The tomato issue? That one was US farms run out of Mexico. These are all big ag issues, not small farm, hobby farm or homestead issues. Corporate farms need this program. Real farmers do not. Now... If every PIG, SHEEP, GOAT, HORSE, MULE, DONKEY, DEER, ELK, BISON, ALPACA, EMU, OSTRICH, CHICKEN, DUCK, LLAMA, GOOSE, GUINEA, PIGEON, PHEASANT, QUAIL, (turkey) EXOTIC FOWL, CATFISH, TROUT, STRIPPED BASS, OYSTER, MUSSEL, SALMON, SHRIMP, SCALLOP and TILAPIA, (and leaves the door wide open to add yet MORE species to this list!) in the country is tagged and tracked individually - no matter who owns it, or how many are owned, then we'll talk. So long as a herd counts as one animal for a CAFO, but I have to tag and track all 25 hens in my coop - you and the USDA know just where to stick this program. As soon as corporate ag cleans up its list of abuses against the public (hormones, antibiotics, pesticides, herbicides, run-off, pollution and a host of others), then we'll talk about taking away my right to feed my family foods I grow. As soon as the USDA figures out how to stop BSE infected Canadian cattle from crossing our borders, we can sit down at the table. As soon as inspections are performed as they are mandated to be, so that diseased animals are no longer illegally imported to spread disease, I'll listen. In the meantime, why not tell the consumer that its not just the meat prices that are going to more than triple do to this program, but just about anything we buy.... Leather, angora, down, mohair, wool, suede - and then get into the products made with animal ingredients - glue and other adhesives most particularly. Tell them how the organic produce is going to increase in price when what few small farmers are left to supply the fertilizer are charging for it because they have to in order to stay in business. Meanwhile, let them know about all the bonuses paid out to execs at companies like Monsanto, Tyson, Cargill and Smithfield. We won't mention Microsoft, which directly profits through an agreement with the USDA, or companies like Digital Angel, who couldn't sell their chips for use in people and so targeted pets and livestock. All this so that the international community can level the playing field on trade issues. Has NOTHING to do with health, nothing at all - even the paperwork says so. The only reason they want to track disease is so that the international markets will stay stable. They could care less about feeding the people in the United States. That much has been more than obvious from the very beginning. When Big Ag clean up their act, then they can try to tell me what to do about mine. No, sir, NAIS is about as necessary as cable tv if you don't own a television. Reader Comments Karen — 01/25/2009 01:01:34 You state: "Those who seem most opposed to the intrusion of government in their lives appear also to be those who are least likely to work with the system to have their viewpoint heard. That means the voices of protest are just background noise for those who come together to decide what's best for their industry. Paul Hitch, cattleman from the Oklahoma panhandle, who lost his battle with cancer last year, said at an NCBA meeting: "Those who show up make the rules." What? As henwhisper said in her response, we HAVE shown up to have our voices heard. We have commented on the Federal Register for every proposal put forth on this issue and we have spoken to our elected officials. We HAVE a system in place and have had for decades. The USDA states the problem is that one database cannot communicate with the other. Why not solve THAT problem instead of implementing a massive and very expensive new system designed for industrial style 'factory farms' essentially on the backs of the small farmer, horse owners and hobby farmers? In this economy, where small farmers are already struggling to make ends meet, why does the USDA propose that these costs be passed on to the producer? Especially by technology companies who stand to gain windfall profits from the implementation of this system? This latter fact has been clearly reported in numerous technology journals and memos/reports to stockholders from the approved tag/RFID manufacturers. It would be far more cost effective and safer for humans if the $130 million of taxpayer money that has been spent so far trying to implement this expensive, intrusive system had been spent on a software system that would be compatible with the current systems in use AND by increasing the number of inspectors at our portals of entry and at the slaughterhouse/processing level. Then, and only then, would our food be safer. When NAIS drives all the small farmers out, where will people go to buy their locally grown and wholesome food? When NAIS drives all the small farmers out, we will become increasingly dependent on importing food, just as we have become increasingly dependent on importing oil. When NAIS causes parents to pull their children out of 4-H and Future Farmers of America, what will the cost be to society? Raising animals teaches children responsibility, improves their self-esteem, teaches them the value of 'community'. and makes them less likely to engage in criminal activity. When NAIS drives all of us who raise heritage breeds out, where will the larger producers go when they need to improve the genetic strength of their commercial breeds? Reader Comments Thomas — 01/25/2009 11:01:00 Ken, I have very mixed feeling about this piece. I am the owner of a small farm and I have great fear of what the post NAIS world will be. From my point of view as a small farm I see myself and fellow owners of small farms out of business. The system is tilted in favor of the very large producer. With the small farms gone and only the large factory farms suppling the nations needs there is more chance of monopolistic behavior. It is never good to reduce or eliminate the competition. Further with only a few farms at work when there is a disease outbreak it will affect a much greater percentage of the production since the smaller farms simply will not exist to take up the slack. Since the USDA has the current policy of depopulation rather than quarantine and vaccination the recovery time following a disease outbreak will be much greater. Whenever the thought of a disease outbreak is raised it is foot and mouth disease (FMD) that is first to be used by both the opponents and critics of NAIS. I suggest the subject of another article of yours could take a look at the current plans to move the Plum Island facility from off the cost of the US to the Kansas heartland. It could address all the fears and dangers that will be accompanying the move. COOL on the other hand is great. Who doesn't take pride in his product or his nations products. If it is made here by all means lets stamp it MADE IN USA or if it comes from Canada, MADE IN CANADA. I for one certainly would want to know if what I was about to eat came from CHINA. Sincerely, Thomas Reader Comments Whistleblower — 01/24/2009 01:01:01 COOL is a fraud. Possibly the intent of this regulation was to “give consumers information on the origin of their products” it does not, in fact, get the job done. There are huge holes. Take for instance a cow coming into the US. Let’s say he just stays here a few days, and voile he’s an American cow! A reporter with your integrity has surely heard that BSE came from a sick Canadian cow? Currently truckloads of illegal, undocumented, and DISEASED cattle are flooding across the border, as the USDA and State Depts. of Ag turn their heads and WINK-WINK for the benefit of multi-national companies. This brings a new definition to “ILLEGAL ALIEN” doesn’t it? NAIS, animal identification, as you put it, is three pillars: • Premises registration, • Electronic animal identification with secondary validation (your word is not good enough), and • Tracking and surveillance 24/7 for you are to report any birth, death, movement, commingling of animals within 48 hours. But wait there is more. The plan is a living document so you will never know the rules as to whether you are compliant or not. Would you sign a blank check? If so give me a call. The voluntary NAIS it is not voluntary. Under Cooperative Agreement with the federal government databases are being merged. Let’s say you have your animal in a disease program (so that American animals are healthy), in a breed registry, or gasp, your tax assessment and enhanced 911 is data-mined along with 20 other “public data-base sources”. Your property is then registered whether you know it or not, into the Premises Registration database. As a person in the government once told me, “You never get out”. Premises “DO NOT EXPIRE”, one can NOT OPT OUT, it runs with the land, and survives ownership. You are committing your property to a not-so-silent-third-party who dictates what you can and cannot do with your private property. All property is considered a farm even if you do not own a single animal. By definition a farm is “property that has potential to make $1000 from any source”. Terrorism? What terrorist organization has the means or desire to go to each hobby farm or small farm and ranch in America to perpetrate their diabolical scheme? Wouldn’t it be so much easier to go the factory farm? You have a better chance of being hit by a meteorite than succumbing to a terrorist event. UNLESS…. The event is orchestrated by government concession. You are aware of the plan for global food control that the US has adopted down to city level: the Terrestrial Animal Health Code? Conspiracy theory? I dare you, Google it. International mandates should apply to large corporations who dabble in the global market and leave the small American farm alone. For the Record: the National Cattlemen’s Association is a PAID government contractor which is why they have taken a “cool” position. They know that to engage in international enterprise they will they will have to adhere to the same rules. Just watch. “Accountability” is not word you are seeking. I believe what you are saying is that unless every animal owner in America consents to participate in the worldwide United Nations “Farm-to-Fork”, NAIS, and COOL programs they are “socially irresponsible”. Why would a small farmer and rancher who have historically maintained his flock and herd be subjected to industrial prejudice and favoritism towards Third World policies? Buying and selling is an interesting concept. What you are describing is critical mass achieved by hiring a few flunky industry partners to represent the industry, but are in fact, are PAID government contractors, sheep in wolves clothing. If I remember correctly there is a book that recorded there will be a time when “no man should be able to buy or to sell, save he that hath the mark, even the name of the beast or the number of his name.” Unfortunately with the current semantic shell game one really must define everything. How do you ‘commerce’? You will discover that you can’t go by the Webster’s Dictionary or you will loose big time. But, you know that, you are a reporter. Your statement about the sale-barns being the first point for paperwork is inaccurate. According to the COOL, NAIS, Farm to Fork, and international mandates it is farmer and rancher (redefined as producer) who is responsible for keeping records once an animal is born or purchased, dies or is sold, or commingles with other animals. It is the “nebulous few” who have had historically healthy herds and flocks. For the benefit of the public-at-large: automation is the process by which the need for humans is diminished if not entirely terminated. In the past, that has meant out-sourcing jobs, relocation of population bases, and people literally starving as a result of government policies. Your prophetic 'vision' of a biological emergency has already come to pass. With all the biological experimentation in urban areas you prediction is deadly accurate for ‘accidental’ or ‘intentional’ future events. State Vets go back to Plum Island 4 times a year and come back so contaminated they can’t even go back in the field. There are vials of FMD floating around the USA today. Which one will go into “play”? Personally, I would be more concerned about all the biologically altered pathogens which are commingled at these bio labs than FMD. But it is true that FMD was a test case to see how much liberty could be extracted from the population as well as refining future depopulation operations, and it worked brilliantly. Ah, but you are mistaken that the producer will receive benefit. FOIA document’s clearly state, “the producer will not benefit”. They also say there will be a large cost to the ‘producer’ that will drive up your food costs while not providing better quality or safer food. It is tragic that the world who looked to safe American food products now laughs at how pathetic we have become with all our unresolved food contaminations issues. I for one volunteered to be on the steering committee for our state regarding these issues. I was turned down flatly. Why? Was it because I wasn’t qualified for the position? No, it was because I wasn’t a PAID government contractor who would be a “yes’ man. My personal ethics refuse to be bought and PAID for like a piece of meat. It is offensive and politically incorrect that Americans, We the People, are considered background noise. Americans have categorically rejected the NAIS with exception of yes you guessed it, the PAID government contractors. Small farmers and ranchers don’t need agri-business telling us what is good for our farms and animals. In conclusion, as previously mentioned we live in an era of linguistic precision. Would you consider for yourself the application of the same regulations which are proposed, for your private property and yourself? You best start thinking about it, because ownership over your own body is at stake. There are documents and treaties currently defining an animal to include humans. Reader Comments Joanne Rigutto — 01/23/2009 11:01:00 Henwhisperer is right. For over 3 years we've been fighting mandatory implementation of NAIS on both the federal and state levels. I've talked to many public officials about NAIS. Some are apalled at the scope of the system. Of those who know about it, some arent' in favor of it being mandatory. Even those who are in favor of a mandatory NAIS generally do so out of the best of intentions. Unfortunately intentions and reality are in conflict. Unfortunately, NAIS will not provide the security that USDA and the other entities promoting it claim. The reason for this is that, while NAIS looks great on paper and in theory, the reality is that people are involved, which means that there will be substantial discrepancies in the animal movement reporting part of the system. People will be late reporting, people will make mistaked in reporting, people will just happen to not report either willfully or because they forgot. And some vectors for the spread of disease, namely fomites and people, are not required to have their movements reported at all. None of this is important in a slow moving disease like BSE, but in a fast moving, extremely contagious disease like FMD, it could be critical. The only way to stop the spread of a disease like that is movement stoppages/restrictions. In the event of a disease like FMD, it won't make a whit of difference whether we have NAIS or not. Our trading partners will keep their borders shut to US products and animals for at least 6 months after the last incedent of disease. To do so would be to court disaster in their own country and they know it. If we have an FMD outbreak in this country, you had bloody well hope USDA and the states immediately stop all animal movements everywhere in the USA. If they don't the disease will just continue to spread. Rapid on site diagnostics and the use of vaccination as opposed to ring depopulation would be helpful as well. Although, with all the talk of NAIS's magic bullet of 48 hour tracability, we don't hear too much about those tools now do we? Reader Comments Henwhisperer — 01/23/2009 03:01:42 The title of this piece is wrong. Correctly, it should be "First They Came for the Cows" because NAIS doesn't stop with cows, but extends through 33 species and covers more than food animals, horses, pot bellied pigs. But what I really want to address is this: "Those who seem most opposed to the intrusion of government in their lives appear also to be those who are least likely to work with the system to have their viewpoint heard. That means the voices of protest are just background noise for those who come together to decide what's best for their industry. Paul Hitch, cattleman from the Oklahoma panhandle, who lost his battle with cancer last year, said at an NCBA meeting: "Those who show up make the rules." Are you kidding? We've shown up, we've helped to craft state legislation, we've worked with the system. And what has it done? Nothing, nada, bupkiss. State legislation was whored at the last minute by legislators who had favors to grant or payback. What has traveling on our own dime, because we have no fancy pants lobbyists who will listen to us, netted? Not much, though we don't have openly mandatory NAIS now when it was supposed to be a done deal by this time. We worked and continue to try to work with the system, but our Congressmen won't work with us. We are not a part of the global industry, though many of us are a part of the local economy. Just where does industry get off telling me what I have to do with my animals? Ken was wrong. It isn't those who show up who make the rules. It is those with the deepest pockets who are revolving door USDA/APHIS/NIAA insiders who are running the show. =================== First They Came for the Cows - An Activist's Story My novel, pre-orders being taken now. click through to my blog for more information and a link to a preview Henwhisperer.blogspot.com Add Your Comment To post a comment on this story, enter your screen name and email address then click "Add Comment." 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