A Response to the National Animal Identification System

By: David Lynch

Very often, focusing on our “local minds” we lose sight of the impact that state or national legislation may have on our personal lives. Take NAIS for example: even as I write this, the National Animal Identification System is a new regulatory process being implemented by the USDA. What is NAIS? It is an identification system for all U.S. livestock that will keep track of the movement of all domestic animals intended for our food supply. It is being couched under the auspices of national food safety and Homeland Security.

Sounds good, doesn’t it! Very American! But the facts are this regulatory proposal creates a huge imposition on the small, family farmer. Not only will require everyone who raises livestock for food production to register their farm premises in a national database, by 2010, the USDA will mandate the microchip identification of every cow, sheep, pig and eventually chicken on a farmer’s property. The cost? Estimated at $37.00 per animal!

In reality, the regulation is primarily intended to keep track of interstate and global commerce. However, it’s unintended consequences become a huge burden to our local family farmer. Shouldn’t there be an exemption for local and regional movement of livestock from farmer to consumer? After all, this is easy to track. For example, take the cow share program for distributing raw milk. The dairyman is required to keep on file a copy of every consumer’s contact information: the tracking system is already in place.

On all of our behalf, the Farmer to Consumer Legal Defense Fund has sued the USDA in opposition to NAIS. The Raw Milk Association of Colorado has joined this fight, as have many grass roots consumer advocacy organizations. Trust me folks: NAIS is bogus regulation, an unnecessary invasion of our privacy, a substantial burden on the small farmer, and a complete waste of taxpayer money!

For more information, visit these links:
- Farm to Consumer Legal Defense Fund
- Livestock Tracing Bill Could Be End of Family Farms, Ranches - a recent opinion article from the Washington Examiner