This is an issue that will affect all of us who homestead, who raise
our own animals and maybe even occasionally sell some. I have submitted
the following letter to my congressional representatives and to my
local newspapers. I urge you to think about this issue and communicate
with your representatives, write your local papers, talk about this in
other discussion lists. Feel free to use any or all of the letter below
if you would like.
Best wishes,
-Walter
See my blog at:
http://SugarMtnFarm.com/blog/
I am concerned that the national animal ID system is too invasive into
people's lives. If the real purpose of NAIS is to track the food supply
for instances like mad cow disease then:
1) NAIS is not necessary for horses, donkeys, guardian animals or other
non-food animals - these animals are not going to enter the human food
chain in our country and should NOT be tracked by the government.
2) NAIS is not necessary for sales direct to the consumer from the
farm. In these cases there is already far better tracking of the food
chain. I breed and raise my own pigs and sheep. I sell directly to the
consumer. The consumer, my customer, knows me. I know the consumer. I
know my animals. My customer knows exactly where their food came from -
me.
3) NAIS should not be at all involved with people who are raising
livestock for their own family consumption. They know exactly where the
food came from - they raised it. There is no need to have any
government involved in our own kitchens and backyard food raising.
NAIS is being implemented too broadly. To include the above three
groups suggests the government has ulterior motives and is trying to
invade people's privacy. There should be exemptions for the above three
groups.
Thank you,
Walter Jeffries
Sugar Mtn Farm
252 Riddle Pond Road
West Topsham, VT 05086
(802) 439-6462
