An article by Judith McGeary ran in the November 2006 issue of Acres USA, titled NAIS Update: A Lack of Science. Judith McGeary is the Executive Director of the Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance. The central point of the article is that NAIS is not based on science; contrary to what the supporters of the program want you to believe. Not only is proper scientific support not addressed, but neither has return on investment.
Quoting from the article:
So how did the government make the decision to implement the NAIS? What are the risks it is supposed to address? What are the benefits? What are the costs? When faced with a massive government program that will affect millions of people, we’d expect these questions to be answered with epidemiological studies and detailed cost-benefit analyses, but these appear to be missing in this case. Nevertheless, USDA is pushing ahead with the program.
As a farmer or rancher, the effectiveness of a program, both from the aspect of preventing disease and the economic feasibility, is of utmost importance. The stated goal of NAIS is 48-hour traceback of livestock. Diseases are not prevented by 48-hour traceback. What traceback will enable is a shift in liability for disease problems from the food manufacturer and distributor to the food producer, i.e. farmer. Yes, the blame can go to the farmer and perhaps financial damages will be paid by the farmer as well!
This program will certainly cost a lot of taxpayer dollars, not to mention the dollars that farmers and ranchers will pay. There exists no comprehensive study of the costs and benefits for NAIS. A return on investment does not exist. Why not? It’s because the government does not care if they get a positive return on your tax dollars. They don’t mind adding another “tax†to the producer in the form of tags.
NAIS will cost you your way of life. It will cost you money and it will cost you freedom. Do you want to be a serf, as in medieval times? If so, sign up. If not, let your friends, neighbors, and elected officials know you oppose NAIS. We have to act NOW!
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The accidental surfer who happens upon this should take NAIS as serious as a rattlesnake with rabies. The USDA is NOT listening to those of us who do not want any part of it. After all, NAIS was made to benefit corporate ag so they could sell their meat products on a global level but put all the work of tagging/tracking individual animals on private livestock owners. In a nutshell, NAIS is like me having a disease but forcing you to take/pay for the meds, then I go tell the world I am healthy so I can travel the world. Makes absolutely no sense, benefits neither one of us, but that is how NAIS will work. NAIS will affect everyone who eats, and not in a good way.
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