http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWG1tQ3Qhsw

On June 30, 2010 the FBI, FDA, CDFA, Health and Human Services and representatives from the DA’s office and the LA Sheriff’s Department raided the Rawesome Food Club in Venice, CA looking for raw milk. Guns were drawn. The vegetables remained unplussed.

This is the police state out of control. Don’t they have real criminals to be concerned about?

EDIT: I noticed that by the afternoon of this post that the video was removed from YouTube. Hmmmm.

Just one more of the amazing things that Jersey cows can do! 

It was the voice of the people in opposition to NAIS and the lack of voluntary participation that dealt it the death blow. It is up to those same people, and hopefully more, to watch out that the new framework does not burden us as NAIS would have.

The USDA published a seven-page FAQ sheet called Questions and Answers: New Animal Disease Traceability Framework. It is worth your time to read. In it, the vision for this new traceablility framework is laid out in their answers to the questions. One strategy remains from NAIS, is that it will still be implemented at the state level.

What is certain is that animal disease traceability will be required for animals moving in interstate commerce. However, each State and Tribal Nation will be able to determine the specific approaches and solutions it wants to use to achieve the minimum animal disease traceability performance measures.

It does seem that the federal program will leave small farmers, who only move animals within their own state, alone. Be watchful, however, of your state government programs.

Animals not moved out of state, as well as small producers who raise animals to feed themselves, their families, and their neighbors, are not a part of the framework’s scope and focus.

Much of what was developed for NAIS will be reused.

The money invested in NAIS will not go to waste. Many elements of the NAIS system can be used in this new animal disease traceability framework, should States and Tribal Nations elect to use them.

I don’t want to be overly cynical, as the discontinuation of NAIS is great news! However, I am suspicious that this is simply a repackaging of the whole program.  Of this, I am extremely wary.

Then came in the reinforcements!

These kittens sure love fresh milk!

Missouri and South Dakota

Texas

The opposition has been overwhelmingly against a National Animal Identification System. Do you think our government will listen?

For the latest news on NAIS go to the Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance website.

When the real estate agent arrived, I showed him the two babies and lamented the fact that I didn’t have my camera along. Fortunately, he did! My thanks for the picture below that he emailed me.

Two Baby Raccoons

It looks like he doesn’t want to go!

In their discussion of the swine flu, they were making observations about the severity of the outbreak, geographical location, and the different methods of raising pigs.

• Poor countries have small farms raising pigs outdoors.  (Implies this method of agriculture breeds disease.)
• The U.S. have large farms raising pigs in large, confined operations. (Implies this method of agriculture is safe.)

I don’t think that the means of production is causative of swine flu or H1N1.  The higher mortality rate in poorer countries most likely has everything to do with the general level of health in the population.

It is also a misnomer that people don’t raise pigs outdoors in the U.S. (although this is a rare sight anymore).  The Beginning Farmer  is from Iowa and his pigs enjoy the sunshine and green pastures!

The biggest worry in the U.S. is that people will infect the pigs! Yes, the worry at the large confinement operation is that someone will bring a virus into the barn and it will spread like wildfire in the close conditions.  They better watch out where their workers come from!

Answer:  To move to another premises and cause a reportable event.

(And I always thought it was to get to the other side in search of food!)

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) will hold a series of listening sessions on the National Animal Identification System (NAIS).

The meetings will take place next month in Alabama, Colorado, Connecticut, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Washington state.

Why are the sessions only being held in seven states?  I don’t know.  There should be a session held in every state, as everyone will be affected by this program.

The full article can be read here.