USDA to rquire microchipping of all privately owned food animals.

[Fjolnirsson]

http://animalid.aphis.usda.gov/nais/index.shtml

The above is a link with information on the USDA's new animal ID regulations, set to go into effect in 2008. These new regulations require the microchipping and tracking of livestock, even rabbits and such owned for private consumption. This amounts to total government control of the food supply in the US. There are no exemptions for small farms or homesteaders. It also requires that GPS coordinates be given to the USDA for any location where livestock may be kept. Records must be maintained whenever an animal is purchased, sold, born, dies, or is consumed.

A group has formed online in an attempt to stop or modify these regulations.
http://www.stopanimalid.org

[Werewolf]

How they gonna enforce it?

With a big farm in the bidness - easy.
With a family owned 10 to 20 acres used to grow a few veggies and maybe a cow or hog? No Way!

Just more bureaucratic empire building - will it never stop?

[TMM]

load of goddamn *expletive deleted*it. whereever i end up, it won't be near very many people, so i doubt that i'll have to deal with that *expletive deleted*it. maybe for the first 2 animals, but once they make a bunch of little ones, i'll slaughter the other ones, and bye bye microchip.

~TMM

[zahc]

People are so eager to accept government control. It's apparently been too long since there has been a major goverment abuse/genocide/etc. But it HASN'T. Does nobody read history anymore?

Interesting times.

[erik the bold]

Reading information from the NAIS link you provided:

1.  The program is voluntary (except for certain species in Wisconsin)

2.  It doesn't include rabbits

3.  Personal use animals aren't included, either

Q. If a Person Raises Animals for His or Her Own Use and the Animals Never Leave the Owner's Property, Do They Need to be Identified?
A. Under the current plan, animals that never leave a premises do not need to be identified.

Q. What Species Will be Included in the NAIS?
A. The NAIS is being developed for all animals that will benefit from having a system to facilitate rapid traceback/traceout in the event of disease concern. Currently, working groups are developing plans for aquaculture, camelids (llamas and alpacas), cattle/bison, cervids (deer and elk), equine, goats, poultry, sheep, and swine

Actually, from a disease traceabilty standpoint, I really don't have a problem with this.  It'll be nice to know who to blame when we all are stricken with avian flu [sarcasm/off]

[crt360]

Sort of like a LoJack for cattle.  That ought to discourage some rustlers.

It will also be helpful in identifying parties to sue when someone chokes on the microchip in their Wendy's Big Bacon Classic.

[Fjolnirsson]

Reading information from the NAIS link you provided:

1.  The program is voluntary (except for certain species in Wisconsin)

2.  It doesn't include rabbits

3.  Personal use animals aren't included, either

Certainly. Right now. However, the program is scheduled to become mandatory in January of 2008.

Check the "strategic draft plan". It clearly states that, " under the proposed plan, all locations that hold, manage or board animals will be required to have a unique Premises Identification Number by January 2008.

Personal use animals aren't included, uless they leave the premises. A lot of areas don't have vets willing to come to the farm.

I do appear to have gotten mixed up regarding rabbits. However, I seem to recall them being included. I'll have to check again.