NATIONAL ANIMAL IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM
(NAIS)

I am opposed to the National Animal Identification System (NAIS). The prime motivating factor behind the drive to establish a national system of animal identification is the danger of mad cow disease. Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD), variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD), and mad cow disease are caused by feeding scrap meat to animals that are herbivores. The FDA and the USDA have rules and regulations in place to prevent this from happening.

Purina violated the rules in Texas. Fortunately, they got caught, although it is not clear how they disposed of the tainted animals that were fed the illegal feed. Like Purina, other feed processors might be tempted to violate the rules for a higher profit while at the same time risk the health of fellow citizens. Due diligence and improved monitoring can prevent this from happening. The FDA and the USDA must make sure this never happens again.

The proposed animal identification system will place unnecessary burdens on livestock owners and producers. The system will place an unnecessary financial burden on livestock owners and inflict needless pain on the animals. The financial burden could force some livestock producers out of business and will drive up the already increasing cost of food. Dairy cows are now being tagged and the NAIS must be stopped before it spreads to any other animals.

The required agricultural census is a means of allowing the government to encroach into the lives of the people of the nation and the NAIS is only one more means of micro-monitoring of the nation’s citizens.