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National Animal Identification System

The National Animal Identification System (NAIS) is designed to identify all livestock animals and poultry and track their movements.  The USDA claims that the NAIS will be able to identify all premises on which animals and poultry are located, and all animals that have had contact with a disease of concern, within 48 hours of discovery. In reality, NAIS provides no food safety benefit and threatens small-scale organic farmers and ranchers, while accelerating farm consolidation and benefitting factory farms.

63 Organizations Urge the Administration to Reject Animal ID Rule

News
September 14, 2012
Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance
The 63 undersigned organizations, representing family farmers, ranchers, and consumers, urge you to return USDA's final rule on Animal Disease Traceability (ADT) to the agency for a legally adequate, thorough, and complete cost analysis. Read more

USDA And Corporate Agribusiness Continue To Push Animal ID Scheme

News
July 24, 2012
by Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance
UPDATE: July, 24, 2012 FARFA (Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance) continues to urge the OMB (Office of Budget and Management) to recognize the problems with the Animal ID rule. Read more

Food and Farming Non-Profits Oppose Costly USDA Animal ID Plan

News
June 19, 2012
The Weston A. Price Foundation by Kimberly Hartke
Proposed government regulations may threaten the viability of small scale producers and raise the cost of locally produced food, say local food advocates. Read more

Dust Flying in Countryside Over USDA Animal ID Proposal

News
August 31, 2011
The Cornucopia Institute by Judith McGeary, Bill Bullard, Gilles Stockton, and Mark Kastel
Austin, TX: Forty-nine advocacy groups representing the interests of family farmers, ranchers, and consumers have formally requested that USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack extend the public comment period for a controversial new proposal that would... Read more

USDA and Corporate Agribusiness Continue to Push Animal ID Scheme

News
June 20, 2011
The Cornucopia Institute
WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is expected to issue its new proposed rule for mandatory animal traceability very shortly. Read more

The Real Nitty-Gritty on Small Farms and the Food-Safety Bill

News
December 3, 2010
Grist by Bonnie Azab Powell, Tom Philpott
As recently as Monday, the Food Safety Modernization Act (S. 510) seemed set to sail through the House and to the president's desk for rubber-stamping. But now it's stalled in the Senate yet again, due to a technical error that could well sink the... Read more

NAIS Not Dead?

News
February 16, 2010
Houston Herald - TX
Contrary to what you are being told, National Animal Identification System is not dead - just renamed, reworded and still very much alive. Read more

Farmer & Consumer Groups Praise USDA for Dropping NAIS

News
February 9, 2010
La Vida Locavore by Jill Richardson
Four organizations representing farmers, ranchers, and consumers issued a press release praising the USDA for dropping its National Animal ID System. Read more

VICTORY! U.S.D.A. Plans to Drop Program to Trace Livestock

News
February 5, 2010
The New York Times by William Neuman
Campaign Victory! Faced with stiff resistance from ranchers and farmers, the Obama administration has decided to scrap a national program intended to help authorities quickly identify and track livestock in the event of an animal disease outbreak. Read more

First NAIS Conviction: Polk County Judge Orders Beef Rancher to Register Premises

News
October 23, 2009
The Country Today by Heidi Clausen
The country's first NAIS conviction: A Polk County judge has ruled in favor of the state of Wisconsin in the state's second case of a farmer refusing to register a livestock premises. Read more
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