VoteKansas.org

Elanor has an excellent post about her trip to the National Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement hearings. This is a most disturbing proposal that could wipe out small vegetable farmers like the USDA’s proposed National Animal Identification system would do for small livestock farmers. All of this is to benefit the big producers, exporters and bureaucrats.

Starting this week, the USDA’s Ag Marketing Service began a series of hearings around the country (schedule) to determine whether it should move forward with helping the industry develop this proposal. If it goes through, the national LGMA would create a set of farming, shipping and manufacturing practices that would ostensibly reduce the presence of pathogens like E. coli 0157:H7 in leafy greens. Companies that sign on to the agreement would get audited by the USDA to verify that they’re complying.

Marketing agreements are voluntary, meaning that only the industry players who want to sign on become parties to it. If a signatory company passes the audit, they can display a USDA seal on their packaging. But in this case, the agreement can only be signed by handlers – companies that get greens from farmers and store, ship or process them. If they sign on, they are only allowed to buy products from farmers that comply with the on-farm part of the NLGMA requirements and get audited.

So while it’s voluntary for handlers, if you’re a farmer selling to a handler who signs it, the agreement becomes mandatory by proxy for you.

The goal of these hearings, as advertised, is to help AMS decide whether or not a national marketing agreement for leafy greens is worth pursuing. If it gives the green light, then the industry will establish advisory committees and review boards and start putting together the nuts and bolts of the agreement, including the list of practices required of participants. So now is the time for public comment — anyone who shows up to testify is allowed to offer their opinion for the record.
-Ethicurean

Go read the full article and consider that this is one more axe aimed at not just independent farmers, but also the consumers who want to buy locally. They call it voluntary but will gradually squeeze the thumbs screws shut, locking out small farmers.

“The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.”
       -Thomas Jefferson

Our beloved leerless feeders want to mandate RFID identity cards for everyone such that if you don’t have it, or if it can’t be read, you won’t have access to federal buildings (Post Office, IRS, Courts…), railroads, airports, borders, etc. REAL ID is a national push, sort of like NAIS for people. But what if they screw up?

The Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles recalled about 4,000 enhanced state driver’s licenses and identification cards last week that had been issued in response to a federal law designed to heighten border security.

The enhanced driver’s licenses and non-driver ID cards were issued this summer to help Vermonters comply with the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, which took effect on June 1. The law requires U.S. citizens returning from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and the Bahamas to present a greater level of identification than was previously required, such as a passport or one of the enhanced identification cards, according to the DMV Web site.

Vermont has issued about 8,000 of the enhanced cards so far, but there have been problems with some of them. The equipment that U.S. Customs and Border Protection uses to scan the licenses and verify they are authentic has been unable to read some of the identification cards, causing people to be delayed at the border as officials try to sort through the problem.
-TimesArgus

So in other words, 50% of the enhanced drivers licenses have been recalled for failure. 50% of the citizens get denied access to their own government, to travel, to work… It’s a Brave New World and Big Bungler is watching you.

Promoted from comment of esbee:

Here is the texas 13-member commission appointed by the governor. perhaps we texans and others can write to them to somehow influence them to find someone with sense who does not worship the great god nais and drink the naisty koolaid…i am sure, knowing how politicks works, they are probably already being influenced …the commissioners each represent a segment of the livestock industry…veterinary…feedlot…sheep and goat…poultry.. etc. The commissioners serve a six-year term, and the appointments are “staggered,” so that each governor has an opportunity to appoint some of the commissioners…

The commissioners meet at least four times yearly at the TAHC to consider new regulations, address
issues and listen to public comment. They hire the executive director of the TAHC, who is in charge of
agency’s day-to-day operation. The hiring committee will be comprised of commissioners, with the
assistance of our human resources director and general counsel, to ensure that we follow all the
regulations for hiring and job offering.

A list of the commissioners and the specific part of the agriculture industry they represent is on our web site on this page.

One of the objections to the USDA’s proposed National Animal Identification System (NAIS) is based on privacy. Farmers don’t want people doing drive-by readings to check our inventory of livestock.

Increasingly RFID tags are showing up in consumer goods from movies, to clothing, to shoes to electronics. This is in addition to the new RFID based driver’s licenses and passports. Consumers don’t want thieves doing drive-by readings to check what kind of television, stereo system or other juicy things they might have in their house worth stealing.

In the past the government dismissed the privacy fear by saying that the tags could only be read up close. But better tags and better readers are extending the range such that now one company, Omni-D has announced passive tags that can be read at distances of 135′. Active tags can be read from much further.

Readers can be placed in sidewalks, street lamps, building entrances and other public locations to track where Joe and Jane Public are every minute of the day, who they associate with and what they do. Combine this with the ever increasing video surveillance and say “Hello, Big Brother!”

Livestock tracking program upsets some in Southwest Florida

The federal government embarked on the massive effort to locate every livestock animal in the country - from cattle to backyard geese to 4-H hogs - in 2002. … Although it’s voluntary and free, the program may become mandatory in the future, said Stephen Monroe, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Florida’s NAIS coordinator.

The second part would be identifying animals - whether with an ear tag, a microchip leg band or other label - and placing them into a federal database. That hasn’t happened yet, and may not, depending on funding and the public’s reaction, said Vermont farmer Walter Jeffries, who heads up NONAIS, a group that opposes the program.

“They’ve gone back and forth on if it will be mandatory, voluntary or abandoned,” Jeffries wrote in an e-mail. “Congress cut their funding for NAIS to the bone (and) at this point things are quiet. We’ll see what happens.”

Although Jeffries and others in some parts of the country are up in arms about the program, in Lee County, no one has kicked up too much of a fuss.

“We’ve had some angry folks in some places,” said Monroe, “people who’ve accused us of being Big Brother or working for the tax man, but it’s not true.”

At a listening session in Austin, Texas, one of 14 held throughout the country, some attendees - mostly farmers - accused the government of lying, conspiring with corporations and wasting money (transcripts are at animalid.aphis.usda.gov). [Actually, that’s a bit of under reporting there. Virtually all the attendees opposed NAIS. Notice bias. -WJ]

So far, 220 livestock owners in Lee County have registered, Monroe said. Statewide, the total’s about 7,800 - about 30 percent, he estimates. [When they do their tallies and percents they only include the larger livestock owners in order to look like the percent registration is high. Yet they say that everyone, even someone with one chicken, just register. That would increase the 7,800 to probably 10 to 30 times that decreasing the percent registration to more like 1%. This is a standard ply that the USDA and states have been using to falsify registrations and claim support for NAIS where there is little. -WJ]

One of those who hasn’t heard of it or signed up is John Domanski of Buckingham, who raises a few dozen chickens, ducks and geese.

“I just don’t do that much business,” Domanski said, “and most of what I sell goes from here to the cook pot. It seems like it would be a big paperwork burden and the time you’d have to spend would make it prohibitive.”

The program is designed to “protect the health of U.S. livestock and poultry and the economic well-being of those industries … to quickly and effectively trace an animal disease to its source,” according to its Web site. Florida’s borders are very porous, with animals and people coming in and out by the millions, Monroe said - some potentially infected with deadly illness. [FUD - Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt. Government uses this tactic when reason fails and they want to force sheeple up the chute. -WJ]

“We’re one sandwich away from a disaster like foot-and-mouth (a contagious disease of hoofed animals),” Monroe said. “Say someone comes from Europe with an infected ham sandwich, but when they take it out in Lee County, it smells funny so they toss it out the window. Feral pigs come along, eat it and then they spread the disease to horses, cows, goats and all of a sudden, we’re behind the 8-ball.”
-NewsPress

Hat tip to Sharon.

Promoted from comments of Ann:

Indiana’s Tactics - NASS Mailings

These are six of the tactics listed in the Indiana power point presentation:

“Printed materials, website
Local meetings
Trade shows
Ag partners
Media outreach
NASS mailing”

The following is from the USDA Website regarding the use and safeguarding of NASS data. (I added the bold to emphasize USDA statements).

USDA Website

“Q. I received a survey in the mail from the National Agricultural Statistics Service. It appears to be about NAIS. What is this?

A. Every five years, the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) conducts a Census of Agriculture. In order to prepare a complete and accurate mailing list for the Census, NASS mails the “National Agricultural Identification Survey” (NAIS) to possible farming and ranching operations in the United States. This survey helps ensure that these operations receive a Census form in the mail at the end of the year. 2007 is a Census year.
This survey has nothing to do with the National Animal Identification System.”

“Q. Is this survey part of or related to the National Animal Identification System?

A. No. Again, there is no relationship between the two programs.

Will NASS share the results of its survey with APHIS, or forward information to the National Animal Identification System’s databases?

A. No. The information collected by the NASS survey and census is safeguarded by multiple measures to protect confidentiality. Only specific NASS employees have access to survey data.

Federal law requires your knowledge and consent for NASS to release any data about you or your operation.”

[Thank you, Ann for finding this. I remembered this but couldn’t lay my hands on it. We need to contact the USDA to find out their stance on Indiana’s use of the NASS for NAIS. I would suggest people contact their state representatives in congress and Secretary Vilsack regarding this. Since this is an abuse of government data it is also appropriate to contact your local media - they may be interested in the story. -WJ]

The USDA does get it right at times. Secretary Tom Vilsack just chewed out the press for their lazy attitude and inaccurate wording of the current pandemic scare:

“Swine influenza has been present in the United States for over 80 years, but the 2009 pandemic H1N1 influenza virus now circulating among humans is not the same as “swine flu.” The 2009 pandemic H1N1 influenza currently circulating among humans is a “novel” flu strain, with a genetic makeup that is unique and has not been seen before in humans, birds or pigs.

To date there have been no reports that this 2009 pandemic H1N1 influenza is circulating anywhere in the U.S. swine herd. And if it were, you cannot get infected with the 2009 pandemic H1N1 influenza virus from eating pork or pork products.

A number of our nation’s trading partners have banned live pigs, pork or pork products since the outbreak among humans began. We will continue to urge countries to base any bans on scientific evidence and in accordance with their international obligations. Three major international health organizations — the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization, and the World Health Organization — have all issued statements that 2009 pandemic H1N1 influenza is not transmitted by eating meat.”
-Vilsack Sicking Media

He’s right. This is human flu, transmitted from human-to-human, incubated and mutated in humans. Humans do occasionally spread this disease to other species (turkeys, dogs, cats & pigs) but it is really a human disease.

Of course, as always, that is painting with a broad brush. There are some people in the media, and elsewhere, who are very careful to use the proper name for the latest influenza strain. It is unfortunate that a few offenders spoil the BBQ.

Promoted from comments of esbee:

NAIS: When Did We Become the “Thief in the Night”?
by Dr jennifer Greiner dvm

Go take a look at this, with your violins playing “my heart bleats for you”!!!

It is a “where did we go wrong?” expose on NAIS and how to make it where we accept it…they still do not get it.

i would put a url but you have to take the title and google it because it is a power point presentation. I love the part where it says one of the new tenets should be “do not promise anything!”

[Here is a link to the PowerPoint presentation. Everyone should click through and view the powerpoint presentation to see into the mind of the people trying to force NAIS down our throats. If you can not view PowerPoint documents then go to this link to see the text of the document as translated by Google. -WJ]

This past week I had the dubious pleasure of speaking on a panel at the National Institute of Animal Agriculture ID Expo (the NGO pusher of NAIS) in Kansas City, Missouri, as the small producers representative on “Opportunities for Animal Identification.” How this occurred is a story in itself, but most important is to let everyone know what modus operandi will be used to bring NAIS to us.

Having been to two other NIAA ID Expos, the most glaring change was the attendance being way down. As a staunch opponent of NAIS and one who has been working full time to stop it for years now, this was a very pleasing sign.

They allowed me to speak on the condition that I not speak about NAIS, as they told me this was not what the conference nor the panel was about. This was at 1:25 and the panel started at 1:30 so at the last minute I had to edit what I planned to say. When I introduced myself, I explained that I was a major opponent of NAIS and Victor Valez had asked me to not speak about it and I promised him that I would be nice.

With the help of the question and answer segment of the panel discussion, I was able to say nearly all that I’d planned. Since I spoke as the representative of small producers engaged in direct sales, I stayed within that niche. I differentiated the philosophies and operations of small growers from those of industrialized ag, and drew the distinction between agribusiness and agriculture, explaining that we are not interested in the corporate agribusiness model. We have considered it and find it destructive to the well being of life overall.

Critically important to relate is that NAIS is dead…but not really. As in any good horror movie, the monster has super-psycho strength and just when it seems to be defeated, it rises up and attacks again. Remember, NAIS began as the National Food Animal Identification Plan, then became the United States Animal Identification Plan, and finally the National Animal Identification System. It will almost certainly not continue to be called NAIS, but instead dubbed ‘animal identification’, be all about ‘food safety’, ’social responsibility’ and ‘farm to fork’ initiatives. The hammers for enforcement will be big ones and constrain the ability to market and sell one’s products, and, should they get their way, attached to indemnity payments, subsidies, conservation programs and access to movement certificates, or health papers.

In other words, “market forces” will force compliance on those who wish to stay out of this onerous system. There will still be ‘premise id’, but it may be changed to ‘unique location identifier.’ There will still be electronic and group ID consisting of 15-character numbers, but it won’t be to ‘NAIS’ standards, (ahem), and there will still be tracking, but it will be referenced as the ‘historical pedigree’ or some similar nonsense. It won’t be called NAIS anymore, but it will be NAIS by a different name. Be prepared for a chorus from the disinformationalists proclaiming the death of the dreaded NAIS. A little twist on what Mark Twain said is appropriate, “Rumors of NAIS’ death have been greatly exaggerated”.

Those who wish to keep NAIS at bay must realize that all of the food safety bills in Congress, and particularly, HR 2749 which passed the House by an overwhelming margin, will codify ‘international standards’ under obligations to ‘international agreements’, and that means NAIS for everything. It will do nothing to improve food safety and everything to put the kaibosh on the fastest growing segment of agriculture, the local food movement. We must assail the Senate and the House with the message that real food safety lies in decentralized, unconsolidated and diverse food production and distribution.

As I told the attendees of the NIAA ID Expo, “There are two kinds of people, those who want to be left alone and those who won’t leave them alone. Small producers and their customers definitely want to be left alone”.

©Doreen Hannes

Another pot shot at NAIS:

Wyoming Livestock Board members, meeting in Cheyenne Aug. 21, voted to abandon their agreement to work with the U.S. Department of Agriculture in implementing its National Animal Identification System (NAIS).

According to agency director Jim Schwartz, the agreement amounted to $140,000 in grant money. Schwartz says the split decision by the board resulted in the agency’s lost ability to utilize those funds in developing what some had hoped would be a state-level program. “I had signed the contract,” says Schwartz, “but hadn’t spent anything.” It’s now a matter of sending the money back. Asked if other states are taking similar measures, he says most see this year’s disbursement as the last they’ll be offered and aren’t refusing the funds. Congress, citing expenditures surpassing adequate progress, is amidst debates on the future of NAIS funding. If funding continues, it will likely be at a much-reduced rate.

Gillette rancher and veterinarian Eric Barlow brought the resolution to reject the NAIS agreement. “After reviewing the work document which outlined what we would do with the money,” says Barlow, “it did not appear to me to be building on a national program or being used to establish or fortify any program the WLSB has implemented.”
-WYLR

Three cheers for Wyoming. Lets see other states hand back those bribes. If Big Ag wants trace-back, let them implement it at their own cost on a truly voluntary basis. If consumers want safer food then they should buy meat, vegetables, fruits and grains from their small local farmers.

A FOOD CHAIN RADIO RELEASE FROM METROFARM.COM

Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not out to get you! And so we pause to ask….

Who is behind the National Animal Identification System?

This Saturday at 9am Pacific, Michael Olson’s Food Chain Radio hosts Jay Platt, Region Director of R-CALF USA and Sharon Zecchinelli, author of First They Came for the Cows, for a conversation about NAIS.

Topics include who wants the government to register and track every farm animal in the US; how the National Animal Registration System would operate; and who wins and who loses under this system.

Listen on your radio, computer or IPOD: Food Chain Radio

Use the comments of this post during this month if you have things you would like to bring to people’s attention and are not sure where else to post them. I’ll make a new Bulletin Board each month for free posting.

Have at it, communicate and keep up the good fight!

Cheers,

-WalterJ

Jolly over on the CattleNetwork has a post about the recent NIAA conference. In it he says:

With government reps and software/hardware companies patrolling the hallways of the Westin Crown Center, the most important player in this saga was Rob Cannell, director of McDonald’s beef and pork supply chain. As possibly the biggest buyer of red meat in North America, Cannell probably wields a heftier stick that even Tom Vilsack.

“We devote considerable resources to identifying and responding to what consumers want, and what they want is influenced by what they hear and read, and they are “bombarded with information” from radio, television and social media,” he said.
:
Cannell said that capability is important because “consumers want a lot — value, variety, healthful food, good-tasting food, animal welfare, environmental sustainability. They ask a lot of questions about local, natural, organic, hormones, herbicides, pesticides, etc.”
:
Bottom line: If the government demands something of the food supply chain, heels will be dragged and moaning and groaning will be heard throughout the land. If McDonald’s asks, it will be done.
-CattleNetwork

McDonalds demonstrates exactly why NAIS is unnecessary. The vast majority, virtually all, small farmers do NOT sell to McDonalds, international or to any other large reseller. We sell directly to consumers or through local stores and restaurants.

We don’t need NAIS for trace back - we already have it since we like most small farmers breed, raise and directly sell our livestock. The USDA itself has said that NAIS is not about food safety.

If McDonalds wants it so badly, let them pay for it. If they start offering a premium to their suppliers then they would get trace-back for their meat. On the other hand if everybody is forced into mandatory NAIS then there will be no premiums, no benefits to farmers.

NAIS is just another subsidy for Big Ag and Big Corp. If they want “Locate in 48″, trace-back and all that let them create their own voluntary, private industrial program which they pay for out of their pockets. NAIS should not be government run or funded nor should it be mandatory.

The National Institute for Animal Agriculture (NIAA) is at it again, defending the interests of Big Ag and trampling over our constitutional rights while making a concerted effort to ignore the vast majority of farmers, over 92% of whom oppose the USDA’s proposed National Animal Identification System (NAIS).

Is it any wonder that the letters of their name can be rearranged to spell “Agent of Evil”? Just kidding there… But sometimes you have to wonder when they say things like this:

With the air thick with myths, speculations and facts regarding a U.S. national animal identification program, the ID INFO EXPO 2009, Aug. 25-27, Kansas City, Mo., provides the ideal platform to have an in depth discussion. Sponsored by the National Institute for Animal Agriculture, the ID INFO EXPO’s opening general session will feature candid speakers from federal and state governments, agriculture and the food industry. Following that will be three sessions devoted to obstacles, opportunities and next steps.
:
The eight speakers confirmed for the opening session include John Clifford, chief veterinary medical officer, USDA; Douglas Meckes and Tom McGinn, U.S. Department of Homeland Security; Gene Hugoson, Minnesota Department of Agriculture; William Hartmann, Minnesota Board of Animal Health; David Acheson, Leavitt Partners; Paul Clayton, U.S. Meat Export Federation; and Rob Cannell, McDonald’s Corporation. “We’re getting some very high-profile individuals in one room at the same time, and it will be interesting to hear their points of view about a topic that is astir in animal agriculture,” Fischer adds.

[High profile people… so this makes them feel justified with violating our Constitution and Bill of Rights, with ignoring the opposition from almost all farmers as well as homesteaders and other small livestock owners? -WJ]

:
Wednesday’s speakers will look at cost to producers, technology challenges and producer concerns with confidentiality of information, as well as the economics and market access opportunities associated with ID. Additional Wednesday topics include how incentives can be a part of participation in animal ID programs, using premises ID in animal-health management and producer challenges and opportunities.

[Translation: how to coherce and trick small farmers into a program the have spent years telling the government they virtually universally oppose, a program that is only for the benefit of big producers, especially those who export. -WJ]

Thursday will focus on producer and consumer benefits related to a functional identification system. Five speakers will address producer and consumer benefits from a functional identification system that will meet the needs of animal-health officials and traceability requirements of management and marketing systems. Speakers include Guy Blissett with IBM Corporation; Ryan Meyer, Creekstone Farms Premium Beef; and Kevin Bost, Procurement Strategies.

[IBM… didn’t they help Hitler… I guess the NIAA knows where to turn when they need help implementing fascism. Use the services of experienced pros. -WJ]

“At the conclusion of the conference, our goal is to have listened and learned so we in animal agriculture can identify solutions that will help advance a system that is animal health driven, moves toward 48-hour traceability and helps preserve the profitability of our animal agriculture industry,” Fischer states.

[Note how they want to move us forward to preserve their profitability. That is what this is all about folks. Note also that they do not consider the issues of Constitutionality or freedoms to be worthy of mentioning or addressing. -WJ]

:
Complete conference information and online registration is available at animalagriculture.org or individuals can call NIAA at (719) 538-8843.
-NIAA - the folks that brought you NAIS

Flies on the wall. Well, we know what those hallowed halls are splattered with.

Doreen Hannes has a very important new article on NewsWithViews. It’s long but take the time to read it. One important excerpt:

In the OIE’s “Guide to Good Farming Practices” the management of a livestock facility are clearly spelled out. Some of these recommendations that would become defacto law in the US under agency rule-making on passage of HR2749 (GGFP delineates international guidelines for food safety at the farm level) are:

- For each animal…Require and keep all commercial and health documents enabling their exact itinerary to be traced from their farm or establishment to their final destination…
[NAIS in a nutshell. -WJ]

- Keep a record of all persons entering the farm…..
[Impossible. We are already unable to deal with all the tresspassers on foot, ATVs, snowmobiles, trucks and dirt bikes. It is impossible to stop them (and I do try) never mind track the trespassers. Those who I have caught are often insolent and refuse to give me their names. Cameras do work. What does the government expect us to do? Hire armed guards and put up razor wire? -WJ]

- Keep medical certificates of persons working with the animals……
[Huh?!? That’s confidential information that nobody should be able to demand of said persons. Other laws prevent employers from access to this information. Conflicting laws just to make sure we can’t meet the requirements? -WJ]

- Keep documents proving the water you give to the animals meets specific criteria
[Many farms use natural springs, wells and rain water. This would mean constant sampling and testing. Impossible to achieve and economical ruin for small farms. -WJ]

- Keep samples of all feed given to the animals
[Impossible to accomplish. Samples of all pastures each season? Every batch of whey we get? Every batch of any feed? How many samples do they want of the insects eaten by free ranging pastured chickens? How much storage space and time is this absurdity going to take? -WJ]

- Keep all documents from official inspections

- Keep records of treatment and procedures on all animals (castration, disbudding, calving, medications, etc.)
[More paperwork and wasted file cabinet space. -WJ]

- Prevent domestic animals (cats and dogs) from roaming in and around livestock buildings
[So no more livestock guardian dogs. This will make small scale farming impossible due to the predators killing off our livestock. Perhaps this is the government’s intention. -WJ]

- Place all these documents at the disposal of the competent authority (Veterinary Services) when it conducts farm visits.
[Warrant-less searches. One of the prime problems with NAIS rears its ugly head again. -WJ]
-Doreen Hannes NewsWithViews.com

There is a lot more that is bad about HR 2749. It is disgusting that our political leaders used trickery to pass this on a second cheating vote.

Contact your Senators to fight the next step of passage of HR 2749.

This all too clearly shows the piss poor attitude of our nation’s bureaucrats. Fascism is alive and well in America:

“It is time to stop listening to the many nay-sayers and NO-NAIS activists who either ignored or refused the opportunity to participate in the development of NAIS.”
Bob Hillman, DVM
Executive Director Texas Animal Health Commission
NAIS comment #APHIS-2009-0027-0589 on page 63

Hat tip to ThePhantom

The Senator from Wisconsin [Mr. Kohl], for Mr. Tester, for himself, Mr. Enzi, and Mrs. McCaskill, proposes an amendment numbered 2230 to amendment No. 1908.

Mr. KOHL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the reading of the amendment be dispensed with.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

The amendment is as follows:

(Purpose: To clarify a provision relating to funding for a National Animal Identification Program)
On page 17, beginning on line 17, strike “$14,607,000′’ and all that follows through “program'’ on line 18 and insert the following: “$7,300,000 shall be for a National Animal Identification program and may only be used for ongoing activities and purposes (as of the date of enactment of this Act) relating to proposed rulemaking for that program under subchapter II of chapter 5, and
-Thomas.loc.gov

We shape and reduce entire mountains of granite by chipping away at them little by little. Bad government and regulations can be similarly removed. Persist. Take just 15 minutes a day to make your difference.

Now that the FDA is getting its claws into farms they want to ban livestock and wildlife from land where crops are grown as per these documents [1, 2, 3]. I had read that the government was pushing for sterile, burnt earth farming and kill zones but it is amazing to actually see them put it in writing.

Sample quote:
Training harvest employees to recognize and report for appropriate action any evidence of wildlife activity
-FDA Guidance for Leafy Greens

Their guidelines are impossible to meet in a non-industrial agricultural setting. This eliminates all organic farms, certified naturally grown and gardening. It is not clear if the government’s goal is to kill off small farms or wildlife, or perhaps they intend to do both from their air conditioned urban offices.

“Farming looks mighty easy when your plow is a pencil and you’re a thousand miles from the cornfield.” -Dwight D. Eisenhower

Over on the Ethicurean.com blog there’s mention of an article in the San Francisco Chronical of new version of NAIS for plants. Oh, Joy. Just what we need, tracking of every carrot, apple and raisin.

The solution isn’t more complexity. It’s simplicity. Buy locally from small farmers near you. Then you know where your food comes from, who grows it and where to ask any questions.

We all love GMO foods.
We all love being guinea pigs.
sNot.

Read this.