Nice Pootie you got there. You need to fill out these papers. Or perhaps you'd like to call in, as this is being discussed right now, and possibly voted on today.
Premises registration: Every person who owns even one horse, cow, pig, chicken, sheep, goat, deer, elk, bison, or virtually any livestock animal, will be forced to register their home, including owner's name, address, and telephone number, and keyed to Global Positioning System coordinates, in a government database under a 7-digit "premises ID number."
Keep writing......
Animal Identification: Every animal will have to be assigned a 15-digit ID number by the government. The form of ID will most likely be a tag or microchip containing a Radio Frequency Identification Device (RFID), designed to be read from a distance. (Plan, p. 10; Standards, pp. 6, 12, 20, 27-28.) The plan may also include collecting the DNA of every animal and/or a retinal scan of every animal. (Plan, p.13.)
Hey, where's Pootie? Look under the couch.
Pootie looks a little peked. Better take him to the vet...
Oh wait Dear, we have to call USDA first.
Animal Tracking: The owner will be required to report: the birthdate of an animal, the application of every animal's ID tag, every time an animal leaves or enters the property, every time an animal loses a tag, every time a tag is replaced, the slaughter or death of an animal, or if any animal is missing. Also, every time an animal goes onto or off of another person's premises, a report would be required, showing that the tagged animal had been on each of these other premises. Such events must be reported within 24 hours. (Standards, pp. 12-13, 17-21.)
Otherwise, we could be putting our dear Dr.Vet at risk!
Third parties, such as veterinarians, will be required to report "sightings" of animals who do not have ID numbers. (Standards, p. 25.) In other words, if a farmer or rancher calls a vet to their property to treat an animal, and the vet finds any animal without the mandatory 15-digit computer-readable ID, the vet may be required to report that non-compliance.
Honey, it's just Pootie, our only child!
There are no exceptions; under the USDA plan; livestock owners will be forced to register and report even if they raise animals only for their own food or keep horses for draft or for transportation.
Dear, we HAVE to call...we cannot afford to be fined...
The USDA will exercise "enforcement" against livestock farmers who don't comply. (Standards, p. 7; Plan, p. 17.) As an example of what can be expected, the proposed Texas regulations for mandatory premises registration provide for fines of up to $1,000 per day and criminal penalties. All above blockquotes.
Sweetie, I am outraged! What can I do?
Follow the Money? Read all about it? Call my Humanoid Critter and say please support Ron Paul's amendment?
The amendment will be considered Thursday, May 18th, 2006 so there is still time to contact your US House Represenatives.. Capitol Switchboard: (202) 225-3121 And ask them to vote for the Paul amendment to HR 5384!
Choke the funding, before NAIS chokes Pootie!
Ok, ok, I know. Livestock. It's a trick to get people to read and call, ok?