If you live in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area, you know about Howard Garrett the "Dirt Doctor" and his show The Natural Way which covers organic gardening and tips on how to avoid using chemicals for everyday uses.
His show is on WBAP 820, a big airwave that carries Rush and Hannity during the week. He is covering the NAIS on his show this morning.
The NAIS or National Animal Identification System is old news to Kossacks. But having an on air personality like Garrett take on the issue on this station is great. Listening this morning I heard a few callers freaking about the control the government is taking. Here in Texas a lot of people who own land will have five or ten cattle just to qualify as a farm and lower tax rate. When Garrett explained that they would have to register and then pay fees if they wanted to ride their horse or take it to rodeo, he did a good job of pointing out the government intrusion; and that horses don't normally get mad cow disease (the reasoning put forward for the legislation). He stated that Senator Cornyn is for this legislation and Garrett is urging people to write and fax. His website takes on the issue and has this letter:
Howard's Letter
RE: NAIS (National Animal Identification System)
The NAIS program should be cancelled. It is an insane invasion of private property and will do nothing to protect anyone from anything.
Just a few of my objections are as follows:
- NAIS is a new form of taxation we don't need.
- Its rules are a gross invasion of personal property and freedom
- Tracking animals that are not in the food chain such as horses, llamas, is a complete waste of time and money.
- NAIS will have no effect on preventing illnesses mad cow disease.
- It will hurt the consumers who deal with small farmers
- NAIS will put small farmers out of business.
- Giant producers like the idea - that's reason enough to abandon the program.
For more information about this bureaucratic boondoggle, check out the information we have at DirtDoctor.com.
Sincerely,
Howard Garrett