Concerns National Animal Identification System

1 concerns

1.1 financial costs
1.2 civil rights concerns
1.3 religious concerns

concerns

some of concerns nais include financial, civil rights, , religious aspects of program.

financial costs

financially, system vast nais extremely costly. additionally, there concern costs of complying program drive small farmers out of business, due cost associated registering each animal. small farmers , families sell off parts of herds or flocks every year have register , pay registration fee every head of livestock or poultry, while corporate farms large herds or flocks move through production chain group, have pay fee equivalent of owning 1 animal.

in scenario of costs of expensive tracking system fall on small farms , families, allowing corporate farms increased profits , lower costs. according usda s nais user guide (p27), cost of various animal identification devices ranges little $1 as $20. example, indicated in guide, rfid ear tag costs $2 $3, while implantable transponders can cost $20, plus associated veterinarian costs. consider family chicken farmer, have place $1 visual tag on each chicken, while corporate farmer have tag 1 chicken in each flock, giving corporate farmer $1 cost savings per chicken, on family farmer. disparity further tip scales in favor of corporate farms , give them greater ability out-compete smaller farms, hastening demise of small family farm.

the costs of becoming nais compliant u.s. beef producer found minimum of $2.08 head large producers , as $17.56 head smaller operations, estimated average cost cow/calf producers of $6.26 per animal, according research christopher raphael crosby of kansas state university s department of agricultural economics published in 2008. spreadsheet developed kansas state university agricultural economist kevin c. dhuyvetter , beef specialist dale blasi calculate costs of rfid-based animal identification system, published in july 2005, puts costs @ $7.21 per head herd of 250 cattle, based on variables including cost of tags , hardware such readers , computers. unfortunately deceiving since average livestock herd 15 animals raising cost per animal on $50. produces large bias of benefit towards big producers , harms small local farms bear undue burden program gives them little no benefit.

civil rights concerns

there civil rights concerns, because nais establishes extensive government control on livestock, considered private property. there concerns big agribusiness companies use system blame mistakes in processing introduces contamination food supply on small farmers, putting them out of business.

in wisconsin, first state make nais mandatory allowing premises id become law in january 2006, there ability allow exemptions of small farms. however, has been denied department of agriculture, trade, , consumer protection (datcp) in rule making. wisconsin state statute 95.51 (3m)states department may promulgate exemptions based on size , type of farm, atcp rule no. 17 makes premises id mandatory , offers no exemptions. although datcp secretary rod nilsestuen says in may 1, 2007 press release premises id not animal id, not deny in september 2005 wrote house of representatives committee on agriculture, subcommittee on livestock , horticulture (serial number 109-16) , datcp support use of rfid technology in livestock species deemed effective , appropriate nais species working groups.

other concerns in wisconsin , other states (who contract wlic) system not maintained state government, instead relies upon wisconsin livestock identification consortium (wlic) maintain database of premises id registrants. continuing rfid tagging database well. wlic private interest group made of big agribusiness, including cargill, genetics/biotech corporations, abs global, , rfid tagging companies such digital angel, , many of these members parallel niaa membership. there in fact 6 rfid tags approved wlic/nais @ time: 2 manufactured allflex, 2 digital angel, 1 y-tex , 1 global animal management. 4 wlic members.

religious concerns

finally, fears persist plans make nais mandatory on federal level, threaten religious freedom of believe making “mark” sinful, such amish. amish object use of electronic devices such microchips. if microchip implants required, has been proposed in 2004 report united states animal health association’s committee on livestock identification, violate rights of believe practice morally wrong.