Special Alert for Alaskans

Now is the time to see exactly what Gov. Palin represents, from Gisella at No NAIS:

Everyone needs to Copy this email to every legislator and ask for legislation against NAIS and then forward to Governor Palins office signing you name . http://www.gov.state.ak.us/govmail.php

I do want everyone to know that the equine community is against the NAIS as it is written in the 2008 cooperative agreement. Alaska can be the 5th state to push a No NAIS bill, but it will take everyone's push. Mr. Gatto is under the impression that many people are for NAIS not against. Not surprising as he works closely with the Farm Bureau and state USDA.

Then again send this information to our Senators in congress who we the people placed in office to work for US. They must be bombarded asking for No NAIS.

The full memo is a must read and from the USDA outlining mandatory NAIS: Please forward to anyone that you know who owns livestock.

http://www.libertyark.net/APHIS-PIN-Mandate-080922.pdf

Four states already have laws that forbid their state agencies from mandating NAIS: Arizona, Kentucky, Missouri and Nebraska. Below is a letter from Senator Karen Johnson, who sponsored the Arizona bill, to the Arizona Department of Agriculture, in response to the USDA’s memo. Ask your state legislator to take a stand like Senator Johnson!


MORE DETAILS

USDA has failed to follow any of the administrative procedures required to create enforceable regulations when it issued this new step in NAIS. So whether USDA can actually enforce it isn’t clear. On the other hand, USDA has created the entire NAIS program without regard to following the rules administrative agencies must follow, so it’s likely that the state agencies will automatically follow the USDA’s memo. Here are some excerpts from the memo:

USDA is requiring NAIS premises registration “as the sole and standard location identifier” for activities relating to any disease regulated through the Code of Federal Regulations, for emerging or re-emerging disease, and for foreign animal diseases (page 1, Section II & III.A.1)
People who refuse to voluntarily register their properties in NAIS will be registered against their will: “If the person responsible for the premises chooses not to complete the form to register his/her premises, either the animal health official or an accredited veterinarian will collect the defined data fields.” (page 2, Section III.B.2)
The memo applies to federal animal health authorities, state animal health authorities, and private veterinarians who are accredited for federally regulated diseases (page 1, Section I)

Any veterinarian who is accredited for a federally regulated disease is subject to the USDA’s edict to involuntarily register his or her clients: “A PIN is required for activities performed at a premises by a State or Federal animal health authority or an accredited veterinarian for any disease that is regulated through Title 9 of the Code of Federal Regulations.” (page 4)

The listed disease programs for which a PIN will be required include:
Tuberculosis
Brucellosis
Johne’s disease
Pseudorabies
Scrapie
Chronic Wasting Disease
Low pathogenic Avian Influenza of the H5/H7 strains
Communicable diseases in horses, asses, ponies, mules, and zebras, which would include equine Infectious Anemia
Texas (splenetic) fever in cattle
Scabies in cattle
Exotic Newcastle disease and chlamydiosis
Poultry health as addressed in the National Poultry Improvement Plan
Swine Health

The activities that will result in being registered in NAIS include:
Vaccinations
Diagnostic tests
Certifications (other than certificates of veterinary inspection)
Application of official eartags or backtags (page 5)

USDA states that PIN’s are not required for “participation in voluntary programs,” but does not explain which those would be (p.6)

The full memo is posted at: http://www.libertyark.net/APHIS-PIN-Mandate-080922.pdf


SENATOR JOHNSON’S LETTER:

KAREN JOHNSON
DISTRICT 18


State Senator

FortyEightth Legislature


1700 West Washington

Phoenix, Arizona 85007-2890


PHONE (602) 926-3160


TOLL FREE 1-800-352-8404


FAX (602) 926-3429


E-MAIL kjohnson@azleg.state.az.us

COMMITTEES:
Education Chairman
Appropriations
Judiciary
Natural Resources

October 31, 2008


Mr. Donald Butler, Director

Arizona State Dept. of Agriculture

1688 West Adams Street

Phoenix, Arizona 85007

Dear Director Butler:

During the 2007 legislative session, I sponsored a bill (SB1428) that prohibits forced participation in the National Animal ID System (NAIS) in Arizona. Governor Napolitano signed that bill and it has been the law now for more than a year. (See ARS 3-1207 and ARS 3-1214).


I recently received a copy of a Memorandum (attached) issued by the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture which indicates that veterinarians who visit a property are to “collect the defined data fields” in order to assign a PIN, “as defined in the National Animal Identification System Program Standards.” This pin is to be the location identifier for all Veterinary Services disease program activities and – according to the memo – must

be assigned, with or without the consent of the property owner.

I’m sending a letter to Attorney General Terry Goddard asking him to intervene with the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture in this matter. I expect the law to be enforced in the spirit intended when it was drafted.


I would like to know how you intend to deal with this, since we have a law in place that prohibits forced participation in NAIS? I should tell you that I have been contacted by various Arizona residents telling me that they are being forced into premise registration, especially the cattlemen. I am calling on you to do everything in your power to see that this law is respected and that animal owners in Arizona are not compelled to “register” their property in a government data base. Please advise me on how you plan to handle this.

I look forward to hearing from you in a timely manner.

Best regards,

Senator Karen S. Johnson

cc: Attorney General Terry Goddard

Attachments

KSJ:kw

I have already sent my letter to Mrs. Palin, and under topic I used Legal and Lawsuit I suggest that all representatives be sent this with your signature and demand that your rights be protected by legislation Against the National Animal Identification like Rep Johnson did for Arizona.

In my letter to Mrs. Palin I included some responses from our representatives that I have received especially the lack of knowledge on the the subject matter.

cc: Don Young

Stevens or ?

Lisa Murkowski

Gisela
www.naisinfocentral.net