Tell USDA What You Think About NAIS!USDA has announced the locations for seven "listening sessions" about the National Animal Identification System (NAIS). The NAIS would impose severe hardships on small farmers, and impact anyone who owns even one livestock or poultry animal, even those raising animals for their own food or as pets. While benefiting Big Ag's export market, NAIS could cripple small farmers providing grass-fed meats, eggs, and dairy to local consumers.
Key Congressional leaders have called for a mandatory NAIS, and Secretary Vilsack has indicated that he plans to push forward with some sort of program soon. It's going to take a lot of people speaking up loud and clear to keep a mandatory NAIS from being imposed on every livestock owner in America! These listening sessions are a critical opportunity to get media attention on NAIS and demonstrate the level of opposition to the program.
Please come to these meetings! You can have an impact simply by being there and showing that a lot of people are opposed to NAIS!
For more information about NAIS, go to www.farmandranchfreedom.org
Take Action - #1 Attend to the Meeting!Austin, Texas
Wednesday, May 20
Embassy Suites Hotel Austin Central, 5901 N IH-35
The meetings will take place from 9 am to 4 pm. Registration is from 8 am -9 am.
1) If you want to speak, plan a short statement (3-5 minutes). We will send sample talking points in our next alert.
2) You can also bring written comments. It's best to bring two copies - one to hand to the USDA staff and one to keep so that you have a record of what you submitted.
3) The USDA coordinator has stated that the afternoon will consist of "facilitated sessions," where the attendees will be divided into groups to develop solutions. Be prepared to politely disagree with the facilitator. If they claim that a "consensus" has been reached with an answer that you don't agree with, say so!
Registration
If you want to speak in the morning or participate in the afternoon sessions, you must register.
Pre-registration:
1) Online: Send an email to NAISSessions@aphis.usda.gov In the subject line of the e-mail, indicate your name (or organization name) and the location of the meeting you plan to attend. If you wish to present public comments, please include your name (or organization name) and address in the body of the message.
2) By Phone: call 301-734-0799
On-site registration: From 8 am - 9am on the day of the meeting
You can also check USDA's website for more information: http://www.usda.gov/nais/feedback
Take Action #2 - Submit written comments online
You can also submit comments online at:
http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=DocketDetail&d=APHIS-2009-0027
Although the USDA did not specify a deadline in its notice, a USDA official has stated that the deadline is Monday, June 1.
We will provide sample comments in our next alert. If you want to comment before then, you can get ideas from the sample comments we provided in an earlier action alert: http://farmandranchfreedom.org/content/action-02-02-09
Please Support Judith and her work for our liberty!If you are not yet a member, please consider joining at http://farmandranchfreedom.org/content/join-farfa
Judith needs your financial support. And, just as importantly, the strength of our voice depends on our membership! We are frequently asked, by both legislators and staffers, how many members we have. The more members, the more they will listen. Please help us be a strong voice. Congress held another hearing about NAIS this afternoon. Stay tuned for our response!
Working together, we can make our voices heard.
Judith McGeary
Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance
http://farmandranchfreedom.org/content
Phone: 512-243-9404
Toll-free: 866-687-6452
