Letter to the Editor
Animal ID program should be supported with funding
Dear Editor,
Thank you for your recent article regarding the National Animal Identification System (When pigs fly, Aug. 6, 2007). You are right in pointing out that the program aims to track farm animals. Unfortunately it does not stop diseases; it was designed to help track them, but both houses of our federal congress are severely cutting funding to the program because it has floundered and no longer seems capable of meeting the 48-hour trace-back goal.
In point of clarification I would state that the program is not new. It has been around for some time under various names. The recent funding as approved by the House Appropriations bill last week includes $1.98 million for nationwide work hired out to the Wisconsin Livestock Identification Consortium, $594,000 for the Farm Animal Identification and Records program, $297,000 for a new database, but no new funding for the overriding program of NAIS. This cut is for reasons found in both the committee reports in the House and Senate. The House report states: "In addition, it is not clear if the program's original goal of 48-hour trace-back is still part of the plan...The Committee requests a complete and detailed strategic plan for the program, including tangible outcomes, measurable goals, specific milestones, and necessary resources for the entire program. Until the Committee receives this plan, the Committee has no justification to continue funding for this program and therefore, the Committee recommendation includes no new funding."
The Senate Committee on Agriculture requested a Government Accountability Office report on the flaws of the program some time ago, and it was just released last week. Many are calling on Chairman Tom Harkin (Iowa) and Ranking Member Saxby Chamblis to hold an oversight hearing on the issue, stating that the programs that we already have in place would be adequate if a few corrections were made. Capitalizing on the current system would save our tax dollars, build a strong food supply safety system, and it would keep our local farmers in operation.
Sincerely,
Peter Green
Volunteer with the Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance, Washington, D.C. (formerly of Ashfield, Mass.)
WBJ Web Partners
Most Recent
Most Recent
0 Comments