When pigs fly
Small farmers protest IDs for animals
With the support of several major farming industry groups, the federal government is rolling out a new system that aims to track farm animals and stop dangerous diseases. But some small farmers in Central Massachusetts say it puts excessive burdens on them and won't be effective anyway.
The National Animal Identification System, now in an early stage of implementation, is designed to track livestock across the country, keeping tabs on the movements of each cow, sheep and chicken. Once NAIS is fully implemented, officials say, it will be possible to figure out where an animal has been and what other livestock it has interacted with in the first 48 hours after it turns up with something like mad cow disease.
Herding cats
The idea appeals to many at large farms as a way to boost confidence in American meat in international markets, according to Brad Mitchell, the director of biosecurity and regulatory services for the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources. But he said small farms have been less receptive. And that is significant in Massachusetts, where, according to MDAR statistics, more than 93 percent of farms have total sales of less than $250,000, making them "small" by the federal definition.
"Their whole setup is not designed for tracking a whole herd through various stages of production," he said.
Another concern raised by both small and large producers is the cost of the program. Mitchell said the federal government has not yet developed specific guidelines on what sort of "tags" will be acceptable for various animals. He said options could include leg bands, ear tags, tattoos and microchips.
"A $300 microchip reader for two cows won't work," he said.
Political pork
Another central question many farmers have about the program is whether they can be forced to participate. Mitchell said the USDA originally announced NAIS as a mandatory program, but after many farmers complained, the agency decided to make it voluntary. He said it is entirely possible that at least portions of the program may still become mandatory.
"If I were to guess, I can't imagine that the cattle section will remain voluntary forever," he said.
Kittredge said he and other small farmers worry that once a majority of farms are in the system the federal government will require everyone else to sign up too. He also said some farmers see federal money being offered to states as a push to make the program mandatory at the state level.
So far in Massachusetts, federal money is only going to expand existing state data collection systems that record the locations where livestock are raised and how many animals are there without tracking individual animals. Barring an emergency, Mitchell said, farmers can keep their data from being entered into the nationwide system.
Still, some state legislators, prompted by constituents in farming communities, are pushing a plan to keep Massachusetts out of NAIS entirely. Rep. Anne Gobi, D-Spencer, is a leading sponsor of a bill that would prevent the state from accepting federal funds for the program. So far, she said, that funding amounts to less than $100,000.
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