09/25/06 NAIS called a federal power grab

Washington Ag September 25, 2006 The stated purpose of USDA's National Animal Identification System, or NAIS, is to be able to trace animals within 48 hours in the event of a disease outbreak. But the approximately 100 people attending the Cattle Producers of Washington annual meeting in Moses Lake last week, were told by a self taught expert on NAIS that animal disease control is not the primary purpose of the program, just a secondary one. The speaker was Bruno Schmidt of Hunters, Washington, who with his wife, has done over 1000 hours of research on NAIS. Here's Schmidt's conclusion of what NAIS is about. Schmidt: "Purpose of the system is ultimately is the federal registration and ascertaining the federal government control over private land and property." Schmidt, who has spoken in over 40 states, sees a grass roots movement forming against a national system. Schmidt: "Especially the small farmers and even more so the women farmers that are concerned about property rights, the rights to their land, their farming practices, their animals. They are beginning to question what is going on and educating themselves." Schmidt, who has a background in computer technology and is a consultant, has compiled his research on NAIS into a book called "Farmer's Field Guide to the NAIS. " Its can be purchased on the web at www.freetofarm.com I'm Bob Hoff.