02/22/07 Bill prohibiting state ID gets a hearing

Washington Ag February 22, 2007 Legislation which would prevent the state of Washington, but not private industry, from participating in or establishing a livestock identification system, be it mandatory or voluntary, got a hearing in the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee Wednesday. Horse operator Renae Holiday of Chewelah summed up many of the arguments of supporters of House Bill 1151 in her testimony. Holiday: "I have had direct contact and lengthy discussions with non-commercial animal owners. Across the board animal owners have told me they will get rid of every animal on their property before they participate in the National Animal Identification System. They cite reasons such as the system being too invasive into their private affairs, not wanting to be monitored like a criminal, unconstitutional intrusion of their property rights. And finally that the system is too costly and time consuming." Representing a beef packer and a feedlot, Jim Jesernig called HB1151 a bad bill. Jay Gordon of the Washington State Dairy Federation also called it bad policy pointing back to the time it took to trace animals in the 2003 BSE case. Gordon: "So in this intent section where it says the current systems are adequate, I can tell you from personal experience the dairy industry did not find anything in that process adequate." I'm Bob Hoff.