A person’s name is associated with a social security number in a government database. That social security number is also associated with personal information such as physical addresses. Both social security numbers and addresses are in government databases for numerous purposes. With the National Animal Identification System (NAIS) being the new ray in the light of Agriculture, livestock may soon have their own forms of social security numbers and addresses. The NAIS, though strictly voluntary at the present time, will affect all aspects o the livestock industry. Of those affected education programs like the 4-H and FFA along with family farms and ranches will be affected the most, followed by the consumers and the nation’s international commerce.
The Meat and Poultry Products Traceability Act of 2003, S1202 bill, was introduced into Senate on June 5, 2003, during the 108th session, to assist in increasing the traceability of a disease outbreak within our nation’s food supply. This bill would assist in “Cattle, sheep, swine, goats, horses, mules, and other equines presented for slaughter for human food purposes,… the meat and meat food products of those animals, shipped in interstate commerce shall be identified in a manner that enables the Secretary [of Agriculture] to trace each animal to any premises or other location at which the animal(s) were held at any time before slaughter; and each carcass and meat food product of such animals forward from slaughter through processing and distribution to the ultimate consumer” (S. 1202 [108th]: Meat and Poultry Products Traceability and Safety Act of 2003) This would help the government track disease outbreaks to any location that an animal had inhabited for any amount of time during any production phase. This bill was preceded by House Resolution 1254; National Farm Animal Identification and Records Act that was introduced by Representative Collin Peterson [D-MN] on March 10, 2005 that would “direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish an electronic nationwide livestock identification system to enhance the Department of Agriculture's response to outbreaks of livestock disease requiring a forty-eight hour traceable system” (H.R. 1254--109th Congress (2005): National Farm Animal Identification and Records Act).
In the past five years both the Meat and Poultry Products Traceability Act of 2003 and the National Farm Animal Identification and Records Act have been amended numerous times and have triggered the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to enter into a NAIS. The NAIS has three levels, Premises Identification/Registration, Animal Identification and Animal Tracing (FAQ Answers). A premise is defined as "a location where livestock and/or poultry are raised, held or boarded including [but not limited to] farms, ranches, markets, exhibitions, and slaughtering facilities" (FAQ Answers). To obtain a Premises Identification Number a producer would have to provide the State NAIS Administration Authorities with the name of the entity, appropriate contact person, complete address, operation type and alternative phone contact numbers. Animal Identification is the second component of the NAIS. An animal identification number is assigned to individual animal, or group of animals (that travel together) that will stay with the animal(s) for their whole life (FAQ Answers). The final component of NAIS is Animal Tracing. Animal Tracing provides producers with a tracking database where they can report animal movements from premises to premises. This allows producers and government officials to track the source of an outbreak and any animals who have come in contact with the contaminated animal(s) (FAQ Answers). At the present time all levels of the NAIS are strictly on a voluntary basis and it is the hopes of the USDA to have 60% of livestock producers voluntarily registered their premises.
Components of the livestock industry, like the NAIS, are taught to members of the 4-H and FFA through livestock projects and Supervised Agriculture Experience Program. The purpose of the 4-H and FFA programs are very similar; the 4-H is designed to develop life skills such as positive self-concept, making contributions, being successful, confidence, caring and compassion (About 4-H), while the FFA is designed to use agriculture education to create real-world success by making a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success (National FFA Organization). The livestock projects and Supervised Agriculture Experience Programs take those a step further by teaching responsibility, money management, time management, record keeping and industry trends.
With industry trends that seem to be a huge part of these projects, some states are requiring 4-H and FFA that have livestock projects to have a valid premise identification number registered. Currently Colorado 4-H Youth Extension Services are having members fill out the "Animal Care and Housing Form for Colorado 4-H Livestock Projects and highly recommended that Colorado 4-H livestock project animals (beef and dairy cattle, sheep, swine, goat, poultry, llama, and horse) have a premises registration with the National Animal Identification System" (Goodwin). The Colorado State Fair, who is not governed by the Colorado 4-H rules and regulations, are requiring that all junior exhibitors have a valid livestock premises identification number. Colorado State Fair General Manager, Chris Wiseman, stated that “Thousands of animals come to the fair and that makes the even an amplification point for a disease outbreak. It is the responsibility of the fair to consider livestock health issue… I feel proud that the Colorado State Fair has taken another important step in helping officials move rapidly in the event of an animal disease outbreak” (Lightcap). Even as it seems that the 4-H and FFA programs are trying get a jump on the NAIS, Senator Greg Brophy, of Wray, Colorado, feels that it is unfair of the Colorado State Fair to require members to register their animal(s) with a Premises Identification and because of this regulation he is sponsoring House Bill 1129, which would lift the regulation for the Premises Identification for exhibitors at the Colorado State Fair. Brophy also state that because of this regulation that members are now "choosing not to participate, which is a shame"(Brophy).
Most 4-H and FFA members derive from a family farm or ranch. These family farms and ranches in which this country is built upon will also incur a large blow as the NAIS moves towards mandatory registration. Some people raise livestock as a hobby; it gives them something to do in their spare time, they help local youth by providing project animals at minimal cost and it allows them to put food on the table for their families. For others raising livestock is a means of income, even as minimal as it may be depending on the markets. Small operations are barely making a living as it is because of rising cost of things like vaccinations and feed along with decreasing land to raise animals on. When the NAIS finally goes mandatory it will add another cost in the bank ledgers of producers, causing the smaller producers to be pushed out of the industry. Those who are being shoved out of the industry by government policies and large corporations will have to give up their livelihood.
Yes, protecting the nation’s food supply from a disease outbreak is something that needs to implemented, but the government needs to look at a way that is not going to put those cannot afford to pay for a intensive identification system out of business. Every year the number of farmers that make less than 10,000 dollars from their entity, which are considered family farms or ranches, decreases due to economic variables. In 2006 there was an estimated 2.09 million family farms in the United States which is down by 2.19 million farms in 1996 (United States Department of Agriculture). Family farms and ranches in each state range from forty-six percent in Oregon to seventy-one percent in South Carolina of the state’s total agriculture (United States Department of Agriculture). As one can see nearly fifty percent of agriculture in each state in the United States is made up by family farms, which would mean that around fifty percent of the nation’s agriculture is made up by the family farm or ranch.
If NAIS moves forward making farmers and ranchers along with 4-H and FFA members provide the funding for their own animal identification system that will have to meet government regulations, the family farmer or rancher will be unable to provided that kind of funding on top of the other increasing expenses. Since those making less than 10,000 dollars from their agriculture entities make up approximate fifty percent of the nations agriculture producers that would mean that if NAIS drove out half of those producers it would cut American agriculture by twenty-five percent.
Cutting twenty-five percent of American agriculture will not only affect the producers, it will also have an impact on those who buy those commodities. In the past few years’ society has been feeling their paycheck slip away faster than usual. It seems to be a trend that American consumers want to buy American made products, food included. If the number of American family farms and ranches get cut in half then those American products are going to skyrocket causing consumers to look at foreign products that may seem to be cheaper. Even if foreign products seem cheaper, consumers may eventually see a price fluctuation in those products as well. Senator Brophy believes “Some countries will use animal health as a reason to limit imports from the US, but the reality is that they are protecting their own producers. If the Chinese insist on a NAIS type of program, we will need to be able to provide it for them” (Brophy).
International commerce, consumers and the United State foreign relations will also be affected. If the United States mandates NAIS then the imports from other countries will have to use an identification system that is uniform with whatever type of identification system that the United Sates chooses to implement. How this will affect our commerce is uncertain at this point. It may increase the nation’s exports since the NAIS will ensure twenty-four hour tractability of disease outbreak and ensure a safe food product. On the other end of the spectrum it may decrease imports from other countries. Some countries will not be able to keep up and use the same technology that the United States is using for NAIS.
It is certain that all American’s want to the nation’s food supply protected from potential disease outbreak. The United States government has taken a step towards protecting its countries food supply, but is it a step that will also protect producers as well as the economy? It seems as though the government has not looked into the affect of the NAIS on the little guys in the industry. Is it fair for the educational programs like the 4-H and FFA, who are required to maintain above average records, to suffer? These programs teach lifelong values and ethics, and now those trying to learn are going to be pushed to the side because they cannot provide funding on their own for the NAIS.
Is it fair that family farmers and ranchers are going to be pushed out of the industry as well? Those family farmers and ranchers produce fifty percent of the nation’s agriculture and the path that the government has taken to implement the NAIS is going to damage a large part of American agriculture and an even larger part of what this country was built upon.
Is it fair that not only that the producers will have to pay the initial price of the NAIS but consumers are going to see a price increase at the stores? American consumers are more willing to by American produced commodities but if the prices for those commodities take a substantial jump they are going to start to look at different countries commodities.
Is it worth the risk of damaging our international trade relations with other countries? The United States trade with other countries is a huge part of this nation’s economy. To require other countries that we import livestock from to have a NAIS that is compatible with ours is going to damage the trade of other commodities from those same countries. Those other commodities are those that this country does not have the climate or ability to grow. Damaging relations because of an intensive animal identification system will damage our international relations in a large way.
The purpose of the NAIS is to protect the nation’s food supply for a disease outbreak and the producers of that supply. Currently the government has half of its purpose in clear site. The government has pushed the other half of their purpose aside. When the NAIS goes mandatory the nation will see a major change; two portions of educational programs will be gone, the nation’s family farmers and ranchers will be largely reduced, consumers will see price increases in the store and the countries international trade relations will suffer. In the end with the way the NAIS is set up it will damage many aspects of this nation in an irreversible way.
Bibliography
About 4-H. 8 February 2008. 5 March 2008
Berlier, Tait. "Animal ID Sparks Incident at Colorado State Fair." Western Livestock Journal 3 September
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Brophy, Senator Greg. Interview. Shellie Martin. 18 February 2008.
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Goodwin, Jeff. "Colorado 4-H Premises Registraion Policy for 2007-08 4-H Year." 20 September 2007. 18
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