The most aspiring raccoon hunter, who demands to be professional, will without fail, go for advice to the voice of experience– one with coon skins hanging on the wall. Experience is the great teacher. Talk is talk, but skins on the wall is proof of the pudding. To the opposite of this tried and proven procedure, the USDA has blasted off totally cocksure into a 100% animal ID plan for every farm animal in the USA. The Australian National Livestock Identification Scheme (NLIS) has a half dozen years of experience. USDA plans to do a mandatory parallel program called National Animal Identification System (NAIS).
When the House Committee on Agriculture decided to have a hearing on their National Animal Identification System, Chairman David Scott requested USDA staff to testify plus, Dr. Rob Williams, Australian Counselor, and Dean Merrilees, Minister Counselor of Australia. Each gave testimony the new ID system was wonderful, absolutely urgent, and badly needed.
The Australian government considers NLIS a sweet tax generating program and love to force livestock producers to pay-up for government ID computer services.
Beyond the income generated, Aussie leaders have felt the heat from ranchers because US beef without ID mandatory sells higher on the world market than Aussie beef with a 100% enforced scheme. Out back ranchers feel their government has cheated them.
In the last four years Australian livestock producers have been squeezed 350 million dollars to pay the bill for NLIS. Government leaders like NLIS, but livestock producers are against it. Why did Chairman Scott select white shirt bureaucrats to testify and carefully avoided John Carter, President of the Australian Cattleman’s Assn.? Was he afraid of the answers he would get?
When the USDA selected sources of affirmation, they picked their own employees who profit from any and all increased opportunity for Congressional funding. Chosen speakers like Dr. John Clifford, Dr. W. Ron DeHaven, and Dr. Jerry Gillespi have lived their whole life with open palms quivering toward Washington DC, and always being generously remunerated.
To ask swivel chair veterinarians if a program that increases funding, grants, or cooperative agreements their direction (NAIS) is a good plan, it is like asking a barber if you need a haircut. The answer is yes! One more clipping is good, but several more are ecstatic.
Australians ranching in the Bush Country watch the USDA and see bureaucratic nightmares beginning to happen. Aussies have the coon skins on the wall and their experience has been a costly one. Why has the leadership of the USA failed to consider the flawed Australian NLIS? Why does the USDA and House Committees select speakers who “tickle their ears?” Do they have any concern about a valid program or is their mind totally cemented toward a mandatory NAIS, come Hell or high water?
The following quotes are from Australian livestock producers:
“By error Australia has generated over 70 million cattle on the NLIS computer data base and we only have 26 million head. The Australian NLIS has degenerated into a farce. The biggest sham is, it has no purpose. NLIS is too slow for disease tracking and too prone to error. Cow traders purchase cows at discount prices without tags and place tags in their ears, with a history of data, increasing their value. I am a Director of the Australian Beef Assn., fighting to have this garbage (NLIS) rescinded. It may take a major disease outbreak to reveal that NLIS is worthless.” John Niven
“With full implementation of Australian NLIS cattlemen receive the second lowest price for beef of any major exporting country. Producers are getting 28% of the consumer dollar, whilst the US, UK and NZ producers all get between 45% and 50%. NLIS enforcement has destroyed the profit of livestock production in Australia.” Brad Bellinger, Chairman of Australian Beef Assn.
“NLIS has been a total and costly failure in Australia which should never be repeated anywhere in the world.” Lee Gerard McNicholl B.V.Sc.,M.SC
The Australian NLIS originally planned to make a computer entry for every movement. Now they know it is hopeless. When an error happens, we get a notice, “This is for your information and no further action is required.” They have given up on the system working. Linda
“Our NLIS rates are up 30% this year. NLIS is basically dysfunctional with over 400 staff in just our state. It is riddled with nepotism and incompetence.” Jennifer
“It is to the point everybody including bureaucrats know it’s not working but we can’t get them to scrap it. Over 90% would agree it is crap. It has no purpose and no tangible result after almost 4 years, costing millions.” Roger
“The scheme in Australia was supposed to trace every beast property to property the whole of their life. Nonsense, based on fantasy. It has not worked.” Helga
“The government database is in such shambles one can simply claim to have complied with regulations, but hint that something must have got lost. They don’t know the difference because so much is lost.” Meredith
“The filthy enforcement legislation is in place with potential to cause all sorts of problems. The authorities are wanting to assess huge prosecutions, but are afraid of the rebellion of the bloody livestock owners. Currently the fine for non premise enrollment is $4000. They would increase the fines on Aussie farmers to larger bloody fees if they weren’t scared to.” Simon
“Politicians are so blind and ignorant of the real world scene! If only we could wake them up to the realities we might have a chance of surviving!” Jennifer Bird
“We were told the consumers demand individual ID. We know no one in Korea or Japan who asks for individual ID. The consumer does not want to know personal data about the steak they eat, or even that it was a live animal. This is ludicrous. Fight NAIS to the last person in the USA.” John Carter
The You Tube of John Carter’s NLIS presentation is http://www.naisstinks.com/index.php?con=videos. Disaster of Cattle ID in Australia #1 and #2. Believe a five generation rancher with coon skins on the wall.
NAIS is a hot political topic in USDA listening sessions all over the USA, yet no one from Australia will be speaking. The facts are easy to locate about animal ID. Over 95% of Australians oppose NLIS, now mandatory with enforcements. The livestock producers speaking in the US listening sessions are 90% to 100% opposed to NAIS. If livestock producers with generations of experience understand their own businesses, why has NAIS continued to survive the USDA trash can?
Truth is illusive at times, but ending the unpopular NAIS is an easy call. If you are seeking valid information on NAIS don’t ask an animal health professor or a computer salesman. When asking about coon hunting, don’t ask a bureaucrat. As to haircuts—– ask your spouse.