Jolley: USDA Tries Mouth-To-Mouth On NAIS

CATTLE NETWORK

www.Cattlenetwork.com and www.Agnetwork.com.

The Source for Cattle News

 02/08/2010

The Associated Press misreported this morning that “The USDA Abandons Stalled Animal ID Program.” A press release issued last Friday by the USDA hints at another fate.

Memo on NAIS~~ One day closer to the regulatory grave!!!

National Association of Farm Animal Welfare

Ag.Ed@nafaw.org

Official APHIS Factsheet to Veterinary Services 2-5-10 Q & A

This is a printable version of the fact sheet.

 

There are 7 pages of government prepared repetitive gobbledygooking. Within the code verbiage are signs of things to come, and thankfully things to end.

 

It says nothing about dealing with the only disease that USDA says is costing the US dairy industry a $200,000,000 loss annually — Johne’s. No acknowledgement for a valid test method and a valid vaccination is on the horizon for Johne’s, the only costly cattle disease in the nation.

Senator McCain Files New Bill That Attacks Your Access to Supplements and Repeals Key Sections of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act

 It appears since congress couldn’t pass CODEX into law quite as fast as they anticipated, John McCain is taking the first step in the “do it one piece at a time” approach.  If we don’t rid ourselves of this bunch of globalist, corporate puppeteers…..shame on us!  Marti

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Supplement Health and Education Act TAKE ACTION AND TELL YOUR SENATOR NOT TO CO-SPONSOR THIS BILL Senator McCain’s bill is called The Dietary Supplement Safety Act (DSSA). It would repeal key sections of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA). DSHEA protects supplements if 1) they are food products that have been in the food supply and not chemically altered or 2) if they were sold as supplements prior to 1994, the year that DSHEA was passed. If a supplement fits one of these two descriptions, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cannot arbitrarily ban it or reclassify it as a drug. These protections are far from perfect. They discourage companies from developing new forms of supplements. New supplements may be arbitrarily banned by the FDA or adopted by drug companies in a way that precludes their further sale as supplements. McCain’s bill would wipe out even the minimal protections contained in DSHEA. It would give the FDA full discretion and power to compile a discreet list of supplements allowed to remain on the market while banning all others. Everyone knows that the FDA is friendly to drug

Monsanto targets alfalfa for its next take-over

Genetic food giant Monsanto is at it again. Its next target: a new product that could eliminate all organic alfalfa, a key food for raising organic-fed cows and pigs without any genetic engineering.

The USDA is well on its way to approving Monsanto’s genetically modified alfalfa. In its own report, the USDA says that not enough consumers care enough about organic foods for the USDA to block Monsanto’s modified alfalfa seeds. [1]  This is absurd since one of the main reasons people buy organic food is to avoid genetically engineered crops.

Report shows less beef production, growing exports

www.naisSTINKS.com

Editors note: The USDA and ag media can carefully document history with numbers.  It is the job of each ranch survivor to use the data to make profitable projections . Although these numbers are probably correct, here is how it will shake out:

1) The US has imported more beef than exported for the last 21 years.

2) Although data shows more beef is imported (+$2,000,000,000) than is exported, a reducing inventory of beef production has had no resolve in USDA and BEEF CHECK OFF efforts to increase US exports. The unasked question is “Who does the US buy beef from for export sales when the nation has not produced enough beef in 21 years to feed the nation?”

3) No extra expense is necessary for US producers to implement NAIS when exports are proven to be of no value to the US producer.  Any country that thinks US should do mandatory NAIS will not be able to buy any US beef shortly.  There won’t be any extra available.

4) US beef export will be history within 3 years.  Check the data and watch. 

5) The Beef Check Off money should be used totally to promote a US market to increase competition with vegetarian promotions. Darol Dickinson

DROVERS INDUSTRY NEWS  1-20-10

Report shows less beef production, growing exports
By John Maday  |  Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Breaking News: Monsanto Takes Center for Food Safety Legal Victory to Highest Court

On Fri, 1/15/10, Center for Food Safety   info@truefoodnow.org “A 2009 study showed that the use of genetically modified crops, the vast majority Monsanto’s “roundup ready” crops, has caused over the last 13 years a dramatic increase in herbicide use, by 383 million pounds, and concomitant harms to the environment and human health. The U.S. Department of Justice has undertaken an investigation of Monsanto regarding violations of anti-trust and monopoly laws and is set to hold public hearings in spring 2010.  Another 2009 study showed that, despite decades of promises and hype, GE crops do not increase yields.” _________________________________________________ (January 15, 2010) Today, the U.S. Supreme Court decided to hear a first-time case about the risks of genetically engineered crops.  Named Monsanto v. Geertson Seed Farms, No. 09-475, the case before the high court will be yet another step in an ongoing battle waged by the Center for Food Safety to protect consumers and the environment from potentially harmful effects of genetically engineered (GE) crops. The modified alfalfa seed at the heart of the dispute has been engineered to be immune to Monsanto’s flagship herbicide Roundup. Monsanto intervened in a 2007 federal district court ruling that the Department of Agriculture’s approval of GE alfalfa was illegal.  The Center for Food Safety (CFS) filed a 2006 lawsuit on behalf of a coalition of non-profits and farmers who wished to retain the choice to plant non-GE alfalfa. CFS was victorious in this case – in addition CFS has won two appeals by Monsanto in the Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit: in 2008 and again in 2009. Now, upon Monsanto’s insistence, the Supreme Court has agreed to hear the case. “This is truly a ‘David versus Goliath’ struggle, between public interest non-profits and a corporation bent on nothing less than domination of our food system,” said Andrew Kimbrell, executive director of the Center for Food Safety. “That Monsanto has pushed this case all the way to the Supreme Court, even though USDA’s court-ordered analysis is now complete, and the U.S. government actively opposed further litigation in this matter, underscores the great lengths that Monsanto will go to further its mission of patent control of our food system and selling more pesticides.”

NAIS has won the award for 2009’s most DASTARDLY USDA IDEA

www.naisStinks.com

 

 NAIS has won the award for 2009’s most DASTARDLY USDA IDEA. In Ag Sec Vilsack’s listening sessions, designed to find some common ground of appreciation for the USDA brain child, the bribe-riddled NAIS found accumulations of increasing retch with each of 16 town hall style meetings. Livestock people increased dislike with each interpretive spin from USDA. Although the livestock press, USDA state veterinarians and USDA universities defend full-blown NAIS, livestock producers were not willing to relinquish their meager profits for the red tape of a new government enforcement program.

When NAIS was not palatable federally, the USDA split the troops and provided over $150,000,000 in incentives for each state to take NAIS as a state enforcement project. When that costly idea slammed head-on to more resistance, in court and otherwise, now the USDA troops are dividing more. NAIS surveillance is becoming mandatory for certain disease studies. To try and forget the flawed thought of NAIS, new names are now being invented like “animal ID”, “information systems”, “food safety”, “animal health emergency management”, “animal security” and a host of other invented terms, just to sell the same old NAIS enforcement.

Beyond the millions spent to swallow NAIS, now many more millions are being spent to huddle government employees around new brain schemes to sugar-coat livestock surveillance enforcements. The article below is filled with costly processes that will be paid for by livestock owners and create more government jobs.

At a unique time in the history of agriculture production, when cost of goods are increasing, profits are reducing, the USDA is working at mach-speed to increase red tape and cost of doing business. Now, here it comes again, “One Health.”

TRACEABILITY and government agencies

from FOOD SAFETY NEWS DISCUSSION
by John Munsell ~~ 12-30-09

www.naisSTINKS.org

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After implementing policies for many years which complicate, if not make impossible, tracebacks to the source, USDA/FSIS seems to indicate it is willing to consider a midstream change in its attitudes, and policies, regarding Tracebacks to the TRUE ORIGIN of contamination.

The December 9 issue of Dow Jones also refers to the upcoming January USDA hearing, but no specific date has been set. One of many concerns I have is that the agency may well attempt to produce yet another prosaic Notice/Directive/Policy which multiplies words, but accomplishes nothing, the primary objective being to disingenuously and piously portray USDA as America’s ultimate public health agency. The agency’s historical refusal to trace-back to the origin is readily understood.

First of all, it is pertinent to note that E.coli and Salmonella are “Enteric” bacteria, which by definition means that they emanate from within animals’ intestines, and by extension proliferate on manure-covered hides. Retail meat markets (insert Lunds/Byerlys et al), restaurants (insert Sizzlers and dozens others here), and the majority of meat processing plants (review this century’s recalls) do NOT slaughter, thus do not have animal intestines or manure-covered hides on their premises. Therefore, it is reasonable to conclude that the vast majority of E.coli and Salmonella-laced meat is caused by sloppy kill floor dressing procedures.

RFID Bling For Bovines – Just In Time For The New Year

by: Lynn Swearingen (c) copyright 2009

Just when you thought you’d heard it all, something comes along that makes you say “Hm. I just wonder”.

While surfing around the UHF-RFID livestock world, I came across a new and snazzy tag. Trust me folks – you want to pass on this one.

While a cutie-wootie-slick-forward-looking tag can be an extra bonus in selling (riigghhtt) – this one has the stink of the National Animal Identification System (NAIS) plastered all over it. Why would one think that? Here we go (links are provided at conclusion for ease of  review):

USDA approves eTattoo from Eriginate as First Official UHF Identification Device (1) That headline should cause one to wonder and the opening comment begs for investigation:

“Eriginate Corporation announced today the approval of its eTattoo tag by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The approval marks the first ultra-high radio frequency identification tag (UHF RFID) and the first non-low frequency tag (LF) to be approved for use with the “840” Animal Identification Number (AIN)”

Just whom is on the board of this  “Eriginate”? (2)

Why surprise surprise the Director is one Mr. Doran Junek. As his bio (3) clearly states, he has all the bells and whistles required to position this firm for the first “approved” eTattoo:

Lobbying responsibilities – check
Member of the Bovine Species Working Group for NAIS – check
Affiliation (past or present?) with Cargill – Check
“Key industry Contacts” – Check

…but that’s just my opinion.

Of course as “Advisors” (4) go, the most interesting could be Gerardo Flores of famed NASA affiliation. Nah. While his specialty could ensure that once we go “solar system wide” the critters could be properly traced, that’s a few years in the future, so lets see….here’s an interesting character.

The Truth behind the drive to outlaw raw/fresh milk sales

               

By: Marti Oakley  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Copyright (c) 2009

The Truth behind the drive to outlaw raw/fresh milk sales or:

How the USDA and the federal government are actively working to end family and independent dairy farming for corporate interests.

 The BUSINESS OF CULLEN AGRITECH:

 Business Overview– Pg. 6

Cullen Agritech is a newly formed company formed in June 2009 committed to the development and commercialization of advanced agricultural technologies. Cullen Agritech’s principal focus will be to improve agricultural yields through pasture and animal sciences. Cullen Agritech’s primary operations will be conducted through Natural Dairy Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Cullen Agritech, through which it will attempt to engage in a long term scalable dairy farming operation utilizing the Cullen Agritech farming system in the Southeastern United States. Cullen Agritech will also offer advisory services associated with the development and implementation of efficient farming techniques. This will promote a methodology that incorporates components of New Zealand’s pasture-based farming system, scientifically adapted for use in local markets.” (end clip)

The new technology being promoted by Cullen- New Zealand is simply what farmers have done for thousands of years; the moving of their livestock routinely to fresh pastures making sure ample water was made available to them and incidentally; reducing the number and amount of toxic chemicals, vaccines, hormones and additives required to be used in private operations.  While there certainly is a scientific soundness to this practice, it most assuredly is nothing new. So where would the “scientific” application of what is commonly understood to be the best management practices of dairy herding, be applied?  And how?  And how could you rationalize the re-designation of traditional dairy farming methods as something new and innovative and apply for and receive a patent on that method?

Constitution Party US Senate candidate pushes reform of Raw Milk and Premises ID

The Examiner.com

  

Taylor’s campaign has put on the web site a petition that people can fill out, so it can be presented at Max’s and the Monchilovichs’ trials. The petition can be found at: http://www.robtaylorforsenate.com/farmers_need_us.php

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Attending the WICFA coalition meeting on Saturday December 12th for the Constitution Party of Wisconsin (CPoW) will be their US Senate Candidate for WI, Rob Taylor. He will be there to gain information, build support and to spread the word of what is happening to our freedoms and the family farmers. The message that he will be sending is to defend and protect the Constitution of the United States, and the Wisconsin state constitution, to perserve the middle class and support small to mid-size family farms.

Letters of support from his campaign office have been going out to everyone in Wisconsin and surrounding states. So far the message is receiving tremendous support. “We have to let people know what our socialist government is doing and HAS been doing for a long time.” says Taylor

Working with Marti Oakley of the PPJ Gazette and reformers such as Max Kane (Raw Milk Movement) and Mike Krsiean (CPoW candidate for 3rd Congressional District) to overcome the restrictions that the USDA and the DATCP is placing on famers and consumers, Taylor’s message on the PPJ web site is: “This isn’t the work of just one of the parties but of both of them, It’s all about power and greed. Our so called representatives get that by helping the friends in the BIG-FARM industry. We know where the campaign funds come from and we know our leaders are puppets for the industry.”

Image or Action? “Never mistake motion for action.”

by: Lynn Swearingen                

Image or Action?

Image. While the dictionary has numerous definitions of the word, my favorite today must be:

“the general or public perception of a company, public figure, etc., esp. as achieved by careful calculation aimed at creating widespread goodwill.”

One recently addressed issue is the freedom to choose what foods we eat through the Freedom of Farming Act as proposed by Mr. Greipentrog:

From my understanding this common sense proposal is being rejected left and right by not only Politicians, but the general farming community as well. They appear to prefer Motion (in proposing a law to “help” Raw Milk farmers in Wisconsin– as long as there is appropriate regulation) vs Action (adopting the straight forward Freedom of Farming Act)

“Wherein any family farm, defined as an operation engaged in production agriculture that employs no full time personnel, save those within the family construct, shall have exclusive right to market all products of the farming operation, raw or value added through processing, direct to consumers, or local establishments, and shall be free of all inspection, recordkeeping, and traceability requirements of any governmental agency.

The producer and consumer shall make a reasonable effort to exchange information regarding these products, and the methods of production and processing, in the formation of a covenant between them.”

Ethicureans post The New USDA guidelines

Ezra Klein

All Klein, all the time.

January 22, 2009   (this is from early in the year but quite relevant now)

NATURALLY RAISED.

If you were told an animal was “naturally raised,” what would you imagine that meant? Is it evidence that they wandered a field? Felt the touch of sunlight? Ate their normal diet? Well, no. At least, that’s not what it means if you see “naturally raised” on a package of meat. The USDA released their guidelines for the marketing term this week. Grass, sunlight, and open space don’t enter into it. Rather, animals are “naturally raised” if they “have been raised entirely without growth promotants, antibiotics (except for ionophores used as coccidiostats for parasite control), and have never been fed animal by-products.”

Got that? No growth promotants or antibiotics — except, of course, for ionophores used as coccidiostats — or eating the ground-up remains of other animals. That’s what counts as a natural upbringing in our food production system. We have not medically accelerated your growth nor made you into an inadvertent cannibal nor crammed you into such unhealthful conditions that you needed to be pumped full of antibiotics to stay alive.

The problem with this label is not specifically how the animals are raised. Excising antibiotics and growth promotants from their diet is a good thing. The problem is what the USDA’s new guidelines say about, well, the USDA. These guidelines are a simple act of collusion with the marketing teams in the livestock industry. When a consumer sees “naturally raised,” they almost certainly don’t say to themselves, “Terrific! This chicken was raised entirely without growth promotants, antibiotics (except for ionophores used as coccidiostats for parasite control), and has never been fed animal by-products!” The implication of “naturally raised” is that the chicken lived the natural life of a chicken, not the life of a widget. But USDA has defined it as living the life of a widget, just not a particularly heavily medicated widget. And why have naturally raised” at all? The shrinkwrap enclosing a chicken breast has room for “No growth hormones or antibiotics!” They’re using “naturally raised” because it’s more efficiently misleading to consumers who want to do good by eating well, and the USDA is just gave its seal of approval to the practice.

See the Ethicureans for more.

Image used under a CC license from NukeIt1.

Wisconsin: A state under seige by its own government

By: Marti Oakley ALL  RIGHTS RESERVED

 Copyright (C)2009                                                                  

“The actions of state agencies complicit with state elected officials, shows malice and forethought with the intent to benefit not only the state monetarily, but also specific corporations who also intend to benefit from the prosecutions.  It is not as if they didn’t or don’t know what they are doing.  This was planned and pre-meditated, and state officials and agencies in collusion with the USDA and corporate profiteers knew full well the harm they intended to inflict on the private property owners of the state and that these actions would drive many farmers and ranchers off their land and out of business. “

It seems rather apparent with the extensive abuses of agency offices and personnel supported and encouraged by elected officials, even if only by their silence; their refusal to act on behalf of the citizens, and their obvious disregard for property and individual rights, maybe Wisconsin needs to clean house. 

The oath of office taken by your elected government officials is a contract affirmed by oath.  Under contract law, that oath has been breached by the various compacts, contracts, and entry into agreements, business plans and other instruments which are intended to cause harm to the citizens of the state of Wisconsin and the contract is now voided.  Boot them out of office.

About the Selling of Fresh Milk

The recent offering of what is supposed to pass for a proposed bill to protect the right of Wisconsin dairy farms from further prosecution and persecution by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture and Consumer Protection (DATCP) would have been comical had it not been presented as a means to allow dairy farmers to trade freely what is known to be a wholesome and natural product: fresh milk.

The fact is, even if this limited proposal (as questionable as it is) had any legitimacy, it falls far short of what is desperately needed to reign in the activities of DATCP: an agency which has far exceeded any lawful or constitutional boundaries; yet not one state legislator has acknowledged the egregious activities this agency is engaged in against the sovereign citizens of the state.  In fact, it was state and federal legislators who entered into cooperative agreements with the USDA, accepting millions on behalf of the state to implement USDA business plans that clearly violated not only state, but federal constitutions. 

Small Farmers, S 510 and “Your Stomachs Best Friend”

By: Lynn Swearingen    All Rights reserved. No re-titling with intent to redirect or benefit.                                                    

                                                                                      

“ABC News Senior Medical Editor Dr. Richard Besser discussed this issue with ABC News’ Chris Cuomo on Monday’s “Good Morning America”. Besser noted that even if E. coli contamination is confirmed in a particular batch of meat, “[the company] can cook that meat and sell it in another product.”   (emphasis added)”

“Your Stomach’s Best Friend”  

Dr. David Acheson aka “Your Stomach’s Best Friend” according to the Wall Street Journal, sat down with the renowned Food Safety News interviewer Helena Bottemiller to explain how the new Food Safety Bills working their way through the Legislative Process are going to save the American Consumer from the small ignorant farmer

Happy Thanksgiving: The farce in the food safety bills.

  by:  Paul Griepentrog  All rights reserved   

While we head into this Thanksgiving holiday we can all rest assured that the FDA and USDA have done their best to insure no one will get sick from the feast.  Of course we can be even more thankful that the US Senate is going to further the powers of these agencies to make our meal times even more secured.   These agencies are paid to insure our safety across a wide range of products.  They have done a fine job of that, with recalls going back several years and across a number of products.  Can we not, from the use of  failed self determining HACCP plans written by the companies themselves, along with the lack of authority of inspectors to close plants conclude that these agencies are then a failure in and of themselves and at the very root of the problem.

  Is it not possible that the situation now is worse than it was at the inception of these organizations?  In the writing of Upton Sinclair’s “The Jungle” we are shown a world run for the benefit of large companies, by exploiting labor, bribing officials, and more.  Today we are not appreciably different, only now multinational corporations buy their way through government with lobbyists, international trade agreements and the government agencies which utilize the scare tactics of contaminated food to further their empire building.

Wisconsin: For sale to the highest corporate bidder

  by: Paul Griepentrog                            

Below is a letter received  from Senator Kohl of Wisconsin to queries about the unconstitutional provisions of HR 2749 and the infringements on the rights of the people.  Senator Kohls letter follows this response from Paul Griepentrog.  Please note how Senator Kohl proudly proclaims all the federal funding that will be supplied to the FDA to prosecute, persecute and drive private property owners off the land for corporate interests.

It must suck to be a family farmer or herder in Wisconsin! With guys like Kohl…..Monsanto looks….almost marginal.  Marti

Dear Senator Kohl.

Your response to my concerns of the onerous regulation that will be implemented in the present food safety bills, clearly shows your lack of concerns of the impact of this legislation on small and medium producers.  It also indicates your indifference to the proposed food safety legislation as far as its inconsistencies with existing federal code and the enumerated powers of the US Constitution which was the concern I contacted you to address. 

Your intent indicates that you operate under the illusion that these bills will have any effect other than to advantage the corporate agenda by displacing direct market producers. 

Your indifference to the actual implications of these proposed programs is appalling. 

Therefore after 30 years of direct market production we have decided to discontinue fruit and vegetable production.  The revenue lost will not be available to aid the local economy. 

Thank you for thinking so little of us.  Senator Feingold never replied, as you both sit the Senate Judiciary committee, can we expect further complacency of this nature?

Paul M. Griepentrog

Carol A. Griepentrog

Shady Knoll Farms

Park Falls,  Wisconsin

715-762-1875

Mr. Paul Griepentrog

W2402 Shady Knoll Road Park Falls, Wisconsin 54552

 JACKASS ALERT # 8

The Festering Fraud behind Food Safety Reform

By Nicole Johnson

Farm Wars

“The general public must recognize that only after the demystification of U.S. agriculture will family farmers, labor, and consumers see beyond corporate agribusiness’ manipulations to the point where they will recognize that both their mutual interests and the future of agriculture can be best decided through a system that not only practices political democracy, but economic democracy as well.” – Ingolf Voegler

READ MORE…

Wisconsin:Too many “helpful” organizations have a vested interest in your continued tax-deductible donations and membership fees

by: Sue Diederich                                                     

Copyright (C) 2009 All rights reserved

Excerpt from this article:

“Any organization that would tell you NOT to mobilize in as big a manner as possible, when the issue affects you personally (or will down the line) needs to be questioned as to where they recycled the Cracker-Jack box their credentials came out of. I don’t care if its your church, your allumni club, or a bunch of so-called do-gooders that take your money. If they dare to question the idea of having people stand up for what is right – they are straight from hell. You know it, so do they.”

 

The Shyster Attorneys from Hell would have us all believe that a LACK of grass-roots support, a LACK of media attention, and a LACK of individual control over actions would save the day in Wisconsin. When (yes… Name ONE time…) has this EVER been successful???

When did “stay home and watch TV or play with the kids” EVER win a legal or legislative cause? Who will help those who will not help themselves?

Think… What was it that Erin Brockovich (sp) did that made her famous? She was a SECRETARY at a law firm. A former teen beauty, single Mom, broke, alone and basically uneducated. She couldn’t even get her job without tricking her way into the position.

She found out something was wrong. She was one person….

Her boss wouldn’t listen, so what did she do? Did she listen to him – the big high-powered attorney? NO!!! She went straight to the people affected. She went to the press. She created a COMMUNITY of people all centered around a single issue.

What happened??? TOGETHER, Erin, the people affected, and even eventually the press (which was against her from the start, just as it is with FRESH MILK and NAIS) WON. That’s right – the larger that community of grass-roots, everyday, normal, not extraordinary people won the case.

That is not going to happen against DATCP so long as we continue to avoid doing what Erin did. We CANNOT win this the way these so-called not-for-profits would have us believe.

Too many “helpful” organizations have a vested interest in your continued tax-deductible donations and membership fees. Too many people are making a fast (and HUGE) buck off of our hopes, dreams and our fears. Too many people set themselves up as “experts” – in law, in agriculture in networking, and don’t have a single qualification other that their own word – which most times isn’t worth a pee bucket with a hole in the bottom.

Minnesota dairyman troubled by strange SCC counts

 

By: Guy Ekola

Dairy Quality Control Inspection (DQCI) runs a milk test lab in Minnesota where I’m from and they tested my milk routinely as I was with National Farmers Organization, (NFO).

Does anybody know here, about SCC’s? I consider them a very over-hyped lab analysis of cow’s milk, something similar in consequence (modern industry-biased ‘scientificism’, and WHO/Codex propaganda–though I notice many farmers have taken the pill, ie., they believe SCC’s are a credible and constant measure of milk quality and standard/goodness), to the over-hyped and dangerous vaccines.

I will say this: I have had a lot of trouble with SCC counts that were high! This is especially so in the last few years, as I was forced to slowly discontinue my dairy farm, under steady duress. Yet, I had more trouble with actual mastitis many years ago and relatively minimal mastitis occurrence recently. This situation, problems with high SCC’s yet little actual mastitis has been strange and troubling to me. It has caused me great stress.

The evil in Wisconsin Food Safety — and what it means to Wisconsin

             

Email this

By: Scott Trautman

Copyright © 2009  Trautman Family Farms

Evil is as strong a word as one can use. It is not a word I, or anyone else should use lightly. I have avoided it a long time in this situation — hoping against hope — that Steve Ingham, Cheryl Daniels, Tom Lietzke & Jackie Owens would find “better data” — reconsider their position — and what it means to Wisconsin — and find a way to work more sensibly.

They have not, they will not, and they have to go, period.

They understand what they do — and they, with purpose and malice misrepresent the Raw Milk situation — while it is in their professional responsibility to understand the situation and make sensible decisions — if it is for the benefit of the whole of Wisconsin, rather than whatever personal agenda they might have.

In this situation — and others like it — most especially as it relates to dairy farmers — it is about the application of unfettered — unobserved — power over good people in order to exterminate their will and desire to survive and grow. Why dairy farmers? Because they can. The bully bullies those they can — not those that can defend themselves.

Food Safety does not like me one tiny bit and has shown every indication that as I speak out and shine the light on them — they will find a way to silence me.

Staging the collapse of private dairy operations: A corporate coup’, Part 2

All rights are reserved without exception and will be protected. No reprinting, redistributing or excerpting by electronic or any other means without the express written permission of the author. Obscuring or obliterating of original URL or author, re-titling or otherwise reproducing the title or contents is expressly prohibited. 

Copyright: October 23, 2009 by Marti Oakley  fireflyari@meltel.net

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Part 2

In Part 1 of this series I addressed what appears to be the participation of the State of Georgia, its Extension services and Land Grant universities in conjunction with New Zealand Dairy Management Systems and Cullen Agritech, along with several other newly created investment collectives, and individuals.  

The planned eradication of private dairy operations being practiced in Georgia will be the model used to seize all land useful for dairying, across the southeastern U.S.  Once this model begins systematically being put in place in the Southeastern states, the elimination of dairy herds in the rest of the nation will begin in earnest.  All milk will be produced in this one geographical area. 

It appears that not only is there a concerted effort afoot in Georgia to convert dairy production to an industrialized corporate complex, but at the same time a massive battle is being fought in the northeast by small and independent dairy producers being driven out of business by corporate mergers designed to prevent them from conducting their businesses, forcing this market into industrialization. 

The Sherman Act and Anti trust

Bushway Brutality to Bob Calves is a symptom of Big Bureaucracy and Business

By: Lynn Swearingen Copyright 2009 All rights reserved

 

The inspection schedule in Vermont is not publicly known, however information provided shows that at least 3 times in the past 6 months Bushway was shut down for one day due to non-compliance. Not for a burned out light bulb in the loo, but for “mistreating animals”.

Conflicting information is provided through various sources on the inspection authority. Vermont ‘s website shows that Bushway is a State Inspected facility. yet the Burlington Free Press quotes Diane Bothfeld, deputy secretary of the Vermont state Agriculture, Food & Markets Agency as follows:

“Bothfeld said the state did not know about those citations until Friday, when the U.S. Agriculture Department divulged them in a letter to the state outlining its response to the society’s investigation. Bothfeld said the reason the state did not know about the previous citations was because federal inspectors are not required to disclose such information to the state. The federal government oversaw inspections at the Bushway plant because the meat it was processing was being sold in other states as well as Vermont.”

WICFA: Wisconsin organization gearing up for the coming battles

 

 

Hello WICFA Friends and Members:                                

 

We have some good news and some news that is not so good. 

 

First of all, we have rebuilt the WICFA website.  We have thrown away the frames construction of the previous version so that it will be much easier to view the site in its entirety using just about any screen resolution.  I hope that you find the new version easier to read and navigate.  If you have any content that would be helpful for others to be able to view, please forward it to cj@wicfa.org and we would be glad to review it and possibly post it to our website.  We are looking for some help in putting information together about the raw milk persecutions that are starting to spread around the state.  Can you imagine that, we love to call ourselves the dairy state and our state is now attacking farmers for doing just that, dairying?

Notes from Wisconsin: Something funny happened after court the other day!

By: Paul Griepentrog

Copyright (c) 2009 All rights reserved without exception

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Having attended the trial of Pat and Melissa Monchilovich at Balsam Lake, I found it more like viewing a site being cleared by a bulldozer.  Judge Molly GaleWyrick cleared the path for Wisconsin’s Department of Agriculture to further its agenda of an alleged disease control program.   The Media in their true slanted fashion picked away at the obstructions around the edges, avoiding the hard facts like stones.

I had arrived at Pat’s house before the trial to find a young family supported by the community via phone calls and a helpful sister in law waiting to baby sit.  Pat was understandably nervous, as a way of life he had come to know for generations was being threatened. 

During the proceedings the Judge indicated that Pat and Melissa should have made their arguments in an administrative hearing not in her courtroom.  Interesting thought, as the original motion to dismiss voided by the Judge was based on the failure of DATCP to provide just such a hearing. 

When Pat raised the point of not having a premises on title, the Judge turned to the assistant district attorney Moria Ludvigson for an explanation of what Pat was saying, “he must mean that there isn’t a 911 address where the cattle are kept” Moria replied. 

Fake Cow Ears and Defibrillators

                                               

By: Lynn Swearingen

Copyright © 2009 All rights reserved

“The potential for RFID tagging of livestock is billions yearly and the potential for radio tagging of food is in trillions a year…”

 U.S. Vs Canada Smack Down in October?

Not exactly how you expected to start your day is it? A little background might be in order.

In 1990 the creation of the National Advisory Board on Animal Identification was created to begin offering livestock traceability initiatives in Canada. Not content to use the systems in place that had proven effect in cost, labor and common sense, the Advisory Board determined that streamlining through Rfid tagging and individual reporting of livestock was the way to go.

Determining the total cost for this voluntary program over the past 19 years is impossible. I’d like to say names have been changed to protect the innocent, but it is more likely the “Program” and    Canadian Government simply don’t want the public to know the tax burden they bear. One can find the most recent funding totals $20 million over the next 3 years from The Canadian Industry Traceability Infrastructure Program.

Wisconsin steps up funding for NAIS/PRemises ID

Marti Oakley

Copyright 2009  All rights reserved. 

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Senator Kohl of Wisconsin who had a direct hand in setting up the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the USDA to force the Wisconsin farmers and ranchers into the NAIS/Premises ID and who also, along with Rep. Obey facilitated the cooperative funding agreement [bribery payment] cementing that contract with the USDA, just announced that $1,550,000 has been allotted to WLIC.  This was the consortium set up after NAIS/Premises ID was shoved through the Wisconsin legislature and promoted as a strictly “voluntary” program. 

Recent developments lauded by many in agricultural circles as the “end of NAIS’ as a result of funding being withheld or denied on the federal level, apparently weren’t aware that the USDA through its for-profit activities as a sub-corporation of the federal corporate government, has nearly limitless sources of funds that can be used for any thing they deem appropriate.  With the agricultural industrial complex willing to supply any and all funds necessary to overthrow traditional farming and ranching in favor of industrialized operations, USDA has no shortage of funds that can be paid to bankrupted states in desperate needs of funds to continue operating.  So what if  traditional farmers are driven off their lands and forced to forfeit everything they have worked for so long as corporations can make a profit and states can pad their coffers with bribe money.

AgriView

Kohl Secures Funding for Wisconsin Projects in 2009 Agriculture Spending Bill

From article on Agri-view  comes this excerpt:

Ohio Issue 2: Cementing Corporate Agribusiness

A full copy of the proposed assault on the Ohio constitution is attached at the end of this article.  Thanks to www.ohioacts.org for compiling this comprehensive statement on what this proposed coup against Ohio sovereign citizens will actually do.

 

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 Ohio Issue 2: Cementing Corporate Agribusiness

 Issue 2 on the November ballot is an industry attempt to change the Ohio state constitution, establishing a “Livestock Care Standards Board” that would have unchecked power to establish standards for livestock and poultry. Technically the product of the Ohio General Assembly, the ballot issue is heavily backed by groups representing major agribusiness interests, including the Ohio Farm Bureau and The Ohio Pork Producers Council.

While masquerading as an attempt to improve food safety and animal welfare, Issue 2 in reality is an attempt by big industry to preempt statewide initiatives like the recent Proposition 2 in California,2 which phased out problematic animal production practices like battery cages for chickens. In effect, the proposed Livestock Care Standards Board would give a dozen political appointees broad and unchecked power to decide rules on animal welfare, potentially reshaping regulations on how animals are raised, tracked or traced.  READ

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 Commentary by:  Marti Oakley with Paul Griepentrog

It appears as a result of the massive backlash against the seizure of the US food production and supply as outlined in Hr 2749 which passed the House on July 30, 2009, the corporate agricultural producers who thought they had it in the bag, who were going to be handed total control of US food production and supply as a result of political cronyism, aren’t quite getting what they wanted as fast as they anticipated.

In Europe, A Cow Over Hormone-Treated U.S. Beef

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1133

 

  September 29, 2009

The U.S. and the European Union recently settled one of their longest-running trade disputes: over beef. Under the deal, the EU agreed to quadruple import quotas for hormone-free U.S. beef, but it still won’t import hormone-treated American beef, because many Europeans consider it unhealthy.

NAIS is useless for source verification

www.texaslonghorn.com

September 29, 2009

by Darol Dickinson

When a critter is over 30 months of age the USDA has made a rule that the processing procedure can not saw the carcass down the middle.  Slaughter must do two cuts on each side of the spinal column and not compromise the meat with the possible material from the spinal column.  Supposedly if there is a contaminated BSE carcass it could affect the meat. These animals only get BSE after 30 months of age.  On a fed steer we lose the T bone cut because the bone is lost in the cut. 

That is the reason for source verification, to prove the animal is under 30 months. 

The Lost People: Amish vs NAIS Part II

PPJG Original Article (See attached copyright notice. All rights reserved.)

Posted September 26, 2009 6:20 pm CST

 by Paul Griepentrog                                                                

 The Lost People: Part II

A way of life was put on trial in Neillsville, Wisconsin on September 23, 2oo9, in the case against Emanuel Miller Jr., having been charged under complaint for civil forfeiture because he refused to register his property under the state’s premise registration program.  The morning session was devoted to the evidentiary hearing in which the state, represented by Clark Co. district attorney Darwin Zwieg and Bonnie Walksmuth, a court appointed attorney representing Emanuel Miller, presented evidence on behalf of the parties.

The afternoon session was devoted to the trial phase and concluded around 4 o’clock, at which time Judge Jon Counsell gave instructions that upon the completion of the trial transcript, there would be thirty days to file motions, fifteen days after to file rebuttals, oral arguments would occur seven days later, and then he would make his final decision. 

Rural Tour by USDA: Meetings stuffed with employees of USDA

PPJG Original article    Posted 10:35 pm EST

By Marti Oakley  © 2009

Czar Tom Vilsack has been conducting what Obama likes to call [Rural Tours].  The obvious intent of this tour is to make it appear that farmers and ranchers are appearing by the hundreds to support the [Rural broad band] and other funding efforts to prevent the rural industries from dropping dead.  NAIS, a program that was so thoroughly rejected by farmers and ranchers during the listening sessions was not supposed to be on the agenda.

One such recent meeting occurred in Zanesville, Ohio on August 31, 2009 at the Muskingum County Welcome Center, and, although Mansfield News Journal.com reported an attendance of hundreds, they failed to mention that all but about forty of those in attendance were USDA employees.  Those employees had been selected to attend through a raffle of sorts when their respective departments were sent a memo instructing them to send one out of every three employees to the meeting; and to fill the place up.  This was to make it appear to a casual observer that the farm and ranching community was present and being heard, and also that the crowd was controlled and mannerly.  The Czar apparently believed he had his audience plants in place and would have full control of the dialogue.

A quick trip through the parking lot found that nearly every vehicle there bore government free license identification.

NAIS ~~~~~RED MAN SCALPED AGAIN

For more NAIS info www.naisSTINKS.com 

For unlimited release
National Assn. of Farm Animal Welfare
Ag.Ed@nafaw.org

by Darol Dickinson – 9-23-09

Scalping the American Indian is not a new thing for the Federal Government. At certain points of history it appeared somewhat like a game to play soldiers and Indians, to test if repeating rifles compared favorably with wooden bows and arrows. The most recent game is the bribery of tribes for NAIS conquest.

Sec. Vilsack says NAIS is $170 million to date

On August 31, Secretary Vilsack stated that “…..the USDA has spent $170,000,000 to promote the NAIS program.” Although it has been the “shining program on a hill” for USDA, it has met with dismal disaster and disgust to 95% of livestock producers.

An extraordinary crime: The senseless killing of 700 Elk in Minnesota

PPJG Original article  4:15 cst  September 23, 2009

 

by Marti Oakley (C) 2009

When I read that a prized herd of 700 elk in southeastern Minnesota was being destroyed by sharpshooters under the employ of the USDA, I just couldn’t help but wonder what was really going on.  Supposedly, from all published accounts, a dead cow had tested positive for Chronic Wasting Disease.  This supposedly occurred in January of 2009 and the herd has been quarantined since that time.  In my opinion, this is what the elk herd really suffered from: 

Chronic, “These elk are in the way of our new investment and building plans; help us get rid of them” disease.

June 18, 2008     

TOWER INVESTMENTS UNVEILS PLANS FOR BIOTECHNOLOGY CENTER AT ELK RUN FACILITY.

Intro from this publication: (excerpted)

Pine Island, Minn. – (June 18, 2008) – Tower Investments, LLC announced today at the Bio2008 International Convention in San Diego, Calif., plans for the Biotechnology Center at Elk Run (BCER) research, development and manufacturing facility. The center is a nonprofit organization committed to the development of biotechnology firms, technologies and services. Its first home—part of the 200-acre BioBusiness Park at Elk Run—is the first building slated for construction as part of the 2,325-acre master planned Elk Run development. (end excerpt)

Unfortunately for Tower Investments, a herd of 700 elk stood in the way of their grand scheme.  Actually, the herd represented a minor nuisance as Tower Investments immediately began working with local Representative, (D) Tim Walz which proved quite beneficial.

Twitter, Facebook, and the fate of NAIS

D o w n s i z e r – D i s p a t c h

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Share this message with your friends: http://www.downsizedc.org/blog/twitter-facebook-and-the-fate-of-nais

Quote of the Day: “There are two kinds of people, those who want to be left alone and those who won’t leave them alone.” Doreen Hannes

Subject: Twitter, Facebook, and the fate of NAIS

Washington, DC is relentless in its pursuit of central control. Some people think the opposition to DC should be centralized and coordinated as well. They’d like to fight fire with fire.

But the most effective way to Downsize DC is to inspire more and more people to just say no. It can work. It has worked.

Consider the National Animal Identification System (NAIS). It was envisioned as early as the 1990’s, and plans were put in place in the years 2002-2005. And yet . . .

Government out to destroy American farmer

The Payson Roundup        

by: S. Weyand

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This government seems desperate to destroy the small American farmer and organic farmers. This is clearly a bill written with the help of Big Agra, ie, Monsanto. HR 2749 came out of the worst of the “food safety” legislative bills.

This bill would give the Food and Drug Administration the power to quarantine a geographic area. Including “prohibiting or restricting movement of food or of any vehicle being used or that has been used or that has been used to transport or hold such food within the geographic area.” [This means “that has been used to transport or hold such food” would mean all cars that have ever brought groceries home or any pickup someone has eaten take-out in, so this means All transportation can be shut down under this].

USDA Doesn’t Respond, or Responds Inadequately, to Specific Questions

August 18, 2009
Phone: 406-672-8969;
e-mail: sdodson@r-calfusa.com

Billings, Mont. — As promised, R-CALF USA has launched a 12-day blitz of news releases to explain in detail many of the reasons our members oppose the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) National Animal Identification System (NAIS).

With this effort, R-CALF USA hopes to bring to light many of the dangerous aspects associated with NAIS with regard to invasion-of-privacy issues, the likely acceleration of the ongoing exodus of U.S. cattle producers from the industry, as well as other concerns we believe USDA has not even begun to ponder. Click here to view the entire 13-pages of formal comments R-CALF USA submitted to the agency on Aug. 3, 2009, to, yet again, oppose the implementation of NAIS.

NAIS ~~~~ a COCKSURE CONJECTURE

NAIS Stinks <nonais@naisstinks.com

By Darol Dickinson
9-9-09

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Scripts for NAIS state directors have been prepared with Delphi anti-groupthink interrogation techniques. Neil Hammerschmidtz, facilitator Larry Miller, change agent Jeri Dick and John Weimer at USDA have perfected these deceptive, contradictory and extreme methods to high pressure sell the flawed thought of NAIS.

President Eisenhower said, “Farming looks mighty easy when your plow is a pencil, and you’re a thousand miles from the corn field.” Born in Abilene, Kansas, an area known for corn and wheat production, was the authoritative background of this presidential quote. Oh, for a quote today with accuracy and experience to back it up! Quotes by elected leaders today contain larger words, eloquence and surety, yet completely lacking integrity.

The National Animal Identification System (NAIS), proposed by profit motive industries, the World Trade Organization and fund-hungry USDA branches are riddled with pabulum substance quotes. Different from the factual Eisenhower, but similar in that quotes are coming from high up leadership with degrees as long as a wagon tongue; today’s honesty is sickly void. As highly paid government employees make poorly thought-out quotes, their numbers often reflect the serious need of a $3 Chinese calculator.

A Time To Be Serious

With up to 2000 U.S. ranchers going belly up per month, grandiose quotes of great profit from beef exports quickly perk the ear of hard working livestock people. Even though they seldom check the numbers, USDA leaders can tease a rancher off a cliff with a grandiose profit theory.

In a recent Beef Magazine article called “Put up or shut up” the author quoted, “If we do nothing and we lose market access……the losses would amount to $18.25/head if we do not adopt NAIS and we lose 25% of export market share.”

Only Listen to Exact Data

What is market share? Last year, 2008, the USA exported beef, live and processed, a total value of $2,876,906,000. The same year the USA imported beef, live and processed, paying exactly $4,764,392,000. In simple terms, this means the US doesn’t produce enough beef to feed the nation and nearly two billion dollars worth of beef must be imported. Annually this data changes very little.

If export sales are reduced there will not be a need to import as much product. If export sales are increased there will be a need to import that much more to feed the nation. Therefore, all the scuttlebutt about increasing exports to help ranchers be more profitable is no more than Botox verbiage.

The $18.25/head loss without NAIS on all 97,000,000 U.S. cattle equals $1,770,250.000. Wow, that causes most of the whole export income to go away. Perhaps the $18.25 figure was slightly exaggerated – like a 93% exaggeration! Today, not a single country requires animal tracing to purchase USA beef.

The King of Exaggerations

Beef ~~ Buy in bulk and Save from US beef producer Darol Dickinson

 www.head2tail.com

 

Beef ~~ Buy in bulk and Save

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Avoid Expensive purchases.

The most expensive meats are purchased at huge local grocery stores. This habit of purchasing is attractive and convenient. Customer enhancements include small sizes, flashy promotions, special light effects and bright colorful packaging. Pricey meats are promoted in “bite size” packages. As food gets higher, portions get smaller.

Consumers often purchase more than once a week causing the dollars to appear less per trip, but actually, the opposite happens when considering long term family food costs.

Chinese/Brazil burgers?

Store displays often provide products from dozens of countries, all with less sanitary production than the USA. Even with Country of Origin laws it is still difficult to identify the source. Some labels say, “Product of Mexico, Canada and USA.” A ground beef product could mix lean frozen trim from Australia, 40% fat could be added from Canadian feed lot steers and include a pinch of USA product. That is how it can, and does work.

All Natural safe foods for important families.

Longhorns Head to Tail Store (LHT) is simple and economical in an otherwise confusing global food system. All LHT meat products are raised and grown naturally in Ohio. No hormones, steroids, growth implants or unnecessary antibiotics are used. Cattle are free range grazed, drink spring water and eat abundant native Appalachian grasses.  Simple, old fashioned, healthy and good.

Get Lean, not Fat.

Halves of beef are available cut and wrapped in single portions. The vacu-wrap, air tight, fast frozen process seals flavor and prevents freezer aging. Each half of beef comes in 11″ X 12″ X 21″ boxes. (Normally 4 boxes per half) A half beef is 6 to 7.5 cubic feet. This fits easily into a 6.8 cubic foot freezer sold by most appliance stores for $155 to $180. The cost for freezer electricity is $30 + – per year.  www.head2tail.com

Five family processing plants cut and wrap LHT products. The plant owners work consistently on site. These are not huge factories with illegals doing the work. All are Ohio State or USDA inspected. Although some plants are a good distance from Barnesville, the travel is worth the personal quality control.

Easy Transport of frozen product.

All product is available at the LHT Store at 35000 Muskrat, Barnesville, Ohio. Halves of beef may be transported for up to 20 hours without thaw as a result of special packing. It is easy to transport frozen product. LHT delivery routes include areas of Cleveland, Columbus, St. Louis, Colorado Springs, Little Rock, Morgantown, Hagerstown, Tulsa, and Ft. Worth.  Request details.  www.head2tail.com

Buying in volume saves.

Purchasing in volume can save the average family of 5 up to $800 per year. LHT halves are priced at $2.75 per lb. hanging weight. A half beef weighs from 290 to 390 lbs. Quarters are also available for those with less storage space. The LHT Certified Texas Longhorn Beef can be purchased from a pound to hundreds of pounds. Volume discounts are available on 50 lbs. or more.

The Highest Quality, Lean & healthy.

Lean grind is a full steer product including all steaks, roasts, yet removing fat trim. It is not generic scrap trimmings from over fattened feed lot steers. LHT grind averages 92% lean. There is no comparison in taste and health values for the money. The real proof is taste and cooking qualities.  Call 740 758 5050 to reserve a half for your family. Special custom cutting can be ordered in advance.  www.head2tail.com

Provided by Longhorns Head to Tail Store, 35000 Muskrat, Barnesville, Ohio

Call for an appointment at your convenience to pick up Certified Texas Longhorn Beef products. 740 758 5050 Ask for “Teu.”

Products Bulk and Sides Canned Beef Gift Packs

Advantages Our Goal… Emergency Food Order

Proposed Federal Rules Could Competitively Injure Small, Local and Organic Fresh Market Produce Growers

This can’t be right!  This is right out of HR 2749 the fake food safety bill…….and organic growers were supposedly NOT going to be affected. Oh! But wait!  This is the Codex Alimentarius Committees’ rules on food (also written into 2749) doing the advance work for the new food police.  Isn’t the Codex committee on plants and veggies meeting this very next week, right in our nations capital to finalize codifying Codex into US laws?  I swear those guys at the USDA……what a sense of humor.  They deserve an award!  I’ve got it!  Jackass Alert#3!!  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From the Madison County (central NY) Cornell Cooperative Extension Newsletter.  They just will not STOP until there is not a single small farm left! 

USDA Schedules Public Hearings to Obtain Citizens’ Concerns and Suggestions

The “Leafy Green Marketing Agreement,” which requires producers to follow a set of rules (metrics) in the name of food safety, has already shown to be injurious for the environment, biodiversity, and organic growers in California.  The USDA is now considering a similar “Leafy Green Marketing Agreement” that would extend beyond California and Arizona to cover the entire United States­let’s help make this rule work for growers of all sizes!
 
The USDA has scheduled a series of hearing sessions, around the country, inviting you to this perfect opportunity to share your concerns and suggestions. 
 
Make your voice heard!­if you are able to attend, we urge you to speak on behalf of the organic and family-scale farming community.  (See below for locations and dates.)

High Quality and Organic Growers Competitively Disadvantaged

Producers’ experiences in California, where these metrics have been in place for several years, reveal what is at stake.  While food safety is a legitimate national concern, organic and small-scale farmers bear a disproportionate economic burden of these metrics.  Consider this: