***USA - ACTION ALERT***

Farmers and Consumers Tell USDA “No NAIS!”  Add Your Voice!

USDA has held six “listening sessions” on NAIS so far, and all of them have been dominated by individuals and organizations opposed to NAIS!   The few pro-NAIS speakers have been almost entirely from a small handful of industrial agriculture organizations, in contrast to the wide range of farmers, homesteaders, horse owners, and consumers who have spoken against NAIS.

There are seven more sessions scheduled in the next month, in California, Colorado, Florida, Missouri, New Mexico, North Carolina, and South Dakota.   These meetings are an important opportunity to make your voice heard! Come to the meeting nearest you, and bring all your friends and neighbors!  If you can’t come in person, USDA is accepting written comments both online and through the mail.  Details on where, when, and how are all below.

For more information about NAIS:
http://www.FarmAndRanchFreedom.org
http://www.farmtoconsumer.org/nais.html
http://www.westonaprice.org/federalupdate/nais.html


Seven meetings still to go!

Monday, June 1: Loveland, Colorado: The Ranch, Larimer County Fairgrounds and Events Complex, 5280 Arena Circle, Suite 100

Tuesday, June 9: Jefferson City, Missouri, location tbd

Thursday, June 11: Rapid City, South Dakota, location tbd

Tuesday. June 16: Albuquerque, New Mexico, location tbd

Thursday, June 18: Riverside, California, location tbd

Thursday, June 25: Raleigh, North Carolina, location tbd

Saturday, June 27: Jasper, Florida, location tbd

TIME:  Registration starts at 8 am.  The meeting is scheduled from 9 am - 4 pm, although several meetings have ended early.

REGISTRATION:

1)   Pre-register Online: Send an email to [email protected]  In the subject line of the e-mail, indicate your name and the location of the meeting you plan to attend. If you wish to present public comments, please include your name and address in the body of the message.

2)  Pre-register by Phone: call 301-734-0799

3)  Register the day of the meeting, starting at 8 am at the meeting location

Submit written comments!

USDA is accepting written comments through the end of June (and possibly longer).  You can use the sample comments posted on FARFA’s website: http://farmandranchfreedom.org/content/Sample-comments    Be sure to personalize them to have the greatest impact!

Submit comments ONLINE: http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=DocketDetail&d=APHIS-2009-0027   
The Federal Register site can be confusing and difficult.  Here's what to do:
1)  Click on the yellow balloon under the "add comments" column
2)  Fill out the required fields and type in your comments. If your comments are more than a paragraph or so, we recommend that you first write them in a word document, and then copy & paste them into the comments field.
3)  Click on "next step"
4)  At the end of the process, you should receive a confirmation number.

or MAIL to:
Attn NAIS
Surveillance and Identification Programs
National Center for Animal Health Programs, VS, APHIS,
4700 River Road Unit 200
Riverdale, MD 20737

More information on the meetings

Check out the video recordings and public comments from the listening sessions, posted at http://www.farmtoconsumer.org/nais-listening-comments.htm

The participants at all the meetings so far have been overwhelmingly anti-NAIS.  Multiple organizations have worked to spread the word, encourage people to attend, and contact the media, including: the Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance, Liberty Ark, Western Organization of Resource Councils, Weston A Price Foundation, Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund, R-CALF, American Grassfed Association, CARE,  PICFA, PASA, NOFA-Mass, Massachusetts Small Holders Alliance, Alabama Sustainable Agriculture Network, Kentucky Community Farm Alliance, and more. The individuals opposing NAIS at each meeting included not only farmers and ranchers, but auction barn owners, technology experts, consumers, homesteaders, and horse owners. 

The people opposing NAIS come from all walks of life and every part of the political spectrum.  As a fifth-generation rancher stated at the Austin meeting: “I find it kinda ironic that I’m on the same side of this issue as a bunch of these old hippies.  But I am.”   In contrast, those supporting NAIS come from a very small handful of Big Ag and Technology interests.  The USDA listening sessions are bringing this truth to light, and we must keep fighting!

For more information about NAIS:
http://www.FarmAndRanchFreedom.org
http://www.farmtoconsumer.org/nais.html
http://www.westonaprice.org/federalupdate/nais.html