National Animal Identification System (NAIS)
What is NAIS?
Also referred to as Animal ID, the National Animal Identification System is a national program intended to identify all agricultural animals and track them as they come into contact with animals other than herdmates from their premises of origin. The main objective, as writen by the USDA, is to develop and implement a comprehensive infomation system which will support ongoing animal disease programs and enable State and Federal animal health officials to respond rapidly and effectively to animal health emergencies such as foreign animal disease oubreaks or emerging domsetic disease. The program is NOT mandatory, but the state and federal plan is for mandatory registration by 2008.
Although the program appears to be for the public good, the fine print exposes the underlying truth of an attempt to further privatize the U.S. livestock industry for the benefit of large corporations to manipulate the markets. The NAIS does nothing to prevent any animal disease outbreaks such as avian flu or bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) with no capacity to trace forward to protect consumers. Also, NAIS is not necessary since mandatory country-of-origin labeling was enacted in the 2002 Farm Bill.
For more information:
Read the Western Organization of Resource Councils' NAIS Factsheet: Too Many Unanswered Questions
A great explanation and analysis: The Truth About the Animal ID Plan by Jack Kittredge
