FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
04.13.04
For more information:
George Naylor (515-544-3464)
Kathy Ozer (202-543-5675)
52 ORGANIZATIONS CRITICIZE ANIMAL IDENTIFICATION PROPOSAL
SEND LETTER WITH CONCERNS TO US CONGRESS AND USDA
Washington, D.C. April 14, 2004--Fifty-two farm, ranch, rural,
environmental, faith, and consumer advocacy organizations sent
a letter to the U.S. Congress and USDA Secretary Ann Veneman outlining
concerns about legislative and regulatory proposals which would
fast-track a national animal identification system. The letter
cites critical problems found in the U.S. Animal Identification
Plan (USAIP), an agribusiness industry proposal to trace livestock
from birth to slaughter.
“Consumer confidence in the safety and quality of the U.S.
food supply must be established in the wake of last December’s
mad cow discovery,” said George Naylor, Iowa farmer and
President of the National Family Farm Coalition, the organization
that circulated the sign-on letter. “However, the U.S. Animal
Identification Plan as currently proposed misses the mark.”
The letter to the USDA and Congress cites major problems with
the U.S. Animal Identification Plan. These include:
• The USAIP has no provisions to prevent further introduction
of BSE in imported meat, nor foreign animal disease to the U.S.
food supply.
• Instead of coordinating, modifying or expanding already
existing state animal identification programs, the USAIP creates
an entirely new expensive bureaucracy.
• The proposed electronic chip system included in the USAIP
carries an estimated price tag of nearly $400 million over a five
year period, which doesn’t even include administrative costs.
• The USAIP has insufficient privacy controls: access to
the data should be limited to those with a legitimate, food-safety
use for the information. Under the USAIP, proprietary information
could be obtained and used discriminatorily by meatpackers, which
would increase corporate control over producers.
• The USAIP would unsuitably allow livestock commodity organizations
(most of which have a poor record representing farmers and ranchers)
to manage or subcontract animal identification implementation.
• USAIP could expose family farmers and ranchers to unwarranted
liability.
The organizations insist that any animal identification proposal
must include country of origin labeling and a means to track imported
meat. It should not expand large meatpackers’ ability to
unfairly discriminate against farmers, nor should it shift liability
from packers, feed and feed supplement suppliers to producers.
A new animal identification system must coordinate and enhance
current animal identification programs, rather than duplicating
and complicating them. It must be carefully managed and implemented
by federal agencies in full partnership with state animal health
agencies and tribal governments. The letter urges the USDA and
Congress to take sufficient time to construct a plan that maximizes
consumer safety while preventing undue economic burden to family
farmers and ranchers.
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The National Family Farm Coalition (NFFC), founded in 1986, provides
a voice for grassroots groups on farm, food, trade and rural economic
issues to ensure fair prices for family farmers, safe and healthy
food, and vibrant, environmentally sound rural communities here
and around the world. NFFC represents family farm and rural groups
in 30 states whose members' face the challenge of the deepening
economic recession in rural communities caused primarily by low
farm prices and the increasing corporate control of agriculture.
For further information about the organization, call 1-800-639-3276
or visit www.nffc.net.
