March 24, 2009:

SB 682, which would limit NAIS to a voluntary program only, was left pending by the Texas Senate Agriculture Committee after public testimony at yesterday's hearing.  This means that the Committee has not voted to approve the bill.  We are hoping that a vote will occur at the Committee's meeting next Monday.
 
If you have not yet called to ask the Committee to vote YES on SB 682, please call this week!

Take Action

1)  Below is a list of Committee members.  If your Senator is on the list, call and urge him to vote YES on SB 682.  Be polite, and keep your conversation short and simple.  The key message is: "I am a constituent, and I want my Senator to vote YES on SB 682."
 
If you're not sure who your Senator is, go to http://www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us/ or call the Capitol Switchboard at 512-463-4630.  All phone and fax numbers are (512) area code.  Calls and faxes have more of an impact than emails.

• Craig Estes, Chair.  Phone:  463-0130; Fax: 463-8874
• Carlos Uresti, Vice-Chair.  Phone: 463-0119; Fax: 463-1017
• Glenn Hegar.  Phone: 463-0118; Fax: 475-3736 
• Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa.  Phone: 463-0120; Fax: 463-0229
• Mike Jackson.  Phone: 463-0111; Fax: 475-3727   

2)  No matter where you live, please call the Committee CHAIR, Senator Estes, at 512-463-0340, to urge his support for SB 682.  Again, keep it short and polite. 

3)  If your Senator is not on the Committee, call and ask him or her to support SB 682 by signing on as a co-author.  

Myths and Facts from the Hearing

Thank you to the many people who have already called the Committee!  And special thanks to the people who came to the hearing!!  Dozens of people came and either testified or signed up in support of the bill, and stayed throughout the hearing to send the message to the Committee - and the rest of the Senate - that Texans care about this issue and are watching what they do.  In addition to FARFA, several other organizations also testified in support of the bill: Texas Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, Texas Farmers Union, Texas Landowners Council, Texas Eagle Forum, and the U.S. Boer Goat Association.  Thank you!

Agribusiness showed up in force for the hearing, too, with Texas Farm Bureau, Texas Cattle Feeders, Texas Poultry Federation, Texas Association of Dairymen, and Texas Pork Producers all opposing SB 682.  In other words, these groups want to keep the current law, which allows TAHC to make NAIS mandatory whenever it decides to, including fines and criminal penalties for noncompliance.
 
Three myths are being spread by Texas Farm Bureau and others:
 
1)  MYTH: SB 682 & HB 3322 would require a fee for anyone who participates in a voluntary animal identification program.

FACT: The bill says that the agency may assess a fee on participants.  The agency can choose to make that fee ZERO.  And since the program would be voluntary, people could simply choose not to participate if the agency ever did set a fee. 

2)  MYTH: SB 682 & HB 3322 prohibit the TAHC from requiring livestock identification under several current programs, such as scrapie and brucellosis.

FACT: SB 682 and HB 3322 prohibit the TAHC from mandating NAIS or requiring NAIS-compliant livestock identification under current programs.  The agency can continue with its existing programs without any problem.  The bills do prevent the agency from using the existing programs as a back-door method for mandating NAIS -- which we have seen happen already in Michigan with its tuberculosis program.

3)  MYTH:  The existing law limits TAHC's authority to a voluntary program only until the USDA makes it mandatory.  The argument is that the existing law says that the TAHC's program must be "consistent with" the NAIS, and the federal NAIS is voluntary.  

FACT: The TAHC has never acknowledged any such limit on its power, and has already taken actions directly contradicting this claim.  In December 2005, the TAHC proposed making NAIS premises registration mandatory 18 months before the timeline set out in the USDA's draft guidance document. 
 
In addition, since then, the USDA has explicitly stated that mandatory state NAIS programs are allowed, and has also explicitly approved of States using misleading and coercive methods to increase registrations.  Without SB 682 and HB 3322, Texans remain subject to the TAHC's discretion as to when and how it wishes to implement NAIS! 

If you are a member of Texas Farm Bureau, be sure to mention that when you call the Senators and be very clear that Farm Bureau is NOT speaking for you!  And then call your County Farm Bureau office, and tell them that you expect Farm Bureau to stop spreading inaccurate information about these bills! 
 
And spread the word by sharing this email with your friends and neighbors! 

As I testified at yesterday's hearing, the 2007 Census showed double digit growth in the number of small farms with cattle, sheep, and poultry in Texas, compared to the 2002 Census.  Small farms, and the consumers who buy from them, are making a comeback!
 
But there are a lot of companies who would profit from NAIS: agribusinesses that want to exploit the export market, tag manufacturers, and all the different entities who have their eye on the running the NAIS databases.  Not to mention the nonprofits that have received grants to promote NAIS, like the National Pork Board and National Milk Producers Federation.  And they don't care if their profits are made on the backs of small farms, homesteads, and pet owners. 
 
This is going to be a tough fight, and we need everyone's help!  Please take a few moments to call your Senator to urge him or her to support SB 682, and stay tuned for more alerts as the Texas legislative session continues.
 
 
Sincerely,
 

Judith McGeary
Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance
www.FarmAndRanchFreedom.org
Phone: 512-243-9404
Toll-free: 866-687-6452