There is a program rolling down the Hill that will fundamentally change the way our food is grown in this country, and the very way that our countryside looks. Farmers and Food Activists have been worried about it for a long time, but we haven't been able to get "John Q. Public" to see why it matters. So, now we're faced with a Mandated program within a month, a set of hearings on the Hill in a fortnight that may eradicate a way of life that truly settled this nation, and America rolls on about its day.
Well, let DKos be my microphone: Wake Up, All Those Who Eat!
Everyone who wants healthy food, whether it's meat, milk or vegetables, needs to speak up about the dangers of the National Animal Identification System.
For those who do not eat meat, it will reach your food sources because there will be little or no organic compost for their gardens.
For those who love the environment, small farms lower "food miles," sequester carbon, create bio-diversity, support local ecosystems and actually help to heal the planet, one little farm at a time. Big Ag, who wins in NAIS, is the exact opposite in its approach to the environment, and has successfully created an "us vs. them," between "Big Ag Farmers" and environmentalists.
For foodies, the best tasting food is fresh and locally grown. The Ark of Taste, the foods prized by Chef's Collaborative, will not exist, as they do not lend themselves to industrial agriculture. True organic food, raised on diversified farms, will disappear, as their sources of organic compost fade away.
For those who value civil rights, NAIS would ignore the religious beliefs of the Amish, Mennonite and other fundamentalist religions who fear "The Mark" on their animals. It eliminates the opportunities for immigrants and families who wish to continue the foodways of their native lands. Those who come from nations where goat meat is the key source of protein, there will be no source in the US, as there is no "industrial goat corporation," (Thank God). Farmers will join the ranks of criminals who must report their movements, and will be monitored as we go on about lives. Facing unknown costs without a voice, as non-existent equipment is mandated and unavailable tools are required.
If you care about our nation's diet, sustainably raised meat, eggs, and dairy are fundamentally different in their taste and nutritional value. Corporate raised food is inferior in nutritional value, heavy on the fats, lean on the positives. It may be cheaper, unless you look at the environmental and transport costs involved in bringing it to market. Small farms raise healthier animals, and since we see our animals every day, we know their health status much sooner than any equipment monitor can detect.
And if you have ever thought about where tomorrow's food will come from, just look to agri-business. There already is no "sustainable 4H," but 4H and FFA will focus on industrial ag practices, even more than they already do. Today's children already believe that milk comes from cartons and wouldn't know a carrot if it was pulled out of the ground. They are so reliant upon processed food that they would starve in the middle of a garden. Where will tomorrow's children learn to be kind and humane in their treatment of animals? Agribusiness certainly won't teach them that.
And if all of this is still making you wonder why Farmers are still up in arms about NAIS, I give you this:
<<For those who wonder why farmers weep <br>‘Cause kids and chicks their tags don’t keep
It’s not just the pain and cost so deep,
It’s that "Government Help," as shown in "Mad Sheep."
Mad Sheep, written by Linda Faillace, explains her farm family’s experience with the USDA and its early stages Scrapie Program, which is now being used to implement NAIS. Published by Chelsea Green, read it and see why farmers are fighting so hard to protect their land, their rights, their livelihoods and their animals. Read, Pass it on, and ask the President to read it.
To protect our small farms and safest food, we all need to stop programs like the National Animal Identification System, before all our food is raised by Industrial Agriculture, taking away your choice of sustainably raised local meat, dairy and eggs. >>
If you haven't read it, please do. You may need to have some calming tea or other beverage, to help you from boiling over. But if the USDA could do this with one family, what can they do to all of us who choose to be an alternative to agri-business?
NAIS is closing in. This is the ants against the oak, David vs. Goliath. But I have to believe with this President, in these times, the ants can move the oak, and David will get to keep farming. But not without the help of all of you "eaters." It will effect your lives, your choices, and your world. We're not just "crazy farmers," screaming in the cornfield. We are one of the canaries in the coal mine. Look out for yourself, help stop NAIS.