Have you heard of the NAIS? If not, it is important that you understand a bit about it as our hobby would be affected tremendously if it were to go into full effect. Below are several email discussions about it that will help you understand what it is and what you can do.

Email #1 from Joe Powers...

Hi all

In case you have not heard about it, the USDA is putting into effect a National Animal Identification System (NAIS). This system will require all hobby breeders to submit records within 48 hours of any and all movements of their animals. Rabbits it appears will have to be microchipped. Some birds might be allowed to use the current type bands that are in use. Some may have to have a 13 - 16 digit ID band. If one dies, we go to a vet with one, or take some to a show, some are born, or sold, all has to be sent in with in 48 hours the way it now reads. This law is going to cover all animals including grandma in her condo with her parakeet as it now reads. If this passes it will hurt a lot of people, and especially the 4-Her's. We have to fight it.

I used the attached petition at the York show and got more than 100 signatures. Many of the people there had no idea about this law. Some knew about PAWS, but this is in addition to PAWS. Now we have TWO to fight.

Attached are some info on this as well as a petition against NAIS on a National level. We also need to fight NAIS on a state level, as each state is being allowed to set their own guidelines as long as they are within the Federal perimeters.

Please make copies of the petition and basic info and take it to your feed store, to your vet, and any shows or swap/trade days you get to. When you get some sheets filled mail them to Karin at the address shown. Find out what is going on in your state -- Wisc. has already passed a form of NAIS and it seems that Ohio and Texas will soon follow. Others are in the works. Right now it is voluntary but in the near future it will be made mandatory. We need to fight it now, before it becomes mandatory so we can get small animals out of this mess.

The big meat producers are pushing this, as well as some microchip companies with both wanting to end up with more business. We need to fight back now.

Please feel free to pass this on to anyone you know with any sort of animals.

Thanks!

Joe Powers

Email #2 from Joe Powers in response to the question: Wonder if pigeons and doves will be classed as poultry?

Hi all

Yes, Pigeons and Doves are included in the NAIS plans. On their own and not as poultry. Right now there is a chance that our normal bands will be allowed as ID. That is not set in stone at this time -- just a chance. Original plans called for somewhere between 13 and 16 digits for the ID. Was originally set as having to microchip all animals. Part of the force behind this NAIS plan are some of the microchip manufacturers -- and that comes from one of the USDA people involved with NAIS. Between them and the big meat companies they are pushing for this -- and very hard. Whether it works or not they can say that they are doing what they can for tracking animals. Big business would like nothing more than to put the Mom and pop places out of business so they get more of the market. That includes the organic farmers too -- the big guys want it all. So we get caught in the middle and get dragged down as well.

The two major poultry clubs are working hard to get things changed to use normal bands or wing tags rather than having to microchip. If the rabbit club is not successful in their attempts to get relief all rabbits will have to be microchipped -- even those leaving the property to be butchered.

I am on a committee made up of a variety of folks with many different animals. As this NAIS stands right now, each state is allowed to make up their own 'rules' as long as they are within federal limits. That is going to create a mess in trying to set up a computer program to track everything. What is being asked is that all movements, births, deaths, sales be turned in within 48 hours. That is going to create an unreal amount of paper work for us hobby breeders. The cost to handle this paper work is not going to be in the state or federal budgets -- so look for it to cost us each time we have to turn a report in.........Speaking of federal, there is no federal law mandating all of this. The USDA is pushing for it due to pressure by the big businesses mentioned above. Where is our privacy going?

Latest news is out of Virginia where they are trying to pass a law that makes it mandatory for all poultry to be under roof. No open pens or free range animals allowed. This is being pushed for by one of the big chicken companies who are trying to control their market.

Add PAWS to this -- and we are facing some bad times with our hobby. The AKC has joined Santorum in pushing for PAWS, in hopes that they (AKC) gets to do all of the inspections. Can you imagine the problems we are going to see with this? Someone who may or may not know something about dogs, coming to inspect a property with pigeons, doves or poultry who just left a pig farm, or a chicken or turkey (commercial) farm down the road. If bio-security is not followed to a high degree we are going to have all sorts of diseases brought into our property by these inspectors. To top it all of, we have to pay for these inspections -- and if we are not there when they come we will be fined or charged X amount for not being there between the hours of 7 AM and 5 PM as the law (now reads) we have to be.

If I can help anyone with questions on this, do not hesitate to ask. I got involved with this to keep the NPA board abreast of what is going on.

Have a great weekend.

Joe Powers

Email #3 from Joe Powers

Hi all

Attached is an article from the March Poultry Press (100Kb) that just arrived here. I will contact one of the committee members to find out what is needed to have contact with the "Species Working Group Committee" and let you know what I find out. Seems to me that is a place that we need to be talking -- be it Doves, Pigeons or Rabbits.

For those not aware of it, I am on a working group fighting against NAIS. I got on this committee for President Tyndall of the National Pigeon Ass'n. I will keep everyone getting this email advised of what I learn with this group. This group has some good basic info available, as well as a petition going. If you have not gotten this petition, let me know, and I will fwd it to you. It is a start but what is really needed is letter upon letter to our politicians telling them we do not want NAIS to affect our hobby.

It seems bands might be acceptable to the USDA for poultry and pigeons. Doves should fall under this as well, but it is not going to happen if we sit back and wait and watch. Rabbits are set to be microchipped, so the rabbit people have a fight to get the USDA to accept tattoos. Will they? I do not know.

As an aside, much of the pushing on this NAIS started with the big feed companies and some micro chipping (yes they want more business!!) companies with a story about how things would look better if an outbreak occurred if we can track all the animals involved.

Joe Powers

Another email. This one forwarded by James Lavergne from a pigeon email list.

From: Tommy Erskine <squirt16oz@gmail.com>
To: bernskip@aol.com <bernskip@aol.com>
Cc: augrow@aol.com; aupromo@aol.com; gary.braden@comcast.net;
rdcarney@cox.net; ravnman@yahoo.com; rmortvedt@verizon.net; RokRunRod@aol.com
Sent: Thu, 9 Mar 2006 10:14:58 -0500
Subject: Re: (Nuns) Fwd: NAIS -- important please read

No, no, no, no....I could be mistaken, but I think somebody is working with old information, here. The American Racing Pigeon Union, Inc. has been on top of this from the git-go. We have met with several government officials just a few weeks ago and have had dozens of meetings with USDA officials regarding this and other issues and at present this is not gonna happen for us pigeon
folks...at least, not for the near future. There are just TOO many of us, TOO many pigeons, and when taken in the context of all the rest of the animals that the proposal states are supposed to be registered, it would create a major headache just from an administrative point of view. That does not mean that states cannot on their own develop and implement a system? but if the feds can't keep up with it, then how can the states??. There are just too many details for the USDA and other government officials to work out? for the animal species databases alone!

This is an example of another one of those bold, after the fact, reactive Government programs that was put into place without anybody thinking about how, who, what, where and when. It came about as a result of some cows that slipped through from Canada and later were diagnosed with mad cow disease! (I guess I'd be mad, too, if they stuck me in a truck and drove me 2000 miles to
stand me in a muddy lot for slaughter!).

Politically the sport was dead in the water for a long time until the AU decided to do something! Rest assured that if anything develops, the AU will be right there to make our voices heard, but we can't do it alone! We spend literally thousands of dollars a year to stay in touch with government officials, research institutes, other bird organizations and numerous other entities in an effort to head off rules and regulations that would harm our sport and hobby! Our lobbyist alone charges us $400 an HOUR to work for us? that's 16 AU members just to pay for him to make some phone calls? one time!!!!

Some pigeon fanciers think that the AU's annual $25 dues is too much money to spend to protect their birds or to keep their lofts. For those of us who really care about the birds and our right to have them, that is a small price to pay to support such a proactive organization!! Ask any other "national" organization how much they spent to protect the sport last year! Ask them how much they pay their lobbyist or which government official/s they sat down with and expressed their concerns about our sport and hobby!! Any amount spent would come as a surprise to me, as would the name of any official!! Make your money count, come join the AU and watch things happen for a change!