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SEMG
Action Alerts
Below is an an example
of a past action alert; this space is reserved for
future action alerts. If you know of any high environmental
urgency campaigns that need to be publicized, please assemble
a similarly detailed and organized statement, and forward
to Hal Newnan, HNewnan@SBCGlobal.net
for placement.
IMMEDIATE ACTION NEEDED TO PROTECT OUR FOOD SUPPLY! FIGHT CATTLE
ID!
Please act by February
9, 2007!
We face a serious threat to our food supply.
The Michigan Department of Agriculture (MDA) has pushed through
a requirement to add a new electronic tag to all cattle by March
1, 2007, just weeks from now. This is a needless, costly procedure
that will saddle small family farms with practical, financial,
and ethical burdens. Many may leave the business rather than
comply, or be forced out by the costs. While this is being done
under the guise of the tuberculosis program, it is also the
start of a federal program, called the National Animal Identification
System (NAIS), which will bring all animals (including pets)
under massive government surveillance.
MDA's plan will harm both farmers and consumers. Please contact
our Governor and ask her to halt the program until reasonable
alternatives can be found.
WHAT
TO DO - CONTACT THE GOVERNOR: Between Wednesday, January
17, and Friday, February 9, call, fax, e-mail or write the Governor.
Focus on just one or two points in each message. State your
name and address and ask the Governor to stop implementation
of the Michigan Mandatory Animal Radio Frequency Identification
(RFID) Program. This is the only way we can stop this with so
little time left.
We need 3,000 messages to get her attention enough to act. We
can do this! (1) contact the Governor yourself and (2) forward
the alert to 10 friends. We need to reach farmers and consumers
throughout the state with this request!
CONTACT
INFORMATION:
Governor Jennifer M. Granholm, P.O. Box 30113, Lansing, MI
48909
Phone: (517) 373-3400
Fax: (517) 335-6863
Email form: http://www.michigan.gov/gov/0,1607,7-168-21992_21995-65331--,00.html
WHAT
TO SAY & HOW
Call, fax, and email are best if you can do it. Below are
talking points that you may use in your messages. Be sure
to personalize your call, email or letter - tell her a bit
about who you are and why you think this is important. Show
you care, but stay polite.
MESSAGES
DUE TO GOVERNOR FEBRUARY 9TH - MEETING
Friday, February 9th is the target date to deliver messages.
We will then ask the Governor for an in-person meeting to
present the issues. If you must use mail, for religious reasons,
just send the letters as soon as you can.
FOR
MORE INFORMATION, go to www.libertyark.net or contact
Lisa Imerman at lrimerman@comcast.net or 248-618-9266.
TALKING POINTS
ECONOMIC DAMAGE. NAIS and
the Michigan's Mandatory RFID Cattle tagging program will
drive farmers and ranchers out of business and hurt Michigan's
economy:
- There has been no cost analysis by
USDA or MDA.
- Costs of the program = the cost of
the tags, hardware, software, and labor.
- Small farmer and ranchers will pay
these costs, and many cannot afford it.
- Service providers (veterinarians,
feed stores, auction houses, meat processors, etc.) will
be harmed when the farmers and ranchers go out of business.
- Remaining farmers will pass the costs
on to consumers, lowering demand for local foods.
- The Governor's Michigan Food Policy
Council recommended increasing the purchasing of Michigan-grown
food products, supporting local farmers, to stimulate Michigan's
economy. MDA's program undermines these goals.
- Export isn't the answer for Michigan's
local farmers.
NO SCIENTIFIC BASIS:
- Neither the USDA nor the MDA
has scientific proof show that this will improve disease
control.
- It does not address the cause, treatment,
or transmission of disease, in domestic or wild animals.
- It does not significantly improve
on current methods for identification and tracking of disease.
Even with the RFID program in place, MDA recommends farmers
still keep written field records. So, farmers must now use
two systems.
NOT FOR FOOD SAFETY: The program will
not improve food safety.
- USDA itself has stated that
this is not a food safety program
- Contamination of food with e. coli
and other bacteria occurs at the slaughterhouse or afterwards.
NOT ABOUT TERRORISM: The program will
not protect against terrorism.
- The microchips chosen by the state
can be cloned, destroyed, or infected with computer viruses,
and reprogrammed. Any terrorist or thief can use this.
- The database of information will be
created by Michigan but available to USDA. Government databases
can be hacked into.
UNCONSTITUTIONAL: The NAIS and Michigan's
mandatory Cattle RFID tagging program infringes on people's
constitutional rights, including due process, privacy, and
religious freedom. MDA's proposal to address religious concerns
isn't fully defined.
VOLUNTARY: Federal NAIS USDA states that
NAIS is voluntary at the federal level, so there is no "federal
mandate" requiring MDA to move forward with this program.
- The MDA has signed a Cooperative
Agreement with USDA, however, and is also getting federal
funds for implementing the cattle tagging program. MDA is
following funding, not the will of the citizens of the state.
- MDA also has a conflict of interest
because one of the main officials implementing this program,
Kevin Kirk, is the Treasurer for an industry organization
(NIAA) that is advocating for NAIS.
NO LEGAL BASIS: MDA is implementing this
new program via policy change, with no new legislation or
the normal regulatory process. Without any pre-notification,
the MDA simply assigned a USDA. premises number to all people
who had herds tested in the TB Eradication program, which
may lead to expensive litigation over misuse of people's information.
CONCLUSION: Many legislators are prepared
to address the issue, but they need more time. We implore
the Governor to stop this program before March 1.
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