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Montana Cattlemen's Association Press Release Release Date: June 12, 2009 MCA Attends NAIS Listening Session Montana Cattlemen's Association (MCA) was represented by former MCA president Paul Ringling and Animal ID Committee Chairman Hugh Broadus at the NAIS listening session recently held in Rapid City, South Dakota. MCA was the only Montana organization present to speak in opposition to the proposed mandatory National Animal Identification System program. There were over 350 ranchers in attendance from at least eight states. Only five speakers favored the mandatory system. Ringling reported, "In the standing-room-only meeting, the message to USDA by producers was crystal clear - 'We ain't gonna do it!' Producers feel this is an unnecessary program and the costs far outweigh any benefits." Hugh Broadus commented, "Mandatory NAIS will be burdensome and costly to most cattle producers. NAIS does not solve the problem of diseases coming into the U.S. from other countries. There is not sufficient evidence to indicate that a mandatory national identification system would track livestock any more efficiently or quickly than those identification systems already in place, including the hot brand and metal brucellosis tag." Montana Cattlemen's Association has submitted written comments to USDA opposing mandatory NAIS and asking that Federal funding to promote this program be halted. |
