NAIS...

I have been reading all over the Internet about this new? government (USDA) program that is being implemented, and boy am I confused!!!

From what I understand NAIS is a voluntary program for farmers, homesteaders, and ranchers to register their property and their livestock so that the animals can be tracked from birth to slaughter. Okay, I understand someone might want to know where an animal has been, but what is wrong with just keeping a log? and this is supposed to combat terrorism by preventing terrorists from doing something to our food sources. Now, this is where I started to get confused. A terrorist is going to give a cow TB or something and kill the country???

Then I read where NAIS is completely voluntary, but in Michigan there is a case where they got a search warrant to tag all of the cows and in Colorado kids were banned from participating in the State fair since their parents ranches were not registered with NAIS, What???

Apparently other "industrialized" countries are doing it so, we need to too, but it is expensive, and jeopardizes farmers privacy and requires them to immunize all animals ( say goodbye to antibiotic and hormone free!!!) . Also all animals any one Might think of ever eating including horses ( come on when was the last time you ate horse???) have to be registered. This is insane. And expensive enough that it could put many small farms out of business.

While I am admitting I don't know that much about it, and I am very confused, I am against NAIS. I also think this isn't something we need to leave for the farmers, ranchers, and homesteaders to fight for on their own. Everyone who enjoys freedom, and privacy, and organic, antibiotic free food needs to step up on this one and Just say NO! Apparently it is even being done sneakily some places where it is being hidden inside of a general farm bill.

Anyways, if anyone can give me more information, or help me get un-confused about this please leave me a comment or email me.