The National Animal Identification System (NAIS) was designed to trace back animal disease outbreaks within 48 hours of their initial discovery. The program was developed as a result of the Animal Health Protection Act and was included in the 2002 Farm Bill. With new worries about avian flu and other outbreaks, the system to be fully implemented in 2009 by the USDA has come under scrutiny by some members of the farming community.

NAIS has three components – premises identification, animal identification, and animal tracking. “The implementation plan continues to set an aggressive timeline for ensuring full implementation of the NAIS by 2009,” the USDA said in a recent news release. “It establishes benchmarks for incrementally accomplishing the remaining implementation goals to enable the NAIS to be operational by 2007, and to achieve full producer participation by 2009. Several important components have already been accomplished. These include: the development of premises registration systems in each state and the issuance of guidelines for the manufacture and distribution of animal identification numbers. More than 235,000 premises are currently registered.”

The USDA also discussed an animal-tracking database. “Private database owners are invited to submit applications for system evaluation to the USDA and offer feedback as the final technical requirements are established,” the USDA said. “The USDA will then enter into cooperative agreements with owners of databases that meet the standards… By early 2007, the USDA expects to have the technology in place, called the Animal Trace Processing System or commonly known as the metadata system, that will allow state and federal animal health officials to query the NAIS and private databases during a disease investigation.”

At the 139th Annual Convention, National Grange grassroots delegates from across the nation adopted clear policy in support of the NAIS. Our states:

The National Grange supports implementation of a national identification programfor livestock and poultry and will lobby for adequate funding for a national animal identification program to be administered through USDA. TheGrange will work at all levels to have stringent farmer privacy provisions included in the national identification for livestock program legislation. We further recommend that the apparent consensus preference of the cattle industry to use an electronic ear implant cattle identification process be the basis for cattle identification programs nationwide.

The U.S. Animal ID Plan (USAIP) should be the framework that USDA uses to develop and implement to trace animals in the case of a health emergency, having the following elements:

1. 48-hour trace-back capabilities
2. Confidentiality
3. One integrated system incorporating breed organization system
4. Premise Identification
5. Federal funding

The NAIS is a necessary, but complicated, federal program designed to protect the health of the livestock industry as well as human health. Recently, federal officials concluded an investigation of a confirmed BSE case in Alabama. They were unable to determine where the animal was born or if other animals might have been exposed to contaminated feed that leads to BSE. Although there have been some questions by a minority of livestock owners concerning privacy and invasiveness, Grange policy concludes that this system can be implemented in such a way as to balance the rights of the individuals against the needs of the agriculture community and consumers to safe production of food that in the final analysis, will better serve to maintain and strengthen the family farm form of agriculture production in the United States.

On April 3rd, Grange members from across the commonwealth attended the Annual Pennsylvania State Grange Legislative Luncheon in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania. Attendees of the luncheon also included several State Representatives and members of the State Agriculture Board. Pennsylvania State Grange President Betsy Huber did an excellent job of setting up an information-filled day, with many interesting and relative speakers.

Starting off the luncheon, PA State Grange lobbyists George Wolff and John Barley, of Wolff Strategies, spoke to participants about some of the legislative accomplishments of the past year and the goals for 2006. Past accomplishments include the passage of the ACRE Act, increased funding for Farmland Preservation, and the co-sponsoring of 12 listening sessions for the 2007 Farm Bill. Although these accomplishments are impressive, the Pennsylvania Grangers already have begun working on their legislative goals for the remainder of 2006. These goals include: property tax reform, affordable health care premiums and eminent domain reform. The concerted, focused, effort put forth by Wolff Strategies and the PA State Grange has proven to be effective in influencing legislation that directly affects rural Pennsylvania.

During lunch, Dennis Wolff, Secretary of the PA Department of Agriculture, Senator Michael Waugh of the PA State Senate, and Rep. Art Hershey of the PA House of Reps. presented separate proclamations announcing that April was officially Grange month in the State of Pennsylvania. Also during lunch, Peter Banks, Legislative Program Assistant of the National Grange, spoke about various National Grange issues and programs.

The luncheon concluded with two interesting informational sessions. The first presentation was about Farm Transitioning. Both Marion Bowlan, Director of PA Farm Link, and Rob Davidson, Director of the PA Dept. of Agriculture's Center for Farm Transitions spoke regarding this issue providing members with information on transitioning either out of o r into farming, particularly, handing a farm down to children or purchasing a farm to begin a career in agriculture.

The second workshop was about animal rights terrorism, presented by Dr. John Ellis, Director of the PA Society for Biomedical Research.  His workshop opened many members' eyes to the detrimental effects animal rights terrorists have on our society today and how it is necessary for those working with animals to protect themselves from becoming targets.

The Pennsylvania State Grange Legislative Luncheon was truly a success. Grangers were able to speak with their Representatives in a comfortable setting, while the Representatives were able to learn first hand what is on the minds of their constituents. The speakers also provided useful information on topics that directly affect Grangers. All of the hard work put in by the people who helped set up the Legislative Luncheon certainly paid off.

The North Carolina State Grange took its eighth annual legislative trip to our nation’s capitol April first through the fifth. On the first day of the trip we visited Mt. Vernon, home of our nation’s first President, George Washington. After checking into our hotel in Tyson’s Corner, VA, we enjoyed dinner at JR’s Stockyard Inn and Steakhouse.

Activities on Sunday began with worship at the National Cathedral, lunch and sightseeing at the US Postal Museum, Union Station, and the Marine Corps Iwo Jima Memorial. Our day of sightseeing drew to a close at Toby’s Dinner Theater in Columbia, MD, where we enjoyed dinner and a performance of the play, “Thoroughly Modern Millie”.

Day three began at the National Grange Headquarters where our legislative staff had arranged information sessions for us. Our first speaker of the day was Mr. Jeff Shipp, Vice President for Government Relations with the Farm Credit Council. He shared information with us concerning a recently issued report by the Farm Credit Council entitled “21 st Century Rural America: New Horizons for US Agriculture”.

Mr. Stephen Jones, Executive Director of the First Response Coalition spoke of the need for increased federal funding for first responders and the need to achieve interoperability for emergency personnel in local, regional and national emergencies.

Mr. Leroy Watson, Legislative Director of the National Grange, addressed current legislative projects of the National Grange, and the National Grange’s 2006 Blueprint for Rural America.

After lunch our Grange members had the opportunity to tour our National Grange Headquarters and take pictures in front of the White House. A motor tour in the afternoon afforded us a tour of the World War II, Lincoln, Korean, Vietnam, FDR, and Jefferson Memorials. We ended our day in Alexandria, VA’s Old Town district, at Gadsby’s Tavern, where we enjoyed dinner together.

Our last busy day was spent on Capitol Hill where our members visited each office of North Carolina’s Congressional Delegation. Our members were able to see nine of our thirteen Congressmen and both of our Senators. NC Grange members presented copies of the NC State Grange Policy Manual along with the National Grange’s 2006 Blueprint for Rural America to each office visited. Opportunities were granted to discuss such important North Carolina topics as immigration/H2A labor reform, estate/capital gains tax reform, WTO negotiations, 2007 Farm Bill, contract farming, rural education, rural healthcare needs, agri-terrorism and increased funding for renewable energy. Between visits some participants visited the House and Senate Galleries, the U.S. Supreme Court and the Library of Congress. At the end of a long, but successful day, we concluded with dinner before returning to our hotel, preparing to travel home the next day.

Our Legislative trip has become one of the most popular activities that North Carolina’s Grange members participate in during the year. Each year we try to have a mix of new participants along with members who have participated in past legislative visits. This year twenty-two of our forty-one participants were making their first legislative trip with us. We have been able to use this trip to promote membership growth in local Granges through interest gained by trip participants in the legislative process. Many of our participants return to their local communities and become active in attending local governmental meetings.

A joint statement issued recently by several U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and National Institute for Drug Abuse (NIDA), concluded that no sound scientific studies supported medical use of marijuana for treatment in the United States, and no animal or human data supported the safety or efficacy of marijuana for general medical use. In addition to the conclusions reached by health related federal agencies, the US Drug Enforcement Agency as the federal agency charged with enforcing the Controlled Substances Act, and the Office of National Drug Control Policy, as the federal coordinator of drug control policy, also do not support the use of marijuana for medical purposes.

The FDA is the sole federal agency that approves drug products as safe and effective. Since 1906, when the National Grange was a champion of the original pure food and medicine legislation, the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic (FD&C) Act has required that new drugs be shown to be safe and effective for their intended use before being marketed in this country. The FDA's drug approval process requires well-controlled clinical trials that provide the necessary scientific data upon which FDA makes its approval and labeling decisions. If a drug product is to be marketed, disciplined, systematic, scientifically conducted trials are the best means to obtain data to ensure that drug is safe and effective when used as indicated. Efforts to bypass the FDA drug approval process would not serve the interests of public health because they might expose patients to unsafe and ineffective drug products. FDA has not approved marijuana for any condition or disease indication.

A number of states have adopted legislation allowing personal marijuana use for medical purposes, but the federal health agencies’ joint statement said, "These measures are inconsistent with efforts to ensure that medications undergo the rigorous scientific scrutiny of the FDA approval process and are proven safe and effective." The joint statement noted "There is currently sound evidence that smoked marijuana is harmful." It also said, "There are alternative FDA-approved medications in existence for treatment of many of the proposed uses of smoked marijuana." The federal agency statement supports conclusions already drawn by the National Grange. Policy adopted by the grassroots Grange delegates during the 139 th Annual Convention of the National Grange held last November in Columbus Ohio states: “The National Grange recommends that there be no changes in the laws that currently ban the production and sale of marijuana in the United States.” Click here to view a copy of the inter-agency statement on medical marijuana use.

 

We had more than 45 Grange and 15 Junior Grange members attend our Legislative Day this year. Representative Rick Shaffer, from the 59 th District, greeted the group and gave us some information on how things are now different with term limits. Seniority is less important. You are picked for a committee by what your background is, where your expertise would best be utilized and the knowledge you have for a certain committee issues. Other Representatives spoke to us and asked for questions about their jobs.

Then we went to the House chamber and took pictures of our group on the floor of the chamber. To get on the floor you have to be a guest of a Representative. Representative Shaffer was very pleased to invite us for the picture and explained the working procedures on the floor of the house, He explained about voting. Colored buttons on each Representative’s desk are used to cast votes. He also said he would never use the yellow button. The yellow button declares that you could not decide for or against the issue. Rick made the statement that he was there to represent the people from his district and to make a decision for them and if he didn't make a decision he was not doing his job. He explained how important it was to do his homework on each bill. He also explained that each Representative had a phone and computer on their desk so they could communicate at all times. Also explained, was how much paper work the computer saves as the bills or issues on the floor are there on the computer rather than the old way of printing them.

Ron Nelson, liaison for the Farm Bureau, caught up with us as we were having our picture taken but he could not come on the floor to talk to us, as he is a lobbyist for the Farm Bureau and lobbyists are not allowed on the floor of the chamber. They have to do their business outside. We then gathered in the hallway just outside the house chamber and he told us what a challenge the Representatives and Senators have in today's world. He explained that with budget cuts and people asking for more services all the time those men and women were in a very tough spot.

We then went to the Senate Chamber while the Senate was in session. Senator Cameron Brown introduced us as a group, listing the different Granges that were represented. After the introduction, the Chair of the Senate welcomed us. From there most of the folks took a tour of the Capitol directed by Susan Martin, assistant to Rep. Shaffer. She does a wonderful job explaining things about the Capitol. Then back to "Our" room for lunch and a visit with some more of the Representatives and Senators. About 1:15 we went to the House chamber where we were introduced by Representative Shaffer and the other Representatives who had constituents there. Again, the Speaker of the House welcomed us. This is good because everyone knows that the Grange is there and is still alive and well.

I want to thank Representative Rich Shaffer and his staff Tricia McCallum and Susan Martin for all the work they have done to help make this Michigan State Grange Legislative Day a success. Also want to thank each and everyone who took part. It makes it all worth the work that goes into a project like this. Thanks to all.

Pennslyvania State Grange State Grange Master & Legislative Director: Betsy Huber
“Juniata-Mifflin-Franklin Pomona held a great Legislative Banquet on March 11 at Spruce Hill Grange’s beautiful hall, with lots of Grangers, several candidates, and three state legislators in attendance. Following my review of current issues, Legislators Corman, Benninghoff and Harris answered questions from the audience. A very successful evening.”
Connecticut State Grange Legislative Director: Gordon Gibson
“The Grange is actively working on the bill to designate Samuel Huntington, a signer of the Declaration of Independence and Governor of Connecticut for ten years, as the state statesman. As I write this column we are lobbying the Government Administration and Elections Committee to report this bill favorably.” “The Grange is lobbying for $30 million of the [budget] surplus to be dedicated to farmland preservation.”
New York State Grange State Master: Bruce Croucher
“The New York State Grange participated in a day of meetings with Legislators in Albany on March 21, 2006. The Council of Agricultural Organizations (CAO) arranged a series of 26 meetings with legislators and other officials regarding budget issues for agriculture. The priority budget issues include funding of the New York Farm Viability Institute (NYFVI), restoring agricultural funding that was not included in the Governor’s proposed budget and the promotion of renewable fuels from agriculture in New York State.”

Upcoming State Grange Legislative Days

June 15th New Jersey Legislative Day in Trenton, NJ