DATCP Posts Incorrect Email Address on Website

This is an update to the post yesterday about Wisconsin and DATCP.

We want to tell DATCP that signing up farmers and other animal owners against their will under proposed rule changes ATCP 10, 12 and 17 – Wisconsin's Animal Health Rules is unconstitutional and they need to stop their proposed rule changes relating to implementing NAIS in WI. The Amish and others who object for constitutional reasons do not want to be added to a National Animal ID System, and have rights guaranteed by the constitution to not submit to a government sponsored ID program. As some one emailed me a few days ago, he just got it, this is Real ID for animals, and property. Many have been emailing that DATCP website has been posting the incorrect email address. While this email was taken directly from the their web site, it has been found to be incorrect and has bounced. Some people report that an alternate address works.

On their site it is listed as melissa.mace@wi.gov and the correct address is melissa.mace@wisconsin.org, or at least that is an address that has been getting through and not bouncing back for some people. This is inexcusable, and I would like to know what can be done and how my legislators can assist, so I have asked them. I urge you all to ask yours. Attached is also a snapshot that I took of the page that proves this information has been out there as incorrect.[I have not included this file - Henny]

http://datcp.state.wi.us/ah/agriculture/animals/health/index.jsp is the full link. Take a snapshot (control+S on a PC) and save this email to send to WI legislators and let them know that DATCP is denying you your right to submit information. I would suggest that anyone wishing to submit comments use the web site today, https://apps4.dhfs.state.wi.us/admrules/public/Search enter (Enter CR07-107 as the search term as directed by DATCP on the same page), but when I try it, it yields no results as well.

If you do an open search for Department of Ag, Trade and Consumer Protection, you can find ATCP rule 17, where you can then log in, and submit comments. Why would we log into a government website? And who knows if the snail mail address is correct? We cannot get our information to the correct people, without compromising our beliefs, so how can we speak?

Or perhaps that is the point.

I don't know about you friends, but I am tired. Not tired enough to lie down, but sick and tired of not being heard, what part about NO to NAIS are these people missing? My parents raised me to respect No, and NO means NO. That is a value that I intend to pass along to my children. Reason number 4309 to keep fighting.

Wisconsin Dept. of Ag, Alert

This is from someone in Wisconsin. This is what is happening in Wisconsin with NAIS. Wisconsin stand UP! Make yourselves heard at the state house.


Wisconsin Department of Ag wants to further criminalize farmers, and some farmers are willing to stand up and say that DATCP is violating constitutional rights by implementing NAIS. Countless refuse to cave, many are hiding in order to follow their personal, and religious rights by refusing to sign up for Premises ID, the first step in the National Animal ID System (NAIS). Amish are selling the herds and stopping farming rather than comply. While my family had been producing food for others, we had to stop in Jan 2006 because of NAIS implementation in WI. Now, even producing food for ourselves without submitting to NAIS in Wisconsin under an unconstitutional law is a crime.

The state legislature gave full authority to the DATCP to create exemptions based on size and type of farm (WI Statute 95.51 [3m]). The Dept of Ag continues to LIE to us and tell us that they want to protect us from disease, yet state statute 95.52 does not mention disease, let alone prevent or protect against it. They will argue repeatedly that they want 48 hour traceback in case of disease, but that is only after you or your animals are ill. They flatly refuse to allow testing for BSE ("mad cow" or other diseases at slaughter, and this law is the first of it's kind in the country, based on USDA rules, to pass as law.

Ag Secretary Nilsestuen says unequivocally in a Sept 2005 letter to the US House of Representatives, "We support the use of RFID technology in all livestock species as deemed effective and appropriate by the NAIS Working Species Groups". He wants all working species to be microchipped and has not recanted this statement in spite of a recent New York Times article that cites numerous studies of RFID tags causing cancer in animals.

What makes Premises ID most appalling is that WI DATCP does not keep the info it receives, they send it along to the Agribusiness Old Boys Network, alive and well and risking your health and safety in WI. Should you sign up, all information gets turned over to a private interest group, the WLIC. A group made up of Cargill, Equity, Digital Angel, Breeding Groups and microchip companies keeps the info.

DATCP now wants to give numbers in spite of resistance, in spite of constitutional rights to not be chipped or give up property rights. A PA lawsuit was resolved in 48 business hours because their Dept of Ag gave away numbers without statutory authority. The COO of WLIC told me personally last year that MI has been setting a great example for animal ID, yet in MI where state Ag authorities come onto land owned by Greg Niewendorp and microchipped his cattle without permission.

Until Thursday of this week, we have By U.S. mail to DATCP-DAH, PO Box 8911, Madison, WI 53708-8911, ATTN Melissa Mace and include subject line Proposed Changes to ATCP 10, 12 and 17 – Wisconsin’s Animal Health Rule.the opportunity to tell DATCP to stop their tyranny, to stop signing farmers up against their will for Premises ID, and to get off the Herb Kohl federally funded NAIS bandwagon.

You can send your comments to: By email to Melissa.mace@wi.gov and include subject line Proposed Changes to ATCP 10, 12 and 17 – Wisconsin’s Animal Health Rules. and tell them that they can no longer get away with tracking and usurping our property rights.

Last spring DATCP tried to sandbag me and 3 others for our opposition, we stood strong with 120 others, how many can speak out this time? The only way we can defeat this is to stand strong, and together. We will have NO local food supply if we allow this NAIS to continue. Here is the information that I have been able to put together on all of this over the past year and a half, it is included in my statements to the DATCP Board in an open hearing earlier this month:

I would like to urge this board to exercise extreme caution. By even considering signing people up against our own volition for the National Animal Identification System, you are walking on a micro-thin line.

As individuals, I would like you to remember that you also enjoy these same protections afforded under the constitution of the United States, and the Wisconsin State Constitution, both of which grant us liberty to free exercise of religion, the right to the use of our name, our papers, and personal property. As a citizen, I promise you that were something this egregious to threaten your rights by another agency, that I would stand beside you and fight with you to maintain those rights.

As a board, I want to remind you that you represent the state, and by considering these measures, the state is usurping personal rights and responsibilities from us as private individuals. I can think of no worse violation that I have personally faced in my life. If you make this move you will be criminalizing freedom, and countless will be forced to chose between obeying the state and obeying their beliefs. This is a fundamental outrage, and a decision that you should not have the authority to even consider.

I think I speak for a majority here when I say that you do not have my consent to sign me, my family or my property up for any program.

With that in mind, I would additionally remind you that we are also aware of the truth. This is not about animal disease; this does nothing to prevent disease, nothing to treat it, and doesn't even address it. Saying it over and over and sending it out in a “media blitz” does not make it true. By using semantics in press releases that are half truths, and lying repeatedly, you do the public a grave disservice.

The National Animal ID System has three steps, the first is Premises ID, the second is tagging all animals, and the third is tracking all animals. The statute 95.51 (3m) allows for exemptions but there are none created. Rather than consider this, DATCP goes to the opposite extreme and now wants to sign up individuals who disagree without consent. A person who owns one livestock animal or more must register with the Wisconsin Livestock ID Consortium, WLIC, not DATCP. WLIC has contracted with DATCP and maintains the database. DATCP also contracts with the USDA to implement NAIS.

WLIC sends the information to Colorado to the USDA database, and registrants are given a US PIN code that is unique to the property. It stays with the property, and there is no way to remove it from either database. The PIN can be inactivated, but records cannot be expunged. Even though it is "confidential" all licenses held (i.e. Milk Producer Licenses) and County Fair attendees, have the US PIN attached and printed on them and are required at most county fairs. Milk Licenses are available in open records requests. This cannot, then, be confidential.

Background Nationally: In 1988, the Livestock Conservation Institute (LCI) hosted the International Livestock Identification Symposium, long before the first outbreak of BSE ("mad cow") was reported in the US. LCI is the predecessor of NIAA, National Institute of Animal Agriculture, and their membership parallels the membership in the WLIC. In 2002 ID/INFO EXPO, hosted by the National Institute for Animal Agriculture (LCI’s successor). "Highlights" of that meeting included a report from the WLIC. This presentation, by Neil Hammerschmidt, now with the USDA and then COO of WLIC, stressed the importance of cooperation on identification and more importantly how it was being accomplished in Wisconsin. The National Identification Development Team, established in early 2002 by NIAA, presented the first preliminary draft of what later would be known as the U.S. Animal Identification Plan (USAIP) and is now NAIS. This is two full years before the law was passed in WI.

Background in WI:

In 2002 WLIC set up shop in WI with a $3.75 M USDA grant procured in part by Herb Kohl. Senator Kohl has Kim Cates as his Agricultural aide, and she is married to Dick Cates, of the DATCP board. WLIC has received (according to their 990s) several millions of dollars to date. ($1.75M in 2007 according to the Cooperative Agreement)

The USDA moved NAIS from Mandatory to Voluntary in 2005 because of public outcry, but in WI, the Premises ID law had already been passed before the spring of 2004. We were the first, and it was passed in just over two months, by telephone vote (according to a taped comment April 25th, 2007 made by Al Ott, Chair Assembly Ag Committee).

Farmers Union and Farm Bureau are members of WILC, M&I Bank, Digital Angel, Allflex, Cargill, and as I continually state, it is a huge conflict of interest for them and to be members. Biotech companies like ABS Global are additional members. They also have ex offico members who include DATCP Board members, the WI state vets, Eihlenfeldt and McGraw, and USDA officials. A former original member is State Rep. Gary Tauchen who also sat on the Assembly Ag Committee. There are in fact 6 RFID tags that are approved by WLIC/NAIS at this time: 2 manufactured by Allflex, 2 by Digital Angel, 1 by Y-Tex and 1 by Global Animal Management. All four are WLIC members. Does everyone see how it is easy realize the fact that this is a conspiracy?

Secretary Nilsestuen's comments at the US House Ag Committee meeting in Sept of 2005 which completely contradict his statements in his May 1, 2007 press release and in the State Journal, because what DATCP does is send the same information out over and over just to different places. The secretary stated that he and DATCP "support the use of RFID technology in all livestock species as deemed effective and appropriate by the NAIS Species Working Groups." So yes, RFID tagging is next, and is already underway if you look at the WLIC web site.

A copy of the Cooperative Agreement between the USDA and DATCP, names Dr. Weimers as the National Animal ID Coordinator. The USDA website confirms that Asst. State Vet Paul McGraw, sitting right here, is the NAIS Administrator to the State of Wisconsin. It's listed also listed on the USDA website.

I don’t see any difference in this than if Merck, Pfiser, Abbot Labs, were to get together with RFID companies, the CDC and NIH and FDA to implement a national database on our children and microchip them all after they have been vaccinated, then bribe the states with tax money to set up a database which would be maintained by the pharmaceutical companies and other private interest corporations.

I fear that we as a race are doomed if you continue on this course, and again urge you to approach this as humans.

Copyright 2006-2008 all rights reserved.

Important Wisconsin Information

Happy New Year, dear readers. Hard to believe it. Just two more years until North American Union is designed to kick in. Read more about it here, a Google News link for North American Union.

But there is something more urgent to tell you about this evening.

Please visit Family Farm Defenders for more information.

The Department of Agriculture Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) recently announced a series of hearings for early Jan. 2008 to receive public comment on their proposal for the next implementation phase of the federal National Animal Identification System (NAIS) in Wisconsin. We strongly encourage folks to participate in these hearings and to spread the word to others who will be affected by this draconian state surveillance program that is unprecedented - at least in U.S. history.

For the official DATCP hearing notice that includes these NAIS provisions,click here

If you can not attend in person, you can also submit written comments to DATCP. Better yet is to contact your elected officials, write a letter to your local paper, call into talk show radio, and otherwise publicly express your opposition to this program. Based upon our experience organizing farmers and their allies, if even one person speaks up there are about a dozen others who feel the same and then find the courage to add their voice, too.

DATCP's Hearing Dates and Locations:

Monday, January 7, 2008 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Fox Valley Technical College 1825 N. Bluemound Drive, Room A160 Appleton, WI 54912

Tuesday, January 8, 2008 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection 2811 Agriculture Drive, First Floor – Room 106 (Boardroom) Madison, Wisconsin 53718

Thursday January 10, 2008 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Department of Natural Resources West Central Region Headquarters 1300 W. Clairemont Avenue – Room 158 Eau Claire, WI 54701

As many of you may know, Wisconsin has become a national battleground state on NAIS. DATCP and its partner WLIC (which actually administers the program as a private subcontractor) have received millions in taxpayer funding to bring this program into existence, and now many bureaucratic jobs and corporate contracts depend upon its implementation. When over 10% of WI dairy farmers refused to voluntarily register their premises, the state was unable to make good on their threat to pull milk licenses since the state's economy could not afford to criminalize so many productive farmers overnight.

Nonetheless, DATCP is now denying milk licenses to new dairy farmers, including many Amish who strongly oppose NAIS for religious reasons, even though grass-based Amish dairy operations are one of the fastest growing segments of the entire industry. The proposed rule change would also allow the state to register farmers against their will and without their knowledge.

Worse yet, we know that DATCP/WLIC intend to move towards mandatory RFID chipping, phase two of the federal NAIS program, despite recent scientific studies revealing that RFID chips cause cancer, and thus pose a health threat to both livestock and people. A farmer in MI recently had sheriff deputies under state orders enter his land to place RFID chips in his cattle against his will. And then there is the disturbing story of the Faillace family in VT, documented in the book "Mad Sheep," where a USDA led SWAT team invaded their farm to seize and destroy all of their animals wrongly suspected of harboring some prion type disease.

Family Farm Defenders has been an outspoken critic of NAIS for years now, and recently helped form an organization called Free Wisconsin Pastures with the purpose of filing a lawsuit against DATCP/WLIC if necessary to stop this absurd program from destroying the future of farming in our state.

Of course, we would rather NOT have to take this issue to court, which is why it is so paramount that family farmers and others concerned about the future of agriculture in WI exercise their democratic freedom to express their opinion and let our elected officials and DATCP bureaucrats know that NAIS is not acceptable in any form.

Wisconsin Premise ID enforcement put on hold

I think this it turning out to be the model test case for states trying to mandate NAIS. One hundred fifty ticked off farmers can make a difference.

The state of Wisconsin has stopped short, so far, of putting farmers who won’t accept a premise ID numbers, out of business.

The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) issued a press release Friday saying it would still allow milk transporters and creameries to accept milk from farms that did not have a premise ID.

Wisconsin's new farm premise ID law went into effect Tuesday.

One De Soto area farmer went so far as to say he may sue the state if it doesn’t back off on its mandatory premise ID program.

"I have informed them that if my milk license is not renewed I will bring legal action," said Vernon County producer Mark Brothun.

Brothun runs a 40-cow grade A operation near De Soto with his wife, Jane, and made those statements to the DATCP board last week

The DATCP board had convened in Madison specifically to address the issue of premise ID. Brothun and three other dairy producers were scheduled to be heard that day, but a standing room only crowd of about 150-people soon began demanding answers from the DATCP board about what happens after May 1 if a farm doesn't have an ID number.

A number of Amish producers were in attendance to see what will happen to members of their community if they objected to the number based on religious beliefs. A group of about 200 Amish farmers met last month near Cashton with Brian Rude of the DATCP board and state Sen. Dan Kapanke to air their concerns that the law violates Bible scripture, which prohibits the buying and selling of animals that are numbered.

The premise ID system was intended to give authorities an easy system to track animals and prevent the spread of disease should there be an outbreak.

When a cow was discovered in Washington State in 2003 that had BSE (mad cow disease) and another cow with the same disease was found in Canada, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Canadian government began developing the numbering system. In 2004, the USDA developed the National Animal Identification System (NAIS). The NAIS followed the model of other countries in Europe by including three basic elements, which are premise identification, animal identification and eventually movement tracking.

Many countries in Europe have required numbering of farms and individual animals for years. In the United States, the NAIS was set up as a voluntary system. In 2004, Wisconsin passed legislation making premise identification mandatory.

Since that time many states have attempted to implement the system with varying success, but most states have relaxed requirements in the face of opposition. Wisconsin appears to be the only state using enforcement tactics like threatening to withhold milk licenses for producers without the premise ID.

Brothun sees the mandatory aspect the Wisconsin law as a direct contradiction to the federal law.

"The federal law states this is voluntary and they have to allow exemptions," Brothun said. "The number is a federally-issued number and the state is taking $1.7 million from the federal government to implement this."

DATCP spokesperson Donna Gilson said the Wisconsin law is more restrictive than the federal law, but that is not unusual.

"States are always free to make more stringent regulation than the federal law," Gilson said. "The federal government is giving money to all states to implement this, not just Wisconsin, and there is nothing in the federal law that says you can't make it mandatory."

Gilson said states often require varying degrees of regulation. She cited a recent example of pseudorabies in Wisconsin hogs that prompted Michigan to place a ban on all hogs from Wisconsin. Gilson said that is stricter than other states which have only banned hogs from that specific herd or area of the state.

Another major objection to the requirement for Brothun is that the number for his farm would be from the federal government.

"This is federally-generated number that runs with the property forever," Brothun said. "I am all for animal health, but there is no reason the state cannot generate a number internally."

Brothun said the state already has his milk license number and the federal number will just give USDA officials authority to come onto his property in certain situations.

"They could come on property at anytime and draw blood or take samples," Brothun said. "And if they decide to implement the next step, which is individual animal ID, which is implanting chips, we will essentially have a national herd."

Gilson said the number has to be federally generated because the state is implementing the number system for the federal government and the idea was to have a system that allows states to communicate quickly in the case of an emergency.

"Animals cross state lines on a regular basis and it's important that this database can talk to that database, etc.," Gilson said.

Brothun said the regulation is supposed to apply to all farms, but dairy farmers are being targeted first because it is easy to force compliance by not renewing their milk license.

"What about beef farmers and chicken farmers?" Brothun asked. "Are they not going to be able to sell their animals at the stockyard?"

Brothun and others have argued that there is an exemption allowance in the federal regulation that allows producers out of the program if the cost exceeds the benefit. Brothun said the burden to his operation would exceed the benefit. Those arguments seem to be getting to some officials, including State Representative Barbara Gronemus (D-Whitehall), who originally sponsored the bill, but now is questioning its cost.

"I am really disappointed," Gronemus said. "Never did I think this would eliminate the farmer's ability to make a living. We have people with a legitimate product that has already been inspected. Why shouldn't they be able to sell that product just because of this language on the books?"

Gronemus said she introduced the bill on the request of agriculture committee chairman Al Ott (R-Forest Junction).

"They had made attempts to get it done and couldn't get people to join and then asked me to see if I could get it through," Gronemus said. "I could just kick myself for putting my name to it now."

Gronemus said she disagreed with the value of the number for fighting disease outbreaks.

"We had a pseudorabies outbreak in the 1980s just like we do now and we handled that," Gronemus said. "What purpose does this number serve? We already have milk inspectors (who) know where every farm is now. Can't we use some other number?"

Gronemus said the administrative rules that have come out of the bill are not what she intended.

"I wish it were required that every bill have a statement at the top saying what the author’s intent was," Gronemus said. "I have fought with Madison lawyers for years on that and they refuse to allow that. That way when it is made into an administrative rule they know what the intent of the bill was."

Gilson disagreed saying every administrative rule requires public hearings and is sent back to the legislature for review. Legislators can ask for revisions, or if no action is taken the rules become effective after a certain period of time. Gilson said there were additional changes and a number of public hearings for this administrative rule.

Those rules required compliance over a year ago, but Gilson said producers were allowed that time to come into compliance when the threat of not renewing milk licenses came up.

"Where were all of these people when we had all the public hearings?" Gilson asked.

Gronemus said she has considered repealing the bill, but fears she will not get enough votes to get it out of committee. Ott chairs the agriculture committee and Gronemus said he is determined to implement the program.

"His behavior at hearings was so angry and defensive," said Gronemus. "If I were the chairman of that committee I would be demanding answers, but Mr. Ott is of different thinking."

Gronemus said she disagrees with refusing to pick up milk as an enforcement tool.

"What is a farmer supposed to do? Put a cork in the cow?" Gronemus asked. "They have to be milked everyday. They don't just stop."

When asked what he will do with his milk if DATCP enforces the law by not renewing his milk license, Brothun says he will likely be dumping his milk.

"I have informed them I am paid up and I have passed all my inspections and there is no reason not to issue my license," Brothun said. "If they don't I am ready to take legal action and I guess I will have to dump it."

As of Friday Brothun appears to have received a reprieve from the regulation, but only time will tell if that reprieve is temporary or if DATCP will continue to pursue mandatory enforcement.

Wisconsin Ag Department clarifies controversial registration law

See, this is good. Thirteen hundred (and I bet it is way more than that) objected to registering. A hundred and fifty or more ticked off people showed up at the pubic hearing the other day.

Now if we could get more people to show up at the State house in every state.

Snap...wake up.

Wisconsin Radio Network

Tuesday, May 1, 2007, 12:00 AM

By Jim Dick

A number of farmers in the state will not have their licenses pulled May first after all.

It's the law but about thirteen hundred farmers objected to registering their herds by May first. The Ag Department's Donna Gilson says they've now cleared up a number of misconceptions.

Namely, livestock will not be given identification numbers. It's just a premises registration where farmers tell the department what kind of livestock they have so they know what diseases they're susceptible to. Where they're located and where the farmer can be reached in an emergency.

Gilson says the registration would have been helpful during the search for pseudo rabies in Clark County because with that registration list one quick phone call could have told the pig farmers in the area what was going on and testing could have been conducted within a day.

As it was, Ag department agents spent four days driving up and down roads looking for unregistered pig farms to test for the virus.

No one's license will be pulled May first and the department is now working with farmers to make the new law work with minimal impact on farmers.

Let's connect the dots in Wisconsin

First we have this about pseudorabies in Wisconsin who has been PRV free since 2000.

Pseudorabies Confirmed in Wisconsin
04/19/2007

Tests at the U.S. Department of Agriculture laboratory in Ames, Iowa, confirmed that the disease found in a Clark County Wis. Swine herd is pseudorabies. The virus (PRV) is a disease of swine that can also affect cattle, horses, dogs, cats, sheep and goats. PRV is an extremely contagious herpes virus that causes reproductive problems, including abortion, stillbirths, and even occasional death losses in breeding and finishing animals.

PRV is not contagious to humans nor is it a food safety issue.

The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection now has 15 days from confirmation to depopulate the infected herd and test all swine herds within five miles of it in order to retain Wisconsin’s pseudorabies-free status. Most of the animals will be allowed to go to market for use as food, because the meat is safe to eat. Animals that cannot be marketed will be euthanized humanely. The herd consists of about 300 pigs.

“This reinforces the importance of premises registration,” said Patrick Webb, director of swine health programs for the Pork Checkoff. “Having a premises ID will allow state officials to quickly identify the producers in the effected area that need to be contacted to let them know about a highly contagious regulatory disease.”

Then there is this:

Animal ID discussion in Wisconsin

By Dairy Herd news source (Friday, April 20, 2007)

The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection will host a meeting next week to discuss how to handle incidences of state residents refusing to participate in Wisconsin’s mandatory premises registration program.

The meeting is slated for April 25 at 10:30 a.m. in the DATCP building in Madison, Wis.

A DATCP spokesperson says that while the meeting is open to the public, it will not be a public forum.

Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection.

So I am curious about the sudden onset of PRV. Is that going to be used as the excuse for why people should sign up for NAIS? That does seem to be the USDA way, come up with any excuse to promote NAIS, like the good work they say they did during the Colorado blizzard.

And what are they going to do, any how, with the pesky stupid farmers who are resisting.