Reprint courtesy of Marshall News Messenger County joins oppositon to ID program Contact staff writer Sandra Cason via e-mail at: scason@coxnews.com; or by phone at (903) 927-5969 Marshall, Texas Tuesday, May 09, 2006 Harrison County commissioners on Monday joined the city in opposing state implementation of the National Animal Identification System. After hearing a proposal from Marshall Mayor Ed Smith, the court passed a resolution objecting to either mandatory or voluntary identification and tracking of animals. Noting the city unanimously approved a resolution against the plan at a recent meeting, Smith told the county legislation set forth in House Bill 1361 will turn Texas Animal Health Commission into "one of the largest bureaucracies" in the state. "Only dogs, cats and hamsters have been exempted," Smith said. "TAHC has proposed very far-reaching legislation. It's a serious program, if you consider the implications. It includes exotic game operations and birds that are not indigenous to the state, such as parakeets and parrots." Smith said the legislation, passed "without much fanfare" anticipates what TAHC believes will be "the final program from the U. S. Department of Agriculture – if there is one and if it is implemented." The project calls for implementation in three stages: registration of animals, tagging and tracking. "Veterinarians will have to register their premises," the mayor said, "as will the city arena. Cities and counties operate arenas for the reason that it is not cost-effective for private enterprise to do so. "These facilities are already under stress" financially. "You can be sure there will be significant fees for TAHC's involvement. We have very few discretionary dollars" in the city budget "and we can't ask the county to increase their participation either." Smith said the animal tracking plan will do little to accomplish the objective for which it was proposed. "The state auditor has already said the (TAHC) agency has in place systems to monitor and track disease and they are working. "TAHC was to serve as a prototype for NAIS," Smith said. The federal government believed "if they can get Texas to do it, the rest of the country will follow. It is my opinion that it has been quietly pushed through by design." The legislation was to become effective in February of this year, was pushed back to May, and has now been delayed until after the November general election, Smith said. District 5 State Rep. Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola) has introduced another bill, HB 47, that will make participation voluntary, but county commissioners said they were opposed to the system in all forms. "I make a motion we oppose NAIS in any manner possible," said Precinct 1 Commissioner Jerry Lomax. "We don't support it even on a voluntary basis," said Precinct 4 Commissioner Jeffrey Thompson. "It's a potential burden on Harrison County taxpayers." Proposed by some of the large animal production organizations, the purpose of NAIS was to track diseases such as Mad Cow and bird flu, with an eye to improving export markets. The impact of such a program would certainly favor large producers, said County Judge Wayne McWhorter, because it could force "gentlemen farmers" out of business, thus eliminating the competition. "Those gentlemen farmers produce a real big percentage of our food supply," said Precinct 3 Commissioner James Greer.
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