NICFA

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National Independent Consumers and Farmers Association is a coalition of Independent Consumer and Farmer groups united in a common mission and purpose :

•To promote and preserve unregulated direct farmer-to-consumer trade that fosters availability of locally grown or home-produced food products.
•To oppose any government funded or managed National Animal Identification System.

NICFA is Pro-Consumer ~ Pro-Farmer ~ Pro-Freedom ~ Anti-NAIS.

U.S. MARSHALLS TO SEIZE FARMER’S HOME FRIDAY - June 26, 2009
Farmer Herman Schumacher disputed big packers, loses home
NEWS CONFERENCE FRIDAY, JUNE 26 1 p.m. Central Time
WHERE: Herman Schumacher’s front lawn: 102 6th Ave. NW, Herreid, S.D.
WHAT: R-CALF USA news conference to stop U.S. Marshals seizure of Herman Schumacher’s home after Schumacher sued Tyson.
BRIEF: A federal jury unanimously sided with Schumacher, but then a three-judge panel for the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned the jury’s decision. The judge did not dispute the jury’s findings that the Tyson et al had violated the Packers and Stockyards Act, but instead decided it wasn’t enough for Schumacher to prove that the packers had violated the law, the “plaintiff must show that a packer intentionally committed unlawful conduct.” Read more

National Animal Identification System A Report by the National Independent Consumers and Farmers Association ... Read More


BeefMagazine.Com ran a poll on NAIS in early June. Final results below. Thank you everyone who voted! -- Total Votes: 30737
Should USDA’s National Animal Identification System (as currently proposed) be:
* Mandatory: 19%
* Voluntary: 4%
* Scrapped : 76%


Harrisburg NAIS Listening Session - Darol Dickinson
Harrisburg, Pa---the first of a series of NAIS Listening Sessions was held today at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex and Expo Center, Harrisburg, Pa. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack stated, "I encourage individuals and organizations to voice their concerns, ideas and potential solutions about animal identification." And---voice concerns they did!

The Pennsylvania location was a choice spot for this first national effort by USDA. The Pennsylvania Dept. of Agriculture has been mellowed by USDA with $2,127,411 of cooperative agreements directly for the purpose of NAIS property enrollments. The state's generous grants were successful in energizing one of the highest percentages of farm enrollments of any state, not counting Massachusetts, who according to USDA records have a 227.1% enrollment.

Pennsylvania should have a very high percentage of favorable NAIS listening session enrollees, but it didn't happen.

Those responding to the invitation to "voice their concerns" requested formal speaking time up to 2 weeks in advance and signed up a second time this morning on arrival. Each hopeful speaker got to speak up to 3 minutes if their name was drawn. A total of 187 people requested to speak and 36 actually were successful.

The beginning agenda allowed for senior USDA staff to cajole the perceived merits of NAIS for a scheduled one hour period. Staff members Jere Dick, Neil Hammerschmidt, and John Weimer defined the goals and theory of the troubled program.

Crowd control was a consideration. Due to the "touchy" nature of this USDA effort up to eight law enforcement officers were positioned on perimeters of the Expo meeting room. Farmers and ranchers are normally law abiding country folk, so fortunately no arrests or altercations took place. USDA staff member and blue group leader, Larry Miller, requested speakers have a "respectful attitude" at all times during the process.

As approved presenters rapidly verbalized their three minute allotment, USDA staff were true listeners with seldom if any comment. Their reaction was somber regardless of the charged efforts of livestock producers, with many far from polite, and seasoned with colorful barn yard vernacular in many cases.

A large Amish delegation were represented offering passionate pleadings against mandatory NAIS. Others of faith expressed major concerns. Two livestock producers from Ohio attended, one lady from Oregon and most from within a five hour drive of the eastern Pennsylvania area.

Of the successful speakers, 27 were clearly opposed to NAIS and 4 spoke in favor. Three indicated they were enrolled in NAIS without their knowledge and one indicated they had enrolled by mistake and wish they had not. One lady said her husband enrolled against her will and now he understands.

Afternoon attendees were divided into three break-out groups with the assignment from Secretary Tom Vilsack (not present) "discussions will be less about concerns and more about ideas and solutions to create a NAIS that we can all live with." Each group was to study seven questions and focus to identify workable solutions. The seven questions centered around, cost, impact on small farms, privacy and confidentiality, liability, premises registration, animal ID, and animal tracing. These are considered the most concerning objections to NAIS.

The three break-out groups recorded the following concerns:
* "There is no problem that NAIS will fix."
* "Drop the program."
* "Don't use the word premises. I own property, not a premise."
* "Trace only international imported and export animals."
* "It is obvious enforcement is big with USDA by the looks of the police guards present here today. We are scared of your enforcements of NAIS mandatory on our farms."
* "Leave us alone! I am just here to say, NO!"
* "We don't trust USDA."
* "USDA has a tarnished reputation of raiding family farms without cause. NAIS is designed to make farm raids more prevalent."
* "If a government program isn't worth doing, it is not worth doing right."
* Statement to the break-out moderator, "Thank you for listening. The longer you listen---NAIS won't be mandatory."
* "NAIS is OK with me except for just one part-----MANDATORY."
* "You have not been honest with us about the enrollment numbers for NAIS."
* "USDA are amateur liars. I like to be lied to professionally."
* "NAIS has a trust issue. We don't trust NAIS."
* An R-CALF USA eight point proposal for an alternative animal health program was recommended six times during the break-out session. (It was the only alternative solution offered.)
* "The country is in serious economical trouble. It is not the time to add more costs to farm production."
* "Over 90% of farmers are opposed to NAIS. Will you still demand mandatory NAIS regardless of listening session results?
* "The USDA animal health program currently is effective, NAIS is not needed."
* "Don't call me a stakeholder. I am a land and horse owner. I am insulted by calling me a stakeholder. I am not holding the stakes for others."
* "USDA should be working on vaccines to prevent disease instead of NAIS trace back."

USDA's John Weimer was asked about the results of the letter writing effort to USDA with a designated comment period about NAIS several months ago. Where were the results published? He did not recall the comment effort and did not know what happened to the hundreds of communications USDA received.

In the blue break-out group all speaking participants (43 total) were clearly opposed to NAIS. USDA's group leader Larry Miller continued to redirect the emphasis from NAIS concerns, over to solution issues to make mandatory NAIS a palatable program. One dairy farmer said, "We have answered your questions. You are not listening. There is no way NAIS will work. No part of it will work. All seven questions are not solvable. Any people who want to do NAIS should be able to volunteer, but mandatory NAIS will cause bloodshed in the streets. We will refuse to surrender."

Future USDA listening meetings on NAIS will be held at Pasco, WA, Austin, TX, Birmingham, AL, Louisville, KY, Storrs, CT, and Loveland, CO. Comments for those who may not be able to attend should be sent to the Federal eRulemaking Portal.

Joel Salatin of Polyface Farm in Swoope appears in this episode of Nightline.
Swine Flu Outbreak: The Facts.


Glenn Beck interviews Deborah Stockton, Executive Director of NICFA about HR875,
the Food Safety Modernization Act.
Tim Wightman of the FTCLDF is also interviewed.



Third Annual
NATIONAL SMALL FARM AND RANCH
GRASSROOTS LOBBY DAY & Legislative Reception

FARM FOOD VOICES DC 2009
Tuesday April 21, 2009 Washington, DC

WHEN CONGRESS THINKS “FOOD” or “FARM”
WE WANT THEM TO THINK OF US…
…as we gather from around the country to feed
and lobby our legislators.

Help us provide farm fresh food for the reception!

ROOM UPDATE: The reception for Farm Food Voices DC 2009 will be from 5:00 - 7:30. Reception will be in Room 328-A, Russell Senate Office Building (the Senate Agriculture Room).

Click below to download or print the Talking Points for Farm Food Voices DC 2009.
Food Safety Bills
NAIS Report
NICFA Testimony Before Secretary of Agriculture Vilsack

We will also distribute hard copies of the Talking Points next Tuesday. You can pick them up at Virginia Congressman Tom Perriello's office: Room 1520 Longworth House Office Building. If you do pick them up there, please thank his staff for helping us out in this way.

CONTACT LIZ REITZIG WITH YOUR
CONTRIBUTION INFORMATION
Event Coordinator: Liz Reitzig liz.reitzig@verizon.net 301.807.5063
Please share your generous contributions of food, time and money.

A number of “food safety” bills recently introduced in Congress would give the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) direct control over every farm and ranch in the country and the authority to micromanage every aspect of farm production. Most of these bills have NAIS written into them.

Real Food or Industrial Food?
Come to DC and join with the National Independent Consumers and Farmers Association (NICFA), state affiliates, and other groups to meet with our federal legislators and bring to them the small farm, local, sustainable, fresh dairy, consumer demanded, real food message. Let’s restore direct, relational farm-to-consumer trade, oppose any government managed or funded NAIS and stop the newly proposed “Food Safety Administration.” Come together with artisanal food producers--farmers, cheesemakers, bakers, restaurateurs and more--and consumers from around the country as we meet with our federal legislators to help them realize that Americans want their food direct from local farmers and we do not want any government funded or managed NAIS.

We will provide Talking Points for lobbying and NICFA buttons to wear. (Talking Points directions and schedule to be posted on www.NICFA.org closer to date).

Background and more information:
www.NICFA.org or Deborah Stockton
info@nicfa.org
434.295.7176

Yours for food freedom,
Deborah Stockton, Executive Director
National Independent Consumers and Farmers Association (NICFA)
nicfa@earthlink.net
http://www.nicfa.org

***ACTION ALERT***

WHAT: Congressional Hearing on NAIS
WHEN: Wednesday, March 11
WHERE: Washington, DC

The U.S. House Agriculture Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy and Poultry will hold a hearing on NAIS on March 11. Bills to put NAIS into law, HR875 and companion Senate S814, are being pushed through Congress, as well as an Appropriations Bill with funding for NAIS. This hearing is critical to blocking mandatory NAIS.

ACTION: Please call and fax all members of the subcommittee (below). 1. When you call, ask to speak to the legislative aide for agriculture. Form a positive relationship with the aide. Become his or her source of knowledge for NAIS. Be RESPECTFUL and POLITE. Remember, who would the aide rather speak with, someone who is courteous or someone angry and resentful?

2. Please send this to everyone you know, ESPECIALLY to people in the states with members on the subcommittee. Members need to hear from their constituents--the people who vote them into office.

If you are in one of these states, please arrange a meeting with the district representative of the Congressman. That makes a big difference. We need to be real people to the legislators, so that when they think "farm" or "food" they think of us, not Monsanto, Cargill, Tyson, etc...

State Party/
Dist		 Representative Phone Fax Website email form
AL R-13 Mike Rogers 202.225.3261 202.226.8485 Go to Form
CA D-18 Dennis Cardoza 202.225.6131
800.356.6424 		202.225.0819 Go to Form
CA D-20 Jim Costa 202.225.3341 202.225.9308 Go to Form
CA D-43 Joe Baca 202.225.6161 202.225.8671 Go to Form
CO D-4 Betsy Markey, 202.225.4676 202.225.5870 Go to Form
GA D-13 David Scott (Chair) 202.225.2939 202.225.4628 Go to Form
IA D-3 Leonard Boswell 202.225.3806 202.225.5608 Go to Form
IA R-5 Steve King 202.225.4426 202.225.3193 Go to Form
ID D-1 Walt Minnick 202.225.6611 202.225.3029 Go to Form
MD D-1 Frank Kratovil 202.225.5311 202.225.0254 Go to Form
NE R-3 Adrian Smith 202.225.6435 202.225.0207 Go to Form
PA D-17 Tim Holden 202.225.5546 202.226.0996 Go to Form
TN R-1 David P. Roe 202.225.6356 202.225.5714 Go to Form
TX R-11 K. Michael Conaway 202.225.3605 202.225.1783 Go to Form
TX R-19 Randy Neugebauer,
Ranking Minority Member 		202.225.4005
888.763.1611 		202.225.9615 Go to Form
VA R-6 Bob Goodlatte, 202.225.5431 202.225.9681 Go to Form
WI D-8 Steve Kagen 202.225.5665 202.225.5729 Go to Form

For more information, or if you need help in this process, please contact us:
Doreen Hannes animalwaitress@yahoo.com (417) 962-0030
Sharon Sabo muttipie@htc.net (618) 458-7745
Sue Dederich suediederich@comcast.net (847) 873-0251
Sharon Zecchinelli henwhisperer@gmail.com (802) 933-6709
Liz Reitzig liz.reitzig@verizon.net (301) 807.5063
Deborah Stockton nicfa@earthlink.net (434) 295.7176


The EPA is considering regulations to tax farmers for owning livestock, $20.00 per hog; $87.50 per beef cow, and $175.00 per dairy cow. This would, of course, drive most small to medium farmers out of business.

Listen to Tim Young of Georgia Independent Consumers and Farmers Asso. address this on a Fox televison interview

Contact Tim Young at tim@naturesharmonyfarm.com
See Tim's farm at: www.naturesharmonyfarm.com

NICFA Warmly Welcomes Wyoming and Georgia

NICFA is delighted to welcome two new affiliates, the Wyoming Ag Coalition and the Georgia Independent Consumers and Farmers Association (GICFA). Both groups provide strong leadership in their states for the principles NICFA stands for. Farmers, ranchers, consumers, communities, we are all grateful for our newest member affiliates. Please spread the word!

The Wyoming Ag Coalition, headed by a steering committee of farmers, ranchers and state delegate Sue Wallis, is “Working to build healthy, sustainable systems that connect Wyoming’s producers, processors, and consumers.” Please visit their website at www.wyoagcoalition.org.
Contact:
Sue Wallis 307-685-8248
sue.wallis@vcn.com

The newly formed Georgia Independent Consumers and Farmers Association (GICFA) expects to launch their website in January. Tim Young, of Nature’s Harmony Farm in Georgia, has headed up the GICFA steering committee. Please visit his website, naturesharmonyfarm.com, to get to know him, his wife and their beautiful farm.
Contact:
Tim Young 770.842.8983
tim@naturesharmonyfarm.com

National Independent Consumers and Farmers Association (NICFA)
P.O. Box 915
Charlottesville, Virginia 22902

Letter to Bruce Knight, USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs 5 March, 2008

Dear Mr. Knight,

Thank you for meeting with us today to discuss issues of importance to the small farmers of America and the consumers, communities and economies dependent on them.

Earlier today, we hosted a reception for our federal legislators where we joyfully served food produced by independent unsubsidized farmers, from animals without Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags, raised on open pastures on grass--not subsidized GMO grain, on private properties without Premises Registration numbers, with soils enriched by ecologically harmonious amendments like sea salt, compost, and natural mineral sources.

In short, we are not part of the industrial agriculture system.

We are the rich tradition of heritage farming. We are your local community family farm. We are your neighbors. Some of us are organically certified, some of us are beyond organic.

The USDA’s proposed National Animal Identification System (NAIS), and its concomitant Premises Registration, is in direct conflict with our way of life and our ability to maintain responsible, safe farming methods. The people of America demand the food we produce. The “Real food,” “Local food,” or “Heritage food” movement, is growing every day. Beyond “organic,” the real food movement is farmers, and other artisan producers, selling directly to customers, neighbor to neighbor, generally without interference from local, state, national or international regulation.

As the industrial food system continues to generate incidents like the recent recall of 143 million pounds of ground beef, more and more people will turn to the food we produce, food made by their neighbors, food they trust. We will continue to meet this growing demand.

You, as an administrator of the USDA, have already encountered this movement in the form of farmers who will not comply with behavior not fit for a free people.

We are the face of this movement. We are the National Independent Consumers and Farmers Association and all state affiliates. All efforts to push NAIS will only strengthen our movement.

We will not participate in a program designed by and for international agencies and globalist industrial agriculture that persecutes independent traditional farms. We will not comply with the NAIS.

Yours respectfully,

Deborah Stockton, Executive Director
National Independent Consumers and Farmers Association,
on behalf of all people, farmers and consumers, who oppose the NAIS and support unrestricted domestic trade.