By:  Doug Busselman, Executive Vice President

One of the potentials in a “voluntary” National Animal Identification System is that some livestock producers might not decide to “voluntarily” participate.  That seems to be the frustration coming out of this recent meeting, reported here.

In some ways it seems that the United States Department of Agriculture (and others within the ranks of government) are thinking that “voluntary” might not be a workable solution to what they believe to be a necessary, “everybody participates”.

Government control people are thinking that perhaps if we talk about this, we’ll be able to convince all the persons who have livestock that it’s for their own good (as well as the good of the country…the industry…and who ever else might be worth throwing into the mix) to go along.

I’m not sure that everybody is going to get talked into being part of the National Animal Identification System.  It seems that there is plenty of push-back to the concept that Big Brother needs to be able to track every movement of livestock that happens. 

(I was going to make a cynical remark about how the same Big Brother can’t keep track of illegal aliens in the country…but, we won’t go there right now.)

Of particular concern, it seems USDA officials are worried about there being an end to the money they’ve been getting to put the program into motion (which hasn’t gone anywhere after a lot of money being spent).

Somewhere along the line it appears that the whole thing got messed up.  Maybe quitting might be a good approach for consideration.  Or, going forward with what you’ve got and seeing if that level of participation can be carried out. 

For those who don’t want to participate – or who have changed their mind from first signing up – they should be able to not participate or be allowed to opt out now.