Spychips RFID Blog

HB3297
01403447
-1-
Filed for intro on 02/22/2006

SENATE BILL 3258
By Burchett

HOUSE BILL 3297
By Niceley

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 44, Chapter 7, relative to animal identification.

WHEREAS, by January 2008 the final rule requiring premises registration and animal identification as defined under National Animal Identification System (NAIS) program standards will become effective; and

WHEREAS, the NAIS target date for the required reporting of defined animal movements, and for making the entire NAIS program mandatory is January, 2009; and

WHEREAS, administered by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the goal of the NAIS program is to register every farm animal (including non-food animals such as horses) in a centralized government database; and

WHEREAS, NAIS will require micro-chipping of each animal at the expense of the owner, and a premises identification for every farm, which will be linked to a satellite photo and Global Positioning System record; and

WHEREAS, the National Institute for Animal Agriculture (NIAA), composed primarily of large corporate producers and the makers and producers of animal identification equipment, lobbied the USDA to create the NAIS to supposedly protect U.S. citizens and their animals from disease; and

WHEREAS, in April 2002 a task force composed of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and over 30 livestock organizations played a central role in creating the animal identification system, while small-scale farmers involved in animal husbandry and animal hobbyists were not represented; and

WHEREAS, once the NAIS becomes law, farmers will be forced to pay fees to register their farms and their animals; and

WHEREAS, farmers will also be forced to report the birth, death, loss of identification device, sale, and/or movement of any animal in their possession to the National Animal Records Repository within a short time of each occurrence; and

WHEREAS, this provision also requires farmers to report to the National Animal Records Repository when an animal they own attends a livestock show, participates in a trail ride, is transported to another farm for stud service, or takes part in a community parade; and

WHEREAS, the NAIS requirements have already proven to be unduly burdensome on the farmers of this state, and will become even more problematic for our farmers upon the final implantation of the system; now, therefore

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:

SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 44, Chapter 7, is amended by adding the following as a new, appropriately designated part:

Section 44-7-501. At no time shall department of agriculture funds or any other state funds be appropriated to effectuate the implementation of the National Animal Identification System (NAIS).

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.