Jon Tester helps launch Farmers for Merkley
Posted by Carla Axtman on December 16, 2007
On Saturday afternoon, a group of Oregon farmers met with Jeff Merkley and U.S. Senator from Montana, Jon Tester.
Jeff Merkley and Senator Tester talked with the farmers about the important agricultural issues for Oregon. Topics such as land use/Measure 49, country of origin labeling and ways to use farms for the creation of alternative and renewable energies were a part of the discussion.
Senator Tester also informed the group about bills in the U.S. Senate that are relevant to Oregon's farmers, such as the recently passed farm bill and energy bill.
The group of Oregonians will form the beginning of an continuously growing and active Farmers for Jeff Merkley organization.
Jeff Merkley was born in the small town of Myrtle Creek, Oregon, the son of a sawmill worker. He's fought hard for working families in Oregon and he's ready to help lead America.
As Oregon's Speaker of the House, Jeff Merkley led one of the most effective, efficient and progressive legislative sessions in Oregon's history - with big achievements for schools, ethics, health care, jobs, alternative energy, and protections for working families.
Discover why Jeff Merkley is ready to lead.
For years, Gordon Smith has given rich corporations and well-connected lobbyists in DC the upper hand - costing too many working families their jobs.
Jeff Merkley knows first-hand it's time to crack down on big corporations outsourcing American jobs and create economic opportunity for every Oregon worker right here at home.
Dive into the issues - and learn where Jeff Merkley will lead America.
© 2008. Jeff Merkley for Oregon. P.O. Box 29136, Portland, OR 97296. 503-274-4439
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Comments
As a very small farmer, I object to NAIS! I hear the people who are pushing this is the NIAA, a private organization, the National Institute of Animal Agriculture, made up of 2 groups; corporate agriculture and hawkers of surveillance technologies.
They conceived the program, wrote the USDA proposal, and are pushing hard to impose it on all of us.
I’m furious!
The feed store owner said they have already started with him. He will soon have to monitor all feed sold, and who it is sold to, so if you don’t report your chickens, but you are buying chicken feed, then the government agent (chicken cop) can come to your place and fine you.
$1000 a day for non-compliance.
The benefit is to the big factory farms who probably do need this type of regulation. They get to do single ID’s for large groups of animals. Small farmers, like me, pet owners and homesteaders will have to tag and track every single animal.
It is difficult to imagine any acceptable basis for the USDA to subject the owner of a chicken to more intrusive surveillance than the owner of a gun.
This is about big monied lobbyists manipulating regulations, laws and definitions to benefit their corporate masters so they can corner the market and force out the competition from small farmers.
We will face higher meat prices under NAIS because the cost of producing meat will go up with the addition of fees to the government to support the NAIS program.
With the high predator loss of chickens, ducks and geese, it would be outrageous to try to tag them and follow them and report who was doing what.
It takes an outside job to support the farm already, I don't know how small farmers survive as it is, but farming is the only way to be sure your family gets good food, humanely and organically grown.
I'm not going to comply with this new scam, and will fight it with all my power. I hope you will be with the small farmer and oppose NAIS.
Are we going to fill the jails with old ladies who keep a few chicken?
Sincerely,
Brenda.