May 16, 2008

Michigan group to sue USDA to halt animal tracing programme

A group of lawyers that represents farmers and their consumers is suing the USDA in the hopes of putting an end to a new government programme for electronically tracking US livestock and poultry.

The Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund sent letters Thursday (May 16, 2008) to the USDA and the Michigan Department of Agriculture, saying it intends to sue to put a halt to the programme. The letters ask the two agencies to immediately suspend the National Animal Identification System and review the need for it.

The USDA says the programme is intended to protect the health of livestock and poultry as well as the economic well-being of those industries.

The lawyers argue the programme would not accomplish that but would require every person with even one chicken or pony to register and tag the animal.