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If someone wants to put “100% grass-fed” behind again.
on the label of their meat, FSIS has the author- For the last six years, I have represented small farmers on the USDA
ity to require them to show that the animals Secretary’s Advisory Committee on Animal Health (SACAH). This has
are 100% grass-fed. But the agency typically helped us stay informed on what industry and the USDA are planning,
requires nothing more than a statement from head off some problems early in the process before they gained too much
the producer claiming that the label is accurate; momentum, and even get a few positive developments in.
very rarely is any documentation requested, and For example, at the most recent meeting, the discussion about foot
there is no process for verifying the information. and mouth disease took a turn back to Animal ID. Industry representa-
Moreover, if someone wants to put “grass-fed” tives and government officials both pushed for mandatory premises ID
on the label, it’s up to the FSIS to decide whether and promoted mandatory electronic ID as a “vital” part of addressing
or not it’s misleading when the animals are not disease. Without a representative for small farmers at the table, the com-
entirely grass-fed; the agency has not required mittee would have almost certainly adopted a resolution urging USDA
those two terms to match up in the past. to move back to the NAIS model (although without using the name). But
So, yet again, the burden falls on the con- the committee did not do so precisely because small farm reps were on
sumers to sort through a confusing maze. The the spot to oppose such a recommendation. Obviously, it doesn’t end with
American Grassfed Association has an “AGA- that—but steps like this help keep us from the sort of crisis we faced in
Approved” label for grass-fed meats, based on 2005.
a stringent private certification program, and it On the positive side, there has been a significant shift in both the
is working on a set of standards for dairy. In the industry and government attitudes about foot and mouth disease more
meantime—and even after it is established—the generally since 2005. Back then, both Big Agribusiness and the govern-
best option is to know one's farmer. ment promoted a “stamping out” approach, under which the government
would kill any infected animals—and all susceptible animals within a
BEING AT THE TABLE ten-kilometer radius of it, and keep expanding the kill circles until they
“You’re either at the table, or you’re on could be certain there were no more exposed animals. As the evidence
the menu.” All too often, good people let their about both the futility and the extreme costs of such an approach has
distaste for politics or big business deter them mounted, however, even the big players have recognized that this ap-
from engaging with the political process—and proach does not make sense. While they still promote it as a solution to
the all-too-common result is that a good cause a “small, localized” outbreak, the main focus has shifted to developing a
ends up in trouble. viable vaccine response. The committee wrote strong recommendations
Often, being involved takes the form of to improve the country’s ability to respond quickly with vaccinations in
mundane or even boring work: simply being case of a large outbreak. The recommendations include urging the USDA
places and engaging with the decision makers to consider the needs of small-scale producers and those raising heritage
and other stakeholders. But that involvement is breed livestock in determining how to distribute vaccine.
essential to long-term power building for our These are small steps toward shaping government policies that are
movement. workable for our farmers. If we take dozens and hundreds of these small
Consider what happened with the National steps, over time we can see real change. So look for opportunities to be
Animal Identification System (NAIS), a plan to at the table. Go to local meetings about county land use, visit with your
require property registration and electronic tag- state legislators or their staff at a community event, seek appointment to
ging and tracking of almost every livestock ani- a state ag advisory council—there are numerous ways and places that
mal in the country. In late 2005, small farmers you can become part of the discussions.
became aware of the plan when implementation
began at the state level. This plan was developed
over more than a decade, at public meetings and
events hosted by USDA and large industry play-
ers. By the time small farm advocates became
aware of NAIS, it was almost too late to stop
it. Thanks to an amazing grassroots campaign
that brought together thousands of people from
all walks of life and all political beliefs, we did
stop it. But we cannot afford to be caught so far
Wise Traditions SUMMER 2016 Wise Traditions 97