Wendell Berry
Wendell Berry Would Rather Be in Jail Than See Farmer’s Livestock Microchipped
Mike Murphy, author of the Veterans Against NAIS Petition, reports that famous farmer, Wendell Berry has pledged to go to jail in protest of NAIS at the Kentucky USDA Listening Session. I’d like to give Wendell our Heroes of Sustainable Agriculture award for that! Here is a link to Wendell Berry’s testimony on the Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund website.
Mike also sent Hartke is Online! the following letter to our blog readers:
What a month! News media organizations have so far largely missed out on a juicy story with all the elements of heavy handed government oppression, hard working family farmers, the underdog standing up for himself, and high drama that sells papers and tv ads. The companies who stand to benefit from NAIS thought they could use the government to ensure their profits by getting those who work for us to mandate NAIS and shove it down the unsuspecting throat of every farmer in the nation during the biggest economic recession since the Great Depression.
Our government representatives, first blinded by the money and double talk used to enlist their support for NAIS, but ultimately responsible to their constituents, are learning just how seriously they underestimated those they supposedly represent. They are finding out just how strong and independent the citizen consumers, farmers and ranchers of this country are, regardless of international trade agreements.
From citizens driving at their own expense across the country to fight for the opportunity to speak out personally at the few “listening sessions” held, to farmers and ranchers telling the USDA in no uncertain terms, “Don’t tread on me!”, and “We will not comply!”. From the petitions being delivered to congressional representatives, to the resulting temporary halting of funding, it is becoming crystal clear to those controlling the purse strings for this program that despite over 140 million dollars used to drip grease on anyone willing to hold their grubby hands out to the big machine trying to force NAIS on farmers that there remains so much unmovable resistance that this program cannot ever be effective. From a legend like Wendell Berry saying he will go to jail for us if they are foolish enough to proceed with this program, to legislators who are also farmers speaking out against NAIS. From ground breaking films coming out exposing the truth about the costs we pay because of corporate owned factory farms, farmers and entrepreneurs like Mike Callicrate telling the USDA they have failed their responsibilities to the American people and they are fired, to BeefMagazine.com ‘s poll of 10′s of thousands of beef producers and consumers showing an undeniable 75% voting to scrap the entire program. From farm bureau and farmers union state organizations realizing that in order to keep their membership, they must break from their national organization positions and declare they are against mandatory NAIS, states taking actions to make mandatory NAIS illegal, to mothers telling the government they have no right interfering in the food sovereignty decisions they make in feeding their children, we are witnessing a true example of democracy in action, a non-violent revolution that will be impossible for our government to ignore. If they have any sense of political self preservation, the message is just starting to dawn on them.
Let’s make sure they keep hearing us.
Mike Murphy
Thanks, Mike, for keeping us informed!
I would have never imagined that I would be blogging, or that I would join a group like Real Food Media. None of this would have happened without you. I mean more than the help you have given me, though I appreciate it very much. I also mean seeing the great good you do with your blog, with supporting WAPF, with advocating real food and the great info you provide on so many issues. There is such a desperate need for this information. You are an inspiration to me. Thank you for being who you are, and for doing what you do.
One Comment
Apparently, they are trying to shift NAIS and even more control over any type of food production and food movement over to FDA, in a bill that is being fast tracked this week. People are already calling it NAIS for everything. I personally would rather trust local farmers when buying my kids’ food than the FDA telling me something is “Safe” when they really mean they can trace it back if it turns out not to be safe. Traceback is the lazy way of covering their butts and paying lip service to “doing something about food safety.” Has the FDA ever approved a “SAFE” drug that actually wound up killing people? Why should we give them these sweeping powers? At the bottom of the link below explaining the bill and it’s dangers, there is a link to a petition that we need to circulate to make our voices heard now, while it is in session. Let’s make sure that they cannot ignore our voices.
http://foodfreedom.wordpress.com/2009/06/16/hr-2749-totalitarian-control-of-the-food-supply/
Mike Murphy
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[...] owe a special thanks to Kim Hartke at Hartke is Online for bringing Wendell Berry’s comments to my [...]
[...] owe a special thanks to Kim Hartke at Hartke is Online for bringing Wendell Berry’s comments to my [...]