HEAVY HAND OF THE CFIA---UPDATE

[SADIE]

There now has been 4 cases of "victomized Canadian Cattleman" that have been fined for different reasons by CFIA. We are all learning from each other. The western producer now has this story as of last week 1 hour phone interview. This hearing is scheduled for two days overlapping the Saskatchewan Stockgrowers meeting in Moose Jaw on June 14 & 15. The Class Action Lawsuit update is on the agenda on the 15. Several key witnesses to testify in my defence will be speaking on the second day of my hearing.




From: Ken Habermehl
Sent: Friday, April 30, 2010 5:38 AM
To: Ministerial Correspondence -
Subject: HEAVY HAND OF THE CFIA------ORAL HEARING TRIBUNAL---JUNE 15 & 16 SASKATOON--McDOUGALL GAULEY MOOT COURT ROOM---COLLEGE OF LAW--15 CAMPUS DRIVE UNIVERSITY OF SASKATCHEWAN








Dear Hon Gerry RItz and all CFIA contacts on email at this time.

I am glad you received my email and I will now take time to give you my reply to your email that is enclosed so that many of your "employees" and also as many Canadian cattlemen and practicing veterinarians can follow this information as well. Over the last 10 months there has been a growing interest in this situation across Canada. This email will have approx 100 practicing veterinarians and approx 400 cattlemen & auction mart contacts receiving this email as well under bcc. This will be forwarded to media contacts as well.

I can tell by your writing that you are really concerned. I will answer in the form of many questions that have arisen over the traceability issue and the huge amount of problems that have already arisen and will keep on surfacing if there is not proper addressing at this time.

I have been involved in the beef cattle industry for 40 years and I have seen the industry from many different viewpoints. I am very glad that this will proceed to a "tribunal hearing" which is set for June 15 & June 16 in Saskatoon. The location is:

McDOUGALL GAULY MOOT COURT ROOM
COLLEGE OF LAW
UNIVERSITY OF SASKATCHEWAN
15 CAMPUS DRIVE
SASKATOON SK.

The hearing will start at 10.00 a.m. It is scheduled for June 15 & 16 because of the large number of concerned cattlemen or other personnel (practicing veterinarians, auction mart owners or other interested parties that have concerns at this time. Parking for this location is likely in the Education parking lot and the room has wheel chair access. I have received numerous emails and phone calls from many parties that want to either hear this case or want to come forward and be witness at this hearing to tell their story.

Here are some of the questions that have been forwarded to me at this time.

1)Why is it that only the inspectors and manager that is enforcing this Section 176 traceability basically from the MooseJaw CFIA office. Are they being trained different from the other six districts in Saskatchewan. Is it the manager at this office that doesn't understand the retention, or application problems of these "faulty RFID eartags? Other cattlemen have made contact with each other and we are all asking why it is only the Moose Jaw office? To date at least 3 cattlemen were charged in the Moose Jaw district last May each by the same personnel. I compliment the other cattlemen that is also taking this to an "oral tribunal hearing" , refusing to write his name on a cheque to this fine and if he looses his case forcing CFIA to "take moneys from his bank account". What is the cost for CFIA to go through all of this? The real concern last year seems to be in the Region on the Moose Jaw district area Ph nos. 306 691-3450.

2)Why is this office and its staff enforcing this at huge lengths. It is giving CFIA another bad name and the rest of the districts a bad name towards the Canadian Cattlemen. Other districts appear to be using the "THREE STRIKE RULE" when animals arrive at a "intermingling site" where RFID tags appear to have been lost "in Transit".

3)Why is CFIA considered "PUBLIC ENEMY #1 " to the Canadian Cattlemen. Just look at the recent Western Producer about the ANAPLASMOSIS issue to the BC cattlemen. Why are some of the ranches in the Lloydminister area where some of those BC ranchers source breeding bulls Why are those ranchers refusing to let CFIA on their premisis to test their cattleherd?

4)Does CFIA want to promote the "BIOSECURITY PROGRAM". What cattlemen would even want to phone the 1 800 nos and ask/talk to CFIA personnel or even want this "group of people" on their ranch/farm premises after all the "HURT IMPOSED TO THE CANADIAN CATTLEMEN" by the CFIA bureacroacy? Again cattlemen at coffee shops now consider CFIA "PUBLIC ENEMY # 1".

5)Why are good veterinarians quitting working for CFIA at this time. Who is remaining? Those close to pension that know there is problems and don't want to "rock the Boat". Why? Who is left?
Some comments I have heard from some of my colleagues at Veterinary Conferences is that "WHERE CFIA IS HEADING I CANNOT IMPOSE RULES ON FELLOW CANADIAN CATTLEMAN THAT CFIA WANTS TO KEEP IMPOSING". Who would want to work for those "BUMBLING IDIOTS"?

7)Do the CFIA staff realize the huge retention problems with these RFID eartags? Do they know the huge retention especially in the adult bovine animals? Have they ever tried tagging these adult animals in field conditions where the heads are thrown around and application pliers go flying. How many bent pins are there when you apply RFID tags to adult animals.

8)Why are there increasing number of injuries to workers and cattleman? Some injuries are very serious? Why are some of those people wanting to testify at the upcoming hearing about these issues?

9)Why are some practicing veterinarians that run Large animal veterinary clinics Why are they refusing to sell RFID ear tags? Some practicing veterinarians and I give full respect to those individuals have refused to sell any product that "causes distress" to an animal. These clinics do not want to sell a product that they cannot stand behind that it functional works?

10)Comments I have heard several times now. One can put a "elastic ring" on a bull calf scrotal sack and there is no bellering, One can apply an Identification Dangle tag in a calf's ear and no bellering but when one applies an RFID BUTTON to the same calf there is BELLERING.

11)Why are cattlemen forced to go back to purchasing "electric Prods" to work on adult animals to try and get those animals up the runway and into squeezes to apply a second third or forth RFID eartag.

12)With the apparent pain in application of these "HARD RFID TAGS" and now the "re-introduction of the "electric stock prod" to try to get adult animals into a squeeze for "re applying" these Faulty RFID tags---------What would the ANIMAL RIGHTS PEOPLE-----LIKE PETA THINK OF ALL OF THESE PROCEDURES?

13)What are the effects of the Electric Magnetic FIeld EMF on the RFID data on those tags when animals have to be close to those HIGH FREQUENCY power lines going through pastures. What are the effects? Are they similar to Cell phone useage of other electronic data near these EMF fields?

Why would a cattleman purchase a RFID reader when there is apparent % of Non-reads or inaccuracies to this equipment?

14)Why wouldn't the enforcing district veterinary personnel even talk to the cattlemen or why wouldn't Mr. Ken Schmidt talk to a victomized cattlemen to hear about lost tags at load-out or in transit to avoid all of the extra public cost of going to a "ORAL TRIBUNAL HEARING".

15)Did the Hon Min of Agriculture not speak at ROUND TABLE MEETINGS last fall 2009 ie MAYERTHORPE area stating that there is not any budget for enforcing traceability at this time and that all of those districts would be notified to stop this practice Why wasn't that carried out. What is going to be the cost of this entire Tribunal hearing to the Canadian Tax Payer?

16)Why is the Canadian Cattleman confused over the "vague rules" and what rules does the Canadian Cattleman supposed to listen to CCIA rules or CFIA rules. Just look at the well advertised Poster that CCIA put out in 2009 regarding APPROVED AND NON- APPROVED EAR TAGS. (attachment enclosed).

17)Another cattlemen has been found that is going to "ORAL TRIBUNAL" as well. Together we are reaching out to all Canadian Cattlemen. This law and this enforcement has to be challanged. This May is pasture deliver month again and beware. If you receive a fine we encourage you to follow suit and force them to take you to an ORAL TRIBUNAL . Do not make it easy on CFIA. Do not write a cheque to them on this fine------make CFIA go the route and eventually they might be able to "GARNISH YOUR BANK ACCOUNT".

18)What about the economic cost to the Canadian Cattleman? When this was first introduced It was going to be "ONE TAG' in the animal at the cost of approx $1.00 per tag. We are over $3.50 per RFID tag and appearing to be applying about 3-4 at least to the adult breeding animal. WHAT ABOUT THE GOOD OLD KETCHUM EARTAG that was a huge part of the industry that had a much better chance of staying in the animals ear for longer periods of time. Why are we "re-inventing the wheel" What about the good old "branding iron" that is done once safe to animal and workers that stay on the animal till the hide is removed at the packing plant.


To all cattlemen contacts and practicing veterinarians receiving this email I will keep you posted. Please post this information in your offices or forward this email to your friends and colleagues across Canada. I suggest that Canadian Cattlemen contact their MPs in Ottawa over the concerns and problems of applying and the retention of the whole RFID tagging process in the Canadian Cattleherd .


To Hon Gerry RItz Minister of Agriculture be proud of what you have enforced and inflicted on the Canadian Cattleman while you are our minister of agriculture. I hope you are proud of this.
Are you in Saskatoon in mid June? Would you like to be witness at this upcoming Tribunal?

North Battleford office: 306 445 2004
Ottawa office: 613 945 7080

Keeping in to touch.

Dr. Ken Habermehl (A victomized Canadian Cattlemen)

cc CFIA contacts
MLAs
Practicing veterinarians and Western College of Veterinary Medicine
Canadian Veterinary Medicine contacts
Auction Mart Owners in Western Canada
Canadian Cattlemen
Media contacts


From: Ministerial Correspondence - Correspondance ministérielle
Sent: Wednesday, April 14, 2010 1:26 PM
To: kphabermehl@sasktel.net
Subject: Your correspondence to the Honourable Gerry Ritz - QTE 142968




Quote: 142968


Ken Habermehl, DVM
Box 183
Macrorie, Saskatchewan S0L 2E0

kphabermehl@sasktel.net


Dear Dr. Habermehl:

Thank you for your follow-up correspondence detailing your concerns regarding radio frequency identification tags in the Canadian cattle industry. I appreciate the time you have taken to write on this matter.

The Government of Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) consider traceability as one of our main priorities. We are committed to continuing to work with industry to move ahead with a comprehensive national traceability system.

I understand that you have discussed this issue with Mr. Ken Schmidt, Regional Director for the Saskatchewan Region, CFIA. I hope that this discussion was helpful and informative.

As previously mentioned, regarding the administrative monetary penalty that you have received, it is my understanding that this matter is currently before the Review Tribunal Commissioner; it would, therefore, be inappropriate for me to comment.

Again, thank you for writing.


Sincerely,





Gerry Ritz, PC, MP

[kato]

That G. Ritz letter looks a lot like all the ones I've received from him. A response that is not a response...... assuming this wasn't written by an assistant, which is what I always wonder.

How about some common sense here? If cattle are not changing hands, then the loss of a tag is not a big issue. If cattle are in your own pasture, no matter where that is, it's no one's business if they lost a tag or not, as long as they have one when they are sold. We've got cows that are on their third tags already, and probably will need more before their careers are over. Just how many holes are we expected to put in those ears?

If the government wants us to always have a tag in every animal at all times, then they should start shipping free tags out to every producer in this country. We'd be willing to buy the first one, but after that, replacement tags should be free.

We've already done our share.

[grassfarmer]

I'm all for neutering CFIA on account of their trade impeding activities alone but it'll take a smarter campaign than this.
Properly applied the RFID tags have a high 90s% retention rate - no big deal. Saying that calves "beller" when you attach an RFID tag versus a regular management tag is utter BS as is the claim that RFID tagging cows will require producers to use electric cattle prods which is a welfare issue then going on to suggest that hot iron branding is a better solution? Come on - Ritz is a dummy and a clown but even he will be able to see through these ridiculous claims.

[burnt]

How much responsibility do the tag manufacturers have since it is their products that is failing?

I would think that if they were faced with a lawsuit or two that they would rather start spending a bit more money on product improvement than on defending against litigation.

Why are they not being held responsible since their product has not been improved when there are known deficiencies in the tags?

Allflex et al need a wake up call. I think the CFIA is barking up the wrong tree.

[SADIE]

GF---You and I will only agree on one thing. In theory it is a great concept but it cannot be achieve until there is one basic principle. This cannot go ahead until practical science can put a PERMANENT ID on a bovine animal that is visable to the naked eye.

The metal ketchum eartag is the only thing that came close other than the iron brand.

Micocipts under the skin or a rumen bolus is of no use because veterinary colleague of mine---have a tough time finding the ID with scanners in animals the size of "poodles"

2)I am glad you identified you vision of the cow-trade activity you are accustomed to. I was a large animal veterinary owning the two practices in east central alberta--(consort and Provost) for 20 years. We did lots of "preg checks" at markets and was involved with veterinary inspection at markets when that was applicable in three very busy auction markets. I loved you type of people---You had lots of answers---came in chewing our asses off about preg-checkers that I know I was damn good at----We had fun and loved to "toss a few of you out of the clinics and auction markets".

My comment now is I buy top cut Bred heifers each fall from one of the elite commercial breeders in western canada. He is a supperb stockman. He applies these RFID tags on these animals before he goes into agribition and always brings the "high dollar" value selling across Canada. His progeny I sell as replacement heifers also. THese RFID tags now once in since first introduction have done nothing but "tear and rip ears" Like mentioned RFID and traceability is not supposed to interfere with commerce. It is killing his market and mine. Loss in value of "young females" loose tremendous value. The purebred breeders "bulls" are taking huge hits also.

3)You question the angle how I am pursuing this action. I will be candid with you GF. Please talk to sawbones (classmate and best man at my wedding years ago) and now R. Kaiser. I am being coached on this by a great team. This has taught me to thing totally outside the box. THe connection I revealed was being involved with CAPLA now CAEPLA. LANDOWNER ASSOCIATIONS.CA. I now do lots of public speaking in the winter months using power-point and DVD with soundtrack across western Canada. Anyone with energy like "pipeline or oil activity" is begging to hear the SAPL/MPLA ENBRIDGE NEGOTIATED SETTLEMENT. This movement did not start in Alberta it originated with landowners out of South Western Ontartio crossed Manitoba and I volunteered to organize Saskatchewan. Alberta AAPL was organized and then BC. only after almost 500 landowners unified and took on "corruption" with an energy company, Beaurocracy The National Energy Board. Our deal has no confidentiality papers signed and many issues (1sts in Canadian history were made--abandonment--pipeline taken out of the ground, and liability lifted to cross the pipes. THe compensation package fell that saved farms---It is a passionate story. The CEO president of CAEPLA used to be an MP in Ottawa, Saw the corruption of politics and has coached this movement along. We are watching the work R. Kaiser and your groups are doing.

GF you are great to be on the treaded emails because you take the opposite stand and it creates good discussion and some day I know when I meet you in person we will shake hands and come to a common ground.

This story---Fined under Section 176 and the Heavy Hand of the CFIA is now huge. I will reveal more in another thread to all can learn. There is so many horror stories now of tags on ground, wrong tags on wrong animals. Because of the cost some people---have learnt to re-drill old tags and stick them on. (low paying workers level).

The fines now are huge coming in. Who will someone want to talk to when they get the registered letter in the mail. I will explain but back to seeding and working pairs for another pasture.

650 Rawlco radio now has the story. THe producer is on this also---They have phoned me so "THE GRASS ROOTS PEOPLE ARE TALKING".

Next email---Explaing how the tribunal works at the NATIONAL ENERGY BOARD In Calgary. How does it compare to the CFIA TRIBUNAL SYSTEM---No judge just a Dr. DOn Buckingham---ag degree with a law degree. It will be great to look down the row of CFIA colleages and call them by their first name.

[grassfarmer]

The tag manufacturers already have a responsibility Burnt - their products had to be tested and approved by the Government authorities before they were approved for sale. Some didn't pass and had to re-design. The ones in use today have high 90s % retention rate which is pretty good. Actually there is a fairly easy solution to secure permanent identification SADIE - go to double tagging as they have done in Europe. Two tags with a high 90s% retention rate is a pretty secure system. Over there the tag manufacturers were basically told to provide 2 tags for the price of one so it needn't cost anymore for the producer. The metal tags are good as you say but unfortunately they cannot carry the electronic information the plastic EID can so will be no use for electronic movement tracking.

[Happytrails]

I have to point out that the RFID tags contain absolutely no information beyond the 15 digit number. Any other info such as herd of origin, date of birth, etc. must be added separately. HT

[SADIE]

In for the night. GF. Double tagging--sorry no ears left at all. You are way wrong with the % retention. An engineering firm now is looking at the weight difference and seeing how overweight on such thin narrow stems.

Way out to lunch. WE are now into 3-4 year in cow-herd. Young cows that were done by very very competent cattle producers in field conditions.

I was accused about that in CFIA evidence against me. I gave many seminals on proper tagging technigue during the evolution of the FLY TAG era.---all the same.

GF the hearing is open and they have to accommodate the audience. THis information will come forward under expert witness. Very busy trying to meet deadlines for witness list. I will be serving suppena (my own cost) for the 3 CFIA personnel to make sure they are there.

Cattlemen are now phoning emailing and asking how to help.

There are 3 ways.

1) Phone your MPS now. Section 176 no Tracability without Proper animal ID.

Phone Min of ag Gerry Ritz

2)Fill the court room. I have seen the difference it makes at a NEB hearing full of High Priced Energy lawyers and once Landowners show up huge difference. Remember only the cattleman, and myself are there without pay everyone else is getting a government paycheck.

3)Monetary offering are coming to strengthen my subpeana list.

I have tonnes of great witnesses volunteering to come at my request.

CFIA gets to subpeana anyone they want with taxdollars money. Who Should really be there?

1)Tag manufacturer---definately. Really I don't need him. Met one at AGribition---Allflex and asked about rings coming off studs----never the manufacturers fault.

2)CCIA 2009 chairman I have asked and have been totally turned down. THis will be brought out in a press-release just before the hearing. THis makes CCIA totally uncredable. Again the massive postal of false information in all magazines and auction markets is full of false information that confused cattlemen. Really this could instigate another Class Action Lawsuit by a canadian cattleman.

GF---Pasture delivery is on this week in Saskatchewan. Come to the pastures and hear the Tag loss story. REmove your Blinkers and see the big picture. This pasture I was at one man a cow's head threw it and hit him in the face and nose. Threatening to sell all the "F" ing animals this fall. Another younger lad had a hand banged.


GF---Two areas that are very real again come and see the big picture. Footage of working a cow-herd now through a chute on film and the humanity in chutes and bellering and tags flying and now stock prods again---Animal welfare people would jump all over this.---PETA

These RFID tags are not biodegradable and are being lost all over. Environmental issues also. Huge in the public eye.

Tag testing in the field---way way out GF come on and look around.

I now have 3 expert witness quality cattlemen or veterinarians that use 3 of the types of tags available---all huge retention problem in the adult bovine. BUlls are a horror story.

Closing tonight---This tribuanl is a monetary fine. There were unreasonbable towards me---there is no turning back now. I have had a great winter studying this whole Animal health act and building this huge army.

Does it matter if I win or lose at the hearing?

[grassfarmer]

It doesn't matter greatly to me if you win or lose SADIE - it's a total non-issue as far as I'm concerned. Good luck in your efforts as it's obviously important to you but I do not believe your experiences are representative of all cattle producers. We have no problems with tag retention - probably 96% retention of the original tag in the adult cow herd and 99% in the calf crop up to the point of sale (12-18 months).
Risk of injury when tagging adult bovines is no different than the regular risk of handling, vaccinating etc.

[kato]

We spent the day processing 65 pairs for pasture. We replaced tags in 13 adult animals, one of which was a very large, very unhappy bull. That's 80% retention rate. On a 150 cow herd, that's 30 tags, which comes in around $100.00 a year, just for replacement tags.

I can see where SADIE is coming from. Not only are we being expected to absorb some very high extra costs added to an already miserable bottom line, but we are being treated like we're trying to commit some kind of fraud, if we miss a tag. What ever happened to warnings? Why be so harsh, in a situation where the cows are only going to be temporarily at a pasture. They're all together with their herdmates, and are going home again in the fall. They are not going to sale or to new owners.

It's the transfer of ownership time that should be the main aim of traceability, not when you are just hauling cows down the road and home again. If something like FMD hit when the cows were at a community pasture, I'm sure the whole pasture would be quarantined anyway. It is probably one of the easiest places to stop livestock movement in the whole chain.

I can also see grassfarmer's point. He's seen first hand the disaster of FMD. Trust me, we don't want to go there.

The answer lies in the middle. And it starts with some common sense. For one thing, we should not have to pay for these tags. Especially replacement tags.

For another thing, community pastures are not the place to be looking for missed tags. They would make much better use of their resources and time by spending it at auction marts, where cattle are actually changing hands.

[SADIE]

Got time tonight to respond to two people on this thread.

Kato---comment on G Ritz letter is very important here. First I signed a letter last December that I had two journalist work on to perfect for me. Some of you received it on email. It was titled a "plea of help from a victimized Canadian Cattleman. I also met my MP David Anderson in Feb on this regard. If one challanges a Monetary fine this is the #3 option you can take---Letter to the Minister of AG. Taking this to the tribunal hearing you have to put together "expert witness" list and a paper chase. This will be presented as an Enhibit A at the hearing.

The email I posted I removed the 50 CFIA veterinarian email contact that it was also cced to. I am using the Min of Ag as the "scape goat" He is the ultimate boss to all CFIA contacts.

Like I mentioned earlier---"being coached" I have several strategic goals in mind in this purpose. THe 100 practicing veterinary clinics that also got the email under bcc. Where might the future resourse pool come from for their future employement?.

GF---Experience with the National Energy Board Hearings has been great conditioning. THis is another beaurocracy that landowners now have learnt a process in 'Cracking the Nut" a little in their favor.

Testifying under oath at a board hearing give you a great comfort zone. Watching and hearing the lawyer talk of some of the best in Canada.

Learning how to prepare your case working with sharp young lawyers has been great.

Taking my case to an oral tribunal hearing. When you take on a Canadian beaurocratic agency there is no bluffing. I studied all the other cases on the internet and talked to some on the phone.

1st---CFIA throws their evidence at you. It might scare off some farmers, ranchers but more people are learning the game and I am willing to share at future meetings.

2nd---the defendant has a timeline to put together his evidence that he has to share with the other party. THanks to digital pictures---some slhown before my bound copy is twice as thick as CFIAs.

3rd CFIA lawyered up early and tried to ask who my lawyer was. I told CFIA I would represent myself and don't talk to me again. Only at the tribunal hearing.

4th--the defendant gets to pick the place, (Saskatoon), language, and time to do battle----They wanted Feb, May---the longer the time to drag out things keep evolving.

5th--Not using a lawyer gives you great latitude in the hearing room.

6th--CFIA will come in with about 10 people with briefcases and sit at their table---Likely only full of blank paper---Intimadation.

7th--Both parties have to share information and entire witness lists before the hearing.

8th--Your list you try to bring forward EXPERT WITNESSES meaning ones with degrees, Engineer that has taught at universities that wrote a paper etc. Cattleman that sat on the Canadian Cattleman's Assoc as president.

9th Each party will try to discredite the others witness. CFIA will try to ask why each of my witnesses is relevant to the case. All witnesses are sworn under oath and all cross exam and comments are on record.

10th those on record that had an oral hearing are embarised and are their alone in the hearing room.

11th I made my case very big. Build the largest army I could. The media will be present and their will be a press release before this date of June 15.


THe key is to make it to a hearing. IF there is no army and the evidence looks powerfull, in order and neat--an beaurocratic system might try to {make a deal ) so nothing goes on record.



Goals:

1)CFIA has to be made accountable?

2)Not one person knows the entire group of laws that the are in place. Not everyone is "SINGING FROM THE SAME SONG SHEET"

3)CFIA personnel all interpret the laws differently.

4)My case is a monetary fine classified as "minor". There is question and could be some real difficulty if the $$$ can be obtained from a person anyway. My case will be a trial run. I already asked the tribunal body if I could take "Jail time" of work off as public service.

5)My list of "expert witnesses" some are involved at the WESTERN COLLEGE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE.

---WORLD KNOW ANIMAL BEHAVIOR SPECIALIST, ENGINEERING TEAM ON CAMPUS that is looking at work on these tags even using the SYNCOTRON, Past PRes of the CANADIAN CATTLEMANS, No mileage cost to me.

GF if tag retention is great CFIA would be wise to use taxpayers money and bring in an "EXPERT TECHNICAL WITNESS" to the hearing. I will have at least one other Rancher, very witty, great speaker and knows court room edicate beside me.

IF $500.00 is going to come out of my back pocket I want to get some value out of it. I learnt a tonne on preparing this case. I learnt from all of you on your take on this website

[littledoggie]

kato, you said "We should not have to pay for these tags". BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR! If we don't pay for the tag, who then owns the information that goes along with the tag - ex. age verified, weaning date, weaning weight, vaccines given, etc. etc. Bureaucrats can come with all kinds of ideas for information that could be collected. We should all be fighting for the right to own ANY and ALL information that is connected to the RFID tag. And we should be wondering why the CCIA (which was created with producer check-off dollars)is releasing age verified information out the back door.

[SADIE]

Kato--

A couple of responses now to two of your comments.

1)What has happened in Manitoba---Because of my outreaching story I am receiving lots of phone calls for help from other victoms.

Shake down in Manitoba---CFIA if Brandon area came in to an assembly yard---5-6 CFIA trucks and RCMP swad cars show up----cease all the computers and stormed the offices and area.

Leading case originated in Jan 2010 when a producer from Brand had 3-4 cull cows to ship phoned the "assembly yard" and asked if he could---Cold weather he would just bring his RFID tags with him. He Gave them to a yard worker---who Pocketed them. Producer left thinking all is well.

A couple of weeks later the CFIA phones the producer---Told RED WHITE FACE COW was suspecious of cancer eye and would be testing for BSE. TAG ON THE WRONG COW. CFIA stormed the producers place "demanding that someone has to pay" THe threatens to the producer is a fine of $14,000.00.

No charges have been administered yet to either the producer or assembly yard operator.

The producer phoned me ---about 45 in tears last week and another----Cows are all going this fall. On the phone and I have checked with his practicing vet---good top cut cattleman,

Feedyard operator I talked to---Following my story just commented. If they wanted my computer records all CFIA had to do is ask.

2)Tagging loss in your situation---Can I guess that those tags have been in about 2-3 years now and are of the brand of tag that controls 90% of the tagging market?

My entire case will come out ---I conversed with Brad WIldamen yesterday on my perception of the "PROBLEM WITH TAG LOSS" of high nos to some producers and others saying they have a high % of perception.

Brad W. 2009 CCA president and CCIA chair before that. THis evidence will come out during my Cross-examination at the hearing. Huge problem for those tags in those cow-herds as they are in year 3-5.

Enough said for now. Ask all readers to see the Western Producer this week. It is going to get very vocal across the west on the radio

[grassfarmer]

SADIE could you maybe explain the Manitoba case facts because I don't understand what you wrote. What is the offense? You said the producer dropped off some cows along with loose tags at a collection area and the staff there failed to tag the animals.
Later the producer was contacted about one cow getting BSE tested - was the cow his or are you implying his tag had been put on someone elses cow?
Either way what is the problem? If the cow was tagged it met the requirements.

[kato]

Thanks for the info. This story is miles and miles and miles away from the gossip that's going around the neighbourhood. Odds are that I probably know the producer, since it's pretty much a local story here. It will not be the producer who's the subject of the gossip either.

Gossip is a dangerous hobby.

I can however say that the assembly yard in question runs a really good operation. We've dealt with them for years. They handle a lot of cattle, and are very well respected.

What a mess.