ISSUE

Animal Health

PLACE IN FOOD CYCLE

Natural/Human Resources

POLICY

6VSA~1151 Enforcement of Premise ID

POLICY TOOL

Premise ID

SCALE

State

ACTORS

Secretary of Agriculture, farmers, judicial to ensure procedural rights.

PROBLEMS ADDRESSED

Food security, national security, animal and human health.

POLICY GOALS IMPLICATED

Security - stated goal to protect food security by minimizing spread of dissease. PA. Dept. of Agriculture emphasizes homeland security, by minimizing spread of bio-terrorism aimed at food supply by providing notification system for both livestock and produce farmers. Liberty - low involuntary and intrusive. Does provide for notice and right to hearing in accordance with 6 VSA~16. Efficiency - moderate pre-existing agency, registration and enforcement of premise ID additional task and legal processes involved. Equity - Cost impact greater for smaller farms.

TOOL CHARACTERISTICS

Coerciveness - High. Mandated regulation and enforcement involving potential for cease and desist ordersand fines to $1000. Automaticity - low - moderate, agency exist, processes new. Flexibility - low, mandated requirements for implementation and inforcement. Visibility - low-moderate depending on media coverage. Higher to VT farmers.

EXTENT POLICY SUPPORTS/HINDERS

Supports - May help ensure spread of communicable disease to livestock and plants through increased compliance. Hinders - Costly to paricipate in Premise ID program, enforcement actions for non-compliance threatens economic sustainability of farm. Fianancial impact will be greater for smaller farms.

ADDITIONAL LINKS

www.vermontagriculture.com/prs/premisesRules.html
http://pafarms.org
http://pafarms.org/USDAinfo/index.htm
http://www.organicconsumers.org/2006/article_1547.cfm