Those of you against animal cruelty should vocally oppose NAIS* in your state, because this whole thing, despite the favorable sounding PR, is about consolidating control for the factory farms. Meaning homesteaders and small to fairly large producers will be priced out of the game, little by little, by regulatory costs that will not affect Tysons and Cargills etc. No matte what you hear, it will not improve food safety, it's several market grabs rolled into one.

As for myself, I went Vegi for a couple of years in the seventies while helping a friend with their health food/book shop, Together Books. Still love vegitation, more than I did then, but meat is necessary for complete satisfaction. Little by little I'm beginning to raise our own. More fence will go up this year and a few goats will be the next step. That'll provide milk and meat, to go along with eggs and fowl(chicken and muscovy), and rabbit. Y'all should've seen the grandToddler yesterday, 13 months, and helping me feed and water everybody but most impressive was the patience exhibited, at grandpa's repeated suggestion, of waiting and watching Spike, the rooster, for probably 10 minutes as he decided how to go about leaping from the ground to his favorite ourdoor tree perch. And of course, the real prize, was the chortling and pointing, in the aftermath.

And I hope you don't mind Kathryn, but I'd like you folks here to consider Kathryn and her girls(as she tenderly discribes her beautiful cattle). Most small producers have those same sentiments about their livestock. Maybe we don't name them all, but they are family, as well as being economic at some point(if only as health food on our table). If you don't believe me, you owe it to yourself to actually see the contrast between a factory farm and a working farm, or homestead. There is a world of difference in how the creatures are treated.

So Gene, do take the time to locate a local supplier. I know Virginia has many small producers because they have an extremely active organization fighting NAIS, and supporting safe (small)farming husbandry. If you like I'd be happy to locate a list of local producers(for any of you in the US). Many of these folks now offer subscription services specific to your desires.

respects, and do watch your vitamin, mineral and protein intake folks, deficiencies cause illness and disease.

* National Animal Identification System, the USDA is bribing state Ag Depts, through Cooperative Agreements, at the behest and planning of the NIAA, which is primarily made up of the major producers and slaughter organizations, the animal chipping and tagging organizations who stand to profit handsomely and big government and global treaties. Meaning, should they succeed in full implimentation of this NAIS program, in the course of time, local production will diminish to nearly nil, and not unlike media, only a few players will control all food production and processing, utilizing factory farm techniques almost exclusively. This will mercilessly squeeze local, viewable, suppliers. Yeah, I'm passionate about this.-)