Reply #43: Bullshit.

[warrens]

I like Hightower as much as the next guy, but he's wrong. In the case of animals like chickens and pigs who are raised and sold together on one premise, one identification number will be given to the whole bunch. Larger animals that tend to wander and be moved around before being turned into dinner will have to have an individual tag. RFID is only one means of ID; retinal ID is already popular. If you're raising a few chickens for your own food, the law will not apply.

The reasoning is that if any major disease breaks out, they will be able to instantly find out where the diseased animals came from and quarantine their premises. The option is to slaughter indiscriminantly, as they had to do in England during foot and mouth a few years back.