Now, why don't I trust the government even though I read this? Oh yeah, because now I feel like I have to watch and wait if Congress tries to sneak it in to some other bill or call it something different!

On Thursday -- the same day that hundreds of ranchers gathered in Rapid City to give U.S. Department of Agriculture officials an earful about the proposed ID system -- the House Appropriations Committee's ag subcommittee pulled all funding from USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service that was meant to continue developing the system.

Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., backed removing the NAIS funding even though she has been a strong supporter of a mandatory ID system. DeLauro serves on both the House appropriations committee and its ag subcommittee.

"After receiving $142 million in funding since fiscal year 2004, APHIS has yet to put into operation an effective system that would provide needed animal health and livestock market benefits," DeLauro said in a news release. "USDA is currently conducting a public listening tour around the country for several months to hear from stakeholders. Until USDA finishes its listening sessions and provides details as to how it will implement an effective ID system, continued investments into the current NAIS are unwarranted."

Now. Tom Vilsack. ARe ****YOU**** Listening? From cattlenetwork

There were so many speakers that the USDA personnel on hand extended the morning session by an hour to accommodate them. That lone pro-NAIS speaker? A hog farmer, obviously intimidated by the mood of the room, spoke warily in a shaky voice and fled the premises for the safety of the parking lot amid catcalls from the floor before he was finished with his prepared statement.