Vermont Farmers Oppose Animal Registration If Records Public

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Vermont Agriculture Secretary Steve Kerr said he’s halting state participation in a federal livestock registration program because information the U.S. Department of Agriculture will not promise to keep what farmers consider proprietary information confidential. The USDA is building a data base of name, location and type of animals kept in an effort to control the spread of diseases. Kerr said he’s been told the information is subject to the Freedom of Information Act and is not “completely confidential,” so he’s recommending the state set up its own data base instead. (8/16/06)