Texas farmers and their animals are hoping to have a say in whether or not lawmakers decide to Tag Texas.
On March 2, which is Texas Independence Day, farmers and their animals will parade up the center of downtown Austin. Marchers will gather at the parking lot at First and Red River at 1:30 p.m., and will walk up Congress Avenue to the Capitol.
Animals and tractors will return to the parking lot and the participants will be provided shuttle service back to the Capitol.
The protest was planned because of two things, the National Animal Identification System (NAIS) and the Trans-Texas Corridor. NAIS is a corporate-agriculture plan that the Texas Animal Health Commission has authority to make mandatory at any time. According to the plan, anyone who owns livestock animals will have to register their premises with the government, individually identify each animal and report movements to a database.
The Trans-Texas Corridor is a plan for a privately owned toll road to run from Mexico to Oklahoma.
Judith McGeary, founder of the Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance, said "The NAIS and TTC are national issues with their hearts in Texas. We hope that the sight of a veritable Noah's Ark marching up Congress will reconnect Texas Lawmakers to the people whose lives they are affecting."
After the march, guitarist Jimmie Vaughan will perform a song at the steps of the Capitol Building.
For more information, visit http://farmandranchfreedom.org/content/dont-tag-texas or http://www.dont-tagtexas.com.
tboudreaux@thepinelog.com
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