During the Congressional special recess, elected representatives are burning rubber to commingle with the voters and carefully articulate positions, explain plans and solicit reelection.

Congressman Colleen Peterson (D) from Minnesota's Seventh Congressional District was pinch hitting in Ohio for Space. Peterson is current Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee of which Space also is a freshman member.

The Space/Peterson meetings were billed as a Q and A forum centered around the Farm Bill and related agriculture topics in the heart of Ohio's farm and livestock producing counties.

Space is facing a neck and neck Congressional race with challenger Fred Dailey (R) who served several years as Ohio State Agriculture Secretary. Dailey is perceived to be solid on agriculture with strong livestock support.

Opening remarks by Space reviewed the achievements of Rep. Peterson and the laborious recent Farm Bill, without a doubt the most historically controversial and extensive to draft.

Congressman Peterson, casually dressed, spoke to the difficulties of partisan politics and the slow process of getting things accomplished with the current congress and senate. He outlined his concern for reducing numbers of FSA payment recipients, and a positive future for biofuels. Although the Farm Bill had no special provision for the National Animal Identification System (NAIS) the Q and A session quickly turned to NAIS concerns.

A local rancher ask how the enforcement of mandatory NAIS would be handled and what the fines and penalties would be for non compliance? (Peterson had been quoted numerous times as supporting prompt mandatory NAIS.) Peterson replied, "I oppose NAIS mandatory at this time because the current USDA leadership does not have the computer technology to implement the program at the speed of commerce. Under this administration, it will not work mandatory. The USDA must be reorganized and brought into the 21st century. We will watch and see what happens after election."

There was a question about the time involved developing the Farm Bill, to which Peterson replied with receptive humor, "It takes time to buy off 100 Senators."

Representative of R-CALF USA, Dave Hutchins, West Mansfield, Ohio expressed concerns about importation of cattle from Canada without proper testing, captive supply and that NAIS must only be voluntary, and not mandatory. "R-CALF was a strong proponent of the recently enacted Country Of Origin Labeling (COOL)" acknowledged Peterson.

Numerous questions of concern regarding NAIS were expressed by reddish faced livestock producers. Ohio is one of the lowest percentage NAIS premises enrollment states with less than 15% of livestock owners volunteering. A recent independent national survey openly conducted by the Western Horsemen Magazine revealed that 94% of US livestock owners oppose NAIS.

When the Space/Peterson delegation arrived at Logan, Ohio, the second planned meeting, they were greeted by non violent picketers in front of the meeting hall, all in opposition of NAIS.

As the Q & A sessions continued to revert to NAIS it was obvious the majority of Ohio livestock producers were more concerned about the costs of mandatory action and it's enforcements than other topics of the day's planned discussion.

Participants mostly consisted of local officials, candidates campaigning for election, Farm Service Agency employees, and farmers with issues about NAIS. Rural Ohio participants expressed appreciation for the time and opinionated details provided by Committee Chairman Peterson.