In many states 4-H and FFA members have been offered money to register their parents’ premises. Colorado and North Carolina provide two particularly grievous examples of coercing our young people.

Colorado’s Department of Agriculture has managed to redefine “voluntary” so it includes “mandatory.” The CDA website states: “Premises identification is voluntary.” But just below that statement is a link to “Why Colorado 4-H Requires Premises Registration.” The linked document contains their policy, but no citation to any law requiring premises registration.

A coalition has been formed to fight 4-H coercion in Colorado. They may be reached through either of their co-chairs: John Reid, 6245 Highway 71, Ordway, CO 81063, 719-446-5210, ; Kimmi Lewis, Muddy Valley Ranch, 43200 Highway 109, La Junta, CO 81050, 719-384-4093, .

North Carolina’s Cooperative Extension Service sent letters to Dairy Show Exhibitors in May, stating “Premise [sic] Registration Number... will be required for everyone showing at this year’s NC State Fair.” The letter was accompanied by a two-page registration form and three pages of questions and answers on NAIS, which obviously hadn’t been updated since 2005. These materials, discussing how to place tags and when movements should be reported, are out of date. The materials do not say that North Carolina’s program is voluntary. The state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Animal ID site states: “NCFarmID [is] a voluntary registration process for farms and animal premises in our state.” Obviously premises registration is not voluntary for 4-H or FFA youth in North Carolina

Karin Bergener of Ravenna, Ohio, is an attorney and co-founder of Liberty Ark Coalition. This article appeared in the Summer 2007 issue of Rural Heritage.