Tractor Supply federal tracking!?

[HillCountryMomma]

Boy did I get a nasty surprise at TS last night.

Went in to grab a bag of layer pellets. I don't usually buy feed from them, but I just realized the layer pellets my local feed store carries contain a petroleum based preservative. So that led me to TS.

Anyway, they are having their 'Chick Days'. Sure enough, there were the chicks in the water tanks. My kids and I went over to look and a sales associate hurried over to tell us that as of this year they have to collect tracking information from us and that there is a min purchase of 6 chicks required. If any of the chicks become ill or die, the purchases has to report this information back to TS. I asked who was implementing this program and was originally told the hatchery (Ideal). Upon further investigation I was told by Ideal that they have nothing to do with that policy or tracking chicks. The second time I talked to someone at TS the lady (very defensively) told me it was a federal mandate and that all chicks sold in Texas have to be registered and tracked.

So, I'm hunting everywhere I can think of to try and get concrete information on this issue. I called around to a couple other feed stores and no one had any idea what TS was talking about. No one else is gathering tracking information.

The lady at TS really couldn't give me good info. Couldn't tell me who my information would go to, but did tell me it would be kept on record for at least a year. She also said that this tracking is a nation wide federal mandate!

If anyone knows the laws in Texas pertaining to this issue PLEASE let me know!

Thanks,
Liz

 

[HenSpa]

Ooo...that doesn't sound good. At all. Makes you wonder if it's some tracking thing related to bird flu fears. Sounds kind of under the table, though, doesn't it? Regardless of the reason and who's behind it.

 

[doodledoo]

The TSC here in GA is doing the same thing - I think that is something that they have just decided to do for their own information but I'm not positive. Maybe they want to be able to send all of us crazy chicken people coupons for their feed.

I think that the 6 minimum is just to make you buy more than you originally came in for - it is a good excuse tho as to why you came home with more.

 

[Lilredhippie]

There is a push on for the government to be able to track ALL farm animals, pigs, cows, sheep, goats, chickens, etc. The idea is to be able to track from birth to slaughter, all animals that are in one way or another, used for consumption. This is due in part to the mad cow disease scare a few years ago.
This will impose a huge hardship to large and small farmers alike, even those who keep small flocks of chickens. I don't know all the particulars of this, but you can go online and check it out. I believe Mother Earth News, Acres and other small farm publications have articles about this.
IMHO, I would not buy from any store, hatchery, etc. that is going to make me fill out a form to buy chickens or any other livestock. That is one reason I am trying to build a flock that I can keep and breed for future flocks.
Let your legislators know how you feel about this intrusive law that is pending.

 

[artsyrobin]

They aren't doing that here in Oklahoma- they do require a 6 chick purchase, but there was no mention of address of buyer....

 

[enola]

I didn't have to sign anything at my TSC. But, the idiots that work there don't understand the 6 chick limit.

They are forcing their customers to buy the chicks in units of 6. For example, 6 chicks, 12 chicks or 18 chicks.

They were lucky that I wanted 12 when I went in. But, then they wanted to argue about how many of each chick breed I could get.

I wanted 4 EE, 4 Barred Rocks and 4 leghorns. They tried to force me to buy 6 of each breed !

No amount of explaining how the 6 limit works would sink into their heads !

After telling them for the 3rd time that I wanted 4 of 3 different breeds and being told 3 times that I couldn't have it that way, I just told them I would go to the "other" feed store and get what I wanted !

The chicks were cheaper there any way

They finally let me have 12 pullets, 4 of each breed that I wanted !

Then I went to the "other" feed store to get my chick starter. I found out their chicks come in on the 28th and he thinks the brown leghorns

will be in the first batch to arrive

But, shucks to get my brown leghorns, I will have to buy a lot of 6 AGAIN !

*************

Edited to add ---- When I have to sign for tracking purposes, I will not be buying from them any more.

 

[jandmeg07]

I'm glad we went to Bosman's Merchantile before TSC. The Chick Days up here (Michigan) start next week.

 

[Oceanseve]

I've heard about laws that are trying to get passed to track EVERY livestock animal, but the main reason (from what I heard) of why it hadn't gone through yet was because no one has the funds to actually implement such a database. Perhaps different state govts are trying to prove it can be done w/o breaking the bank? I will have to swing by my TSC to see if they are doing the same. Heck, call TSC corporate and ask. My local feed store and Atwoods didn't ask me anything. Both of them get theirs from Ideal.

 

[raneydayfarm]

We are in Indiana and our TSC will not have chicks until the first week of April. The other farm store in town, which I personally prefer, has had chicks for several weeks, we bought a couple batches of chicks from them and did not have to fill out any tracking paperwork. I agree with others, when I have to fill out tracking paperwork I won't buy from them.

 

[barnwife]

Quote:
right on! I don't know if the tsc here is keeping track or not...but tsc has been working hard to keep track of their losses and getting more corporate pressures lately due to their profits dropping somewhat.

noone of the feed stores in the four-five city radius of me are keeping track either.

its scary. its city people who think we wallow in filth and treat the animals with no care and who have never seen a live farm animal in their lives other than what greenpeace and other "save the animals" vegetarian groups scream at the top of their lungs.

If only the government funded education system would actually TEACH ppeople about where their food comes from, maybe even make the children see it first hand.

In the cities, even small and medium sized cities, there are LOADS of people who have NEVER seen where their food comes from. they"know" where it comes from...but don't equate the animal and everything it takes to get that animal to their table with the cost to them or that it might be messy, etc.

its a weird worrld we live in. The government who cares about everyone is trying to make food so expensive that noone can afford to grow it!