The back of animal owner Yvonne Smith's T-shirt bears the hand-printed message: "Don't track my ass, my cow, my pig, my goat."

Smith is traveling around the state, picking up petitions at feed stores from Ely to Elko, protesting the planned National Animal Identification System.

The NAIS would require the registration of every premise with livestock by 2009. An animal trace processing system -- implemented by implanting animals with microchips, a radio tag or old-fashioned collared tags -- would allow the U.S. Department of Agriculture to record and store animal movements.

The system is intended for use in the event of a disease investigation and would be in place by 2007.

"I run into people all the time at feed stores who have no idea what this is, and they've been trying to do this since 2004," Smith said.

A press release from the USDA says the system is currently voluntary. The stated long-term goal is to provide animal health officials with the capability of identifying all livestock and premises that have had direct contact with a disease of concern within 48 hours of discovery.

An April 6 press release about U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns laying out an implementation plan, states, "We recognize that this represents one of the largest systematic changes ever faced by the livestock industry and we have welcomed suggestions from stakeholders to ensure that we continue to gain momentum."

The plan would be implemented in cooperation with the states and the livestock industry.

Yet the idea of tagging all animals and requiring owners of livestock to furnish their premises number doesn't sit well with independent-minded Nevadans like Smith.

Smith said under the plan she'd be required to furnish her premise number when she buys feed or inform officials when she wants to go horseback riding.

State Veterinarian Dr. David Thein is scheduled to address the issue at the University of Nevada, Reno, Cooperative Extension Office on Calvada Boulevard soon.

When Smith received a phone call from the USDA, inquiring what animals she had, she volunteered information that she had some 4-H animals. When she was asked how many acres she had, Smith said it was none of USDA's business. Likewise, when they asked if she grew any fruits or vegetables, she gave the same response.

Besides that, a 2006 Agricultural Identification Survey asks owners how many cattle and calves they own; the number of goats and kids; sheep and lambs; hogs and pigs; horses, ponies, mules, donkeys or burros. The form inquires about the number of agricultural laborers, size of payroll and gross sales.

The sample letter to congressmen in opposition to the plan states: "Never before in the history of our country has a person had to report to the state simply because he or she owns animals. NAIS represents an unprecedented expansion of the government bureaucracy into people's private lives and infringes on our property and privacy rights."

The letter states fear of disease can't justify such intrusion into people's lives. Disease must be addressed on a species-specific basis with an understanding of the causes of the diseases and the way they're transmitted.

"Tracking disease 48 hours after the fact will do nothing to prevent disease in the first place," Smith said.

Large livestock feeding operations will only have one premises number, the same as the owner of a small number of animals, Smith said.

A flier she is circulating states an owner must report within 24 hours when an animal is tagged or a tag is lost, as well as report every death or slaughter, every missing animal and every time an animal enters or leaves the property for any reason.

"Congress has not passed this. Twice they've shot it down. Sen. (John) Ensign is for it," Smith said.

A June 30 letter from the senator states that, as a veterinarian, he's aware of the food safety, animal health and human health risks associated with animal disease outbreaks. He added, "I also understand the potential implications that a mandatory animal identification system may have on private animal owners."

Ensign wrote, in May, that the U.S. House of Representatives passed a provision that will stop the USDA from proceeding with the animal identification program until the department submits a detailed report about the proposed program to the House Appropriations Committee.

Ensign's letter doesn't indicate support for the program. Instead, he concludes in a non-committal sense, "This bill has yet to come before the Senate for consideration, but please rest assured that I will keep your opinions in mind when it does."

Smith said, "To me, it's a way of taxing us on our livestock and our animals." She said if animal owners voluntarily submit and give their premise numbers, the USDA has got them.

"It hasn't been passed by our state. You don't have to have it. The USDA is leaving it up to the states to enforce it," Smith said. "The United States can't keep track of illegal aliens, but they're going to track everybody's horses?"