Originally published March 30 2012
Confirmed: Michigan pig ban will eliminate all heritage breeds, destroy thousands of small-scale farms
by Jonathan Benson, staff writer
(NaturalNews) As many NaturalNews readers now know, the state of Michigan's Department of Natural Resources (DNR) recently issued a final ruling on its invasive species order (ISO) for swine that targets destructive "feral" species for elimination across the state. But what many people do not realize is that because of the careless way in which the order was created, all unconventional pig breeds, including heritage breeds raised by small-scale farms, are also lumped into this "feral" category as well.
Contrary to some of the claims currently spreading across the internet elsewhere, DNR's ISO does not simply target feral breeds responsible for destroying crops and forests. As we pointed out in a recent article on the matter, the ISO brands certain hair colors, fur types, tail and skeletal structures, and various other characteristics as being indicators of a feral breed, even though these descriptors also identify many heritage breeds that have been raised in Michigan for many decades (http://www.naturalnews.com/035372_Michigan_pigs_farm_freedom.html).
In other words, there is nothing sensational or overblown about the claims made that the state of Michigan has basically declared war on all pig breeds besides the select few raised by large-scale factory farms. The DNR's approach to the situation is beyond misguided -- it is a blatantly-unscientific assault on small-scale pig farmers across the state of Michigan, many of which face being completely put out of business.
"The DNR's thinking is irrational," writes Senator Darwin L. Booher from Michigan's 35th District in a recent article on the issue. "The department says we must ban certain pigs because the state has a feral hog problem (pigs running at-large or outside a fence). But since all pigs outside of a fence are feral and the DNR cannot genetically differentiate between swine, the department decided to ban certain pigs in Michigan simply due to their appearance" (http://www.misenategop.com).
Sen. Booher also points out that DNR does not even have the proper jurisdiction to involve itself in private pig-raising operations, as its sole purpose is to manage game and wildlife owned by the public. So in essence, DNR has taken a similar approach with pigs as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has done with raw milk -- just ban all forms and varieties that deviate from the conventional norm.
Be sure to listen to the interview between Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, and Mark Baker from Baker's Green Acres, a heritage pig raiser whose entire farm is threatened by the new order:
http://buzz.naturalnews.com/000025-Michigan-pigs-invasive_species.html
You can also watch a video created by the Bakers themselves at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=843yH_0RMIA
Sources for this article include:
http://foodfreedomgroup.com/2012/03/16/michigan-bans-heritage-pigs/
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