The other day I was helping our son with social studies homework and came across this line in his chapter about China:
“In a Communist system, the government owns most businesses and land and controls all areas of life. China’s new Communist government began by taking over control of the economy. The government seized all private farms and organized them into large, state-run farms.”
Sadly, it reminded me of what's happening right here in my home state. Too bad it's not an isolated incident of the government overstepping. The war against traditional farms, where our food is grown and raised the way it used to be, the way that provides nutrients for our bodies and doesn't rob the earth for future generations, continues to be under attack.
You may have heard about Mark Baker, the farmer from Northern Michigan, who is now considered a felon because the breed of pigs he has inside his fences are considered “feral” by a new DNR invasive species order that went into effect on April 1st.
Read an excerpt from Kimberly Hartke's post, Michigan CAFOs Conspire with Government to Ban Outdoor Pig Farming:
“At first glance, it appears they are concerned about loose pigs running wild across public and private lands and causing property damage or threatening people. It even seems their own document exempts pigs raised on farms from this new ruling. As it turns out, the only pigs raised on farms that could be exempted are the pigs in confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs). It’s no coincidence the Michigan Pork Producers Association supports the swine ISO.”
From the Farm to Consumer Legal Defense Fund:
“The other agenda at work is that of the Michigan Pork Producers Association (MPPA) who has publicly supported the ISO. In a February 27 editorial published in the Manistee Advocate newspaper, State Senator Darwin L. Booher mentioned, “The small farmers I have talked to wonder why the DNR is singling out their pigs and is joining forces with the Michigan Pork Producers Association on this issue. They believe the association wants all pigs to be raised in confinement facilities, and the best way to achieve that is to make it illegal to raise certain swine, especially those offering alternatives to the white pork raised in confinement.” At this time, it is certain only that swine raised in confinement facilities would be exempt from the ISO. For the confinement operations, the ISO could effectively reduce or eliminate the competition.
Implementation of the ISO will deny farmers their property rights and the right to make a living. It will reduce or eliminate customer access to heritage breed pork, a product that has become increasingly popular in restaurants across the state. All that could be left for consumers would be factory pork, produced by confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs).“
More from the FTCLDF:
“Attorney Joseph O’Leary is suing the DNR on behalf of four of the aggrieved business owners. He explains, “Wildlife is owned by the state; it is the role of the DNR to regulate and control state property. Livestock on farms is privately owned and properly belongs in the jurisdiction of the Department of Agriculture. When a governmental agency blurs these lines, people had better wake up and take notice because at that point we are all in a lot of trouble.”
Only government controlled businesses are allowed? Communism anyone?
There's more.
I received an email last week from another small businessman who is affected by this new ruling. The beginning of the conversation below were emails I was copied on, and then I tracked him down for more details. Read what Dave Tuxbury is going through in our beautiful state of Michigan…
Subject: Deer Tracks Administrative Inspection Warrant and Affidavit
Mr. Tuxbury, at your request we have scanned a copy of the court order which is attached and we will have Departmental employees at your facility shortly to exercise the Court Order. You’re denying us consent to verify that your not in possession of any prohibited species has resulted in this court order and we would again ask for your cooperation in allowing us access to fulfill this court order and confirm that you are in compliance.
F/Lt. Wade Hamilton
Wildlife Resource Protection Section<
Special Investigations & Commercial Fish
970 Emerson Rd.
Traverse City, MI 49696
(231)922-5280 ext:6804
[email protected]———-
Subject: Search Warrant
DNR called and said they had a search warrant and will be at my gate in 1 1/2 hours and will cut the gate if nobody lets them in. They must think I still have hogs.
Dave Tuxbury
———-
Subject: Search Warrant
I was served a search warrant yesterday at 7: 45am. After 8 guys, 3 four wheelers, and 4 hours, DNR decided I was correct. I have killed all my hogs. They gave me papers that say I do not have any hogs on my property. All they saw were dead hogs laying around from my mass slaughtering. It took 12 guys 4 times in there to kill all of them, sows with young, pregnant sows, dozens of piglets, and old mature boars. It has been a sad few weeks.
Does anyone know what it feels like to open fire on 20 baby piglets in one group which weigh between 5 lbs and 15 lbs. They are so adorable and cute.
They commented to everyone that they never saw a fence built so tough and no way would a hog get out of this area. I trenched 2′ then installed chain link fencing, then a 10′ high tightlock fence on top of that. (200 acre area.) They never saw a fence like that.
Dave Tuxbury
Deer Tracks Ranch———-
Here's where I contacted Dave to ask him some questions, which he answered via email…
Hi Dave,
It was good to talk to you today. Here are my questions…
******Can you tell us what kind of business you own at Deer Tracks Ranch?
This is a farm with animals/livestock that I own. It’s also known as a hunting preserve but basically the only difference between me and a traditional farm operation is that the customers harvest the animals themselves. All animals are raised as naturally as possible and are free to roam on more than 200 acres, and smaller pens of 2 acres.
******Is there a wild pig/feral swine problem in your area?
Among many other reasons, this is why the DNR looks so silly doing this. In my county there was ONE feral pig sighted in the last 11 years, probably a farm pig that got away from someone, it was NOT from my farm.
******How did you finally make the decision to comply with this new Michigan law?
My choices were to depopulate. All my old sows that were my breeders I had to sell them just for meat. I killed over 100 after October 8th and just before the big killing. The rest of them, I was waiting till the last week to see if pressure from senators and public could change the governor's opinion. OR change the ISO to something that makes sense. AFTER ALL this is the USA, I never imagined that they would make people mass murder their livestock for no good reason. I was facing fines of $20,000 for each pig alive on property, they could also charge me for a felony for possessing “invasive species”.
So, as you can see I had no choice.
The last two days before April 1st I hired sharpshooters to mass kill all the mothers and piglets. All of which had babies, soon to have babies, or mature boars. Some of these mothers were still milk feeding and they had to kill the mother and then chase and kill all the piglets. I hope people can understand how difficult this was, and for absolutely no good reason.
******Why do you think the DNR is enforcing this law that was meant to protect property owners from wild hogs, against someone like you who kept your pigs completely contained?
The Michigan DNR doesn’t like hunting preserves because it competes with them. The animals we raise and harvest are far superior than the animals that the DNR can offer people. Plus, I think the DNR employees watch too much television and programs like “Hog Wild.” The next thing I expect to happen is for the Michigan DNR staff to spend our tax dollars trying to find Bigfoot in Michigan. This, combined with the pork industry that doesn’t want the competition. This is just my opinion, you’d have to ask them as to why they are doing something so stupid and so destructive to small farms.
******What will you do now?
Raising the pigs ie: breeding, farrowing and raising them right here on the farm and selling them directly to customers was a major part of our business. Even our other hunts for things like deer depended on this because it was a draw to bring people into the ranch. Once people saw how nice it was here and the class of operation we have, it brings them back to harvest other animals. Plus understand, a lot of people came here specifically to harvest a pig for their freezer, naturally raised. There are a lot of families that are going to be very disappointed they cannot do this anymore.
Now, without this and the income from my pigs, it will be impossible to keep the ranch. I’m going to need to figure out a way to pay for a lawsuit against the State of Michigan. I have no choice if I want to keep my farm.
Believe it or not, I still believe in my state and country because I believe in the protections we have in the Michigan and U.S. Constitutions from out of control government. Even though DNR Director Rodney Stokes and the Governor of Michigan, Rick Snyder, may not, I still do.
Our forefathers made it very clear that government CANNOT take private property without just compensation, nor can they do it without due process. In this case, there is neither compensation nor process. DNR Director Rodney Stokes decided this all by himself to take my private property. And, Governor Snyder refused to tell Mr. Stokes to not do this. Anyway, my swine were legal one day and not legal the next and that in my book is a taking of private property by the State of Michigan without compensation.
TUX
Because I want to fairly present all sides of the issue, take a look at this article posted at the DNR website:
False Rumors About Feral Swine Enforcement – Setting the Record Straight.
I asked Dave for his response to the information there, particularly this line:
“Property owners who have killed prohibited swine did so by their own choice and as an alternative to selling their animals prior to the April 1 enforcement deadline.”
Dave replied:
Kelly,
Choice?? The State of Michigan via the DNR telling me to dispose of my swine/private property OR face felony charges and or fines of $20,000 a day………is NOT a choice.
And, selling them to who? Remember, these are, according to the DNR, “Illegal, Invasive Specie Swine,” there are not too many people lined up to buy them in exchange for becoming a felon.
TUX
Are you enraged now, too?
If you want to help, there are many ways listed here and WE NEED YOU. I'll make it as easy on you as possible, because I know you're all busy. THANK YOU.
- Show your support in the comments below and let us know what you think, and which of the below you did!
- Contact Michigan governor Rick Snyder and Director Dan Wyant. (Talking points are included at that link to help you know what to say, and there's even a sample letter.) More about Director Dan Wyant from Dave Tuxbury's website: Director Dan is the King Pin for the Michigan Triad, which is a compilation of three Directors for the Michigan Quality of Life Group. I personally met with Director Dan last summer and he is the “Big Dog”. He calls the shots for:1) the Department of Natural Resources, (DNR), 2) the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), and 3) the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD). Bottom line: these Directors answer to Dan Wyant and he controls the message to Governor Rick Snyder.
Let's slam their offices with complaints! Or you could pick up the phone and call – Governor Rick Snyder (517) 335-7858 and Director Dan Wyant at (517) 373-7917. If that line is busy please call (517) 241-7390. - Plus look what I found! Michigan DNR on Twitter and Michigan DNR on Facebook. You know what to do. Let 'em have it! Also, in addition to adding new comments, please go add your comments to my FB comment, add your own tweets, and please retweeat my tweet! Thank you!
- Also, you could email (or otherwise contact) the guy from the DNR email above, but I tried to contact him for a statement when I was working on this post and heard nothing back. It might be worth a try, just to let him know we're here if nothing else: F/Lt. Wade Hamilton, Wildlife Resource Protection Section, Special Investigations & Commercial Fish, 970 Emerson Rd., Traverse City, MI 49696, (231)922-5280 ext:6804, [email protected].
- Visit Dave Tusbury's Dear Tracks Ranch website and donate to his legal fund if you can help in that way. These things cost dollars, unfortunately…
- And/or visit Mark Baker's Green Acres Farm website and donate to his legal fund. Maybe even $10-20 to each if at all possible?
- Sign this Change.org petition: Stop the Imminent Slaughter of Heritage Pigs in Michigan
- Can't believe all this is happening in the USA? You MUST get this movie and show your friends! Farmageddon: The Unseen War on American Family Farms
- Michigan DNR Going Hog Wild
- FAQ on Mark Baker's website: “The source of the problem is hogs outside of fences for an extended period of time, by definition making them “feral.” To control the feral pig population by eliminating farm pigs is like tackling the drunk driving problem by prohibiting car sales.”
- On the darkest days of the local food movement, a hero takes a stand!
- Natural News: Insane Michigan government announces plan to destroy ranch livestock based on hair color and arrest hundreds of ranchers as felons
Top photo is from Dave Tuxbury with these comments: “These two are mother Durock farm pigs. Notice the color of the piglets, they have the stripes of invasive species pigs. All these piglets had to be killed.”
Chazz says
In the future we will likely have to resort to using the deep web for discussing our ideas as they start to constrict web access. If we start today we will appear pretty funny for posting stuff like “easy cancer cure”, “organic domesticated ‘feral’ pigs” or “Jesus”, and have it appear beside “hitmen hire”, “LSD sale” and [unimaginable worse illicit stuff]… But its probably not going to work perpetually if wikileaks and so on can get taken over…
Both pig and cat (regardless of color) can become feral, obviously targeting genetics.
foreigner says
‘communism’ ? please….. i think you might find that this could be better labelled as ‘facism’. Although i’m sure it suits your political ideologies to call it the former. I don’t agree with the measures taken against this farmer, as i don’t agree with big ag or the capitalist consumer society we live in…but to call it ‘communism’ doesn’t help anyone. It only serves to further alienate and aid in the divisive measures this nation’s politics perpetuate. Too bad this is not the ‘united’ states of america. If it was we might all be winning.
Rhonda C says
Kelly,
Thank you for posting this. Jill Baker (Mark’s wife) is my cousin and we’ve been following this whole situation very closely. It breaks my heart that people are being forced to give up their livelihood due to a huge misASSumption by ignorant DNR officials and a governor that is choosing to ignore the issue. I have never been more disappointed in my home state. What will be next? Killing our dogs because they’re related to wolves? Killing our horses because they’re related to mustangs? The list can go on and on….
We live less than 20 miles from the Bakers, in the same county, and my husband and I have had it with this poor excuse of a state. We are looking to leave.
wendi says
If we must define what is occurring in the USA, it would be best defined as fascist rather than communist. The classic definition of fascism pertains to a merger of corporate and government interests.
Definition of Communism
A: a theory advocating elimination of private property b: a system in which goods are owned in common and are available to all as needed.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/communism
Definition of FASCISM
1
often capitalized: a political philosophy, movement, or regime (as that of the Fascisti) that exalts nation and often race above the individual and that stands for a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fascism
Soli @ I Believe in Butter says
*applauds* yes indeed, exactly what is happening.
Beth says
Wow. Putting all of the stories together is powerful and shows a chilling trend. My older dc and I just finished reading “Communist Manifesto” together (yes, I’m weird that way!) and boy, we are falling right in line with what Marx calls for either abolishing or state control. We talked about state control issues regarding food and farms but I hadn’t read much about this yet; we’ll discuss this as well.
I once watched a youtube video of the statists and soldiers in Venezuela walking into a farm and ‘claiming’ it for the state even though that family had farmed it for generations, lived on the property, and it was not idle land. The only rationale the mayor (or whatever he was) gave this family that was instantaneously losing everything was that the state needed it (or something like that).
Beth says
I meant to include that there are plenty of wild hogs in our area. The solution? People shoot them and eat them (or otherwise dispose of them, I guess – I’ve only known of them eating them). Some trap them and sell them for others that want to eat them. Sounds barbarian, eh? Certainly not as barbarian as what you described is happening. Our grass-fed beef provider recently gave us some pork chops from a wild hog that was causing problems on their land as a gift. I was grateful to have it.
Beth says
Last reply to myself, lol. I should have said “barbaric” not “barbarian” – adjective vs noun, it’s late! 🙂
Robynn's Ravings says
This literally made me want to throw up, especially following your excerpt from your son’s curriculum. I just stand astonished at the sheer force and power being promulgated by our government against our own people. I do not believe our founding fathers would recognize this country. Well, maybe they would so there would be another revolution.
For Jen Beggs: I’m in California and we HAVE heard about this. It’s spreading like wildfire. I hope that it begins to wake people up because we’re all next. Here we’re fighting hard to get our genetically engineered food labeled and we’re celebrating gathering way over the signatures we needed.
We should encourage a travel boycott to Michigan until it ceases to become a third world country where despots rule.
Jen Beggs says
why is this kept so quiet? I live in MI, and this is the only place I hear of it…so very sad and scary. Keep the people in ignorance and slowly take over. as far as tourism go, “who cares about pigs? you can now ride a motorcycle without a helmet.” yeah, that’s our answer for tourism. go figure.
KitchenKop says
Good question…….
Erin says
The excerpt from your son’s history book sanitizes the history a bit. It was even worse than just “taking over”. The communists first raided the farmer’s home and confiscated all the food. They then stated that the farm now belonged to the government. The farmer was to continue to farm as the government assigned him, but his means of self sufficiency had been just stolen, a complete dependency on the government was established in a blink of an eye. Anyone who resisted this plan was hung in the town square.
Heather G says
So I retweeted Kelly’s post as well as sent this one to the DNR
Heather @SunLovingMama
· Open
@MichiganDNR Great job KILLING small businesses, private property rights and freedom of choice. I’ll keep my $$$$ out of your asinine state.
Michigan DNR Michigan DNR @MichiganDNR
What I got was this reply:
@sunlovingmama Lots of misinformation out there. For the real story, go to https://ow.ly/axAOx. Thanks.
Real story? Because when someone does wrong they *never* try to lie, bs or half-truth their way out of it. I’ve read enough of this story from various sources (not just WAPF and similar groups), as well as the state’s propaganda to know that what the DNR is handing out is not the *real story*. So I sent this reply:
@MichiganDNR Actually I read that. You can keep that “real story” BS to yourself, thanks. I am capable of independent and critical thought.
I probably wouldn’t have sent the last one but between the “real story” and “thanks” I found them so utterly condescending I decided to go for it anyway. Maybe I should forward the conversation to the state’s tourism division so they know that their DNR colleagues are not only costing the state tourism dollars with this action but also their complete lack of social media savvy.
Heather G says
Sorry for the bad job with cutting and pasting the twitter stream. Trying to cook dinner, mediate munchkin fights and type at the same time.
Heather G says
Looks like they didn’t like my last tweet as it seems they have blocked me. That is what I get for mouthing off I guess.
KitchenKop says
Wow, they seriously blocked you???? They’ve been all polite so far in replying to everyone (but with the BS, as you say), so what a bummer that now they’re deleting……
Heather G says
I can’t be sure because they don’t show whether or not you are blocked, but I can’t follow them or see tweets on their page but I can search for their handle name and see tweets mentioning them as well as their tweets. I can however see follow them and see tweets on their page on my husband’s account. I’ve tried it on a couple of computers with the same results.
My last reply wasn’t all that mature or civil so I can see why. Still it’s not a great PR move on their part because if I had more social media presence and showed how they blocked me, not for being obscene or threatening but for calling BS when I disagree with them, it could get a lot more attention. Having it look like you are hiding something or trying to quiet dissenting opinions gets that much worse if it goes viral. Being a government body makes it look unprofessional too. Hopefully they are taking the negative feedback to heart and reconsidering the order and this is not how they normally operate. (What can I say, I’m an optimist)
Katie says
Reading about that farmer killing his baby piglets literally brings tears to my eyes! There is so much wrong with this scenario and it boggles me how so many people… the majority of America… don’t seem to care about some of the things going on here. I understand getting caught up with life and other priorities, but this IS some people’s lives and livelyhoods and it is going to effect us all at some point, one way or another!
I love Be’s passionate response above because I think I would feel the same way. I just bought a house on an acre of land and starting to plan out my little homestead. I don’t have any livestock yet, but if and when I do and someone ever came and tried to take or eradicate any of it, I think it would take everything in me not to seriously injure that person or people.
I’m so confused about how this stuff is happening. I think this might fall under “unreasonable searches and seizures” in the Bill of Rights. I really hope Mark Baker wins that lawsuit.
Damien McKenna says
Where does the regulation allow for CAFOs to be exempt? I don’t see it.
Also, why weren’t the viable animals sold vs slaughtered?
KitchenKop says
Sold? Who would buy them? See the post where Dave answers that question.
Laura @ Stealthy Mom says
“It took 12 guys 4 times in there to kill all of them, sows with young, pregnant sows, dozens of piglets, and old mature boars. It has been a sad few weeks.”
I am so scared for our food supply, for our land, and for our children’s future. Sustainability is becoming a crime.
Robynn's Ravings says
Absolutely sick, Laura. We should ALL be afraid but turn that fear into action.
Steven Wright says
Kelly – great post thanks for doing the amazing journalism work that we all used to pay for in newspapers..er wait maybe they were never this good. I digress this is serious and it is a clear over step of political power and marketing. They’ve done a good job too, because all of the junk news outlets in this state have spread the DNR’s (MPPAs) propaganda all over the state so much so that my hunting buddies are convinced that the invasive pigs are going to take over any day now.
Wheres a big gun like PETA when you need them? I’m sure they don’t like the slaughter of baby pigs, why don’t they ever use their reach to actually make change that affects the main street of America… so disappointing on many fronts.
KitchenKop says
That’s true, why aren’t they all over this?!
Zan says
Because they are too busy stealing and killing our beloved pets and lying about it!
Rust says
The latest news about new regulations restricting children working on the family farm is also quite alarming. But, when you have the ‘big stick’ as this administration seems to think it has, why not use it, eh?
“Referring to President Roosevelt’s foreign policy quote about “speaking softly and carrying a big stick,” Biden told the crowd that Obama followed a similar path while negotiating with Iran.
“I promise you, the president has a big stick. I promise you,” Biden said as the crowd laughed.”
https://campaign2012.washingtonexaminer.com/blogs/beltway-confidential/biden-president-has-big-stick/504561
Kati says
Here’s my post onto the DNR FB page – hopefully they’ve read/seen Hamlet and catch that reference (the fish is rotting from the head down—all is not well at the top of the political hierarchy).
________________________________
Feral swine??? The real issue at hand is a FERAL gov’t agency that has escaped its pen and is now running around in areas that should be the purview of the Dept of Agriculture.
What a bunch of horse manure – it’s a sad day when one state government agency can erase all my positive emotions toward Michigan and replace it with nothing but anger and disgust towards politicians/gov’t employees.
I have read your department’s posted “justifications” and I hope for your sake it plays out in the courts in your favor. But for the sake of the rest of us freedom loving Americans I hope it does not. If there is a major feral swine issue I’d love to see all the news coverage about that. If not, this does *NOT* pass the sniff test. Actually, maybe it does – something is rotten in the state of Michigan.
Mandi says
Kati – I’m from Ohio and never thought much good about Michigan to begin with. 😉
Tricia Baehr says
The other day someone posted the DNR’s response on their fb page. I replied with information about Tuxbury shooting his own hogs to avoid prosecution. Another commenter comes on and says that is bullsh*t. I replied that I would see her BS and raise it and posted some of the emails from Mark Bakers website from Tuxbury and one of his YouTube videos, the woman then called me a lying b*tch and stated that she would block me – which she did so I have no idea of what she continued to post. I will go back to the post and follow up with Kelly’s blog because I think her email exchanges with Mr. Tuxbury are relevant. I will also note that in the exchange it was suggested that Tuxbury and McKendrick are ‘actors’ – Seriously!!! It just takes one person like this woman to have people who are about to wake-up to fall back asleep. Of course, we all know I have no reason to lie about this situation. I don’t live in MI, I don’t know Mr. Baker, McKendrick or Tuxbury. I have no personal beef with the MI DNR – I am just a concerned US citizen who is watching our freedoms disappear daily. Also, she posted an article about Mike Adams and Alex Jones trying to start a riot in Michigan. My son is a youth advocate for chemical free food and farming and we support small local family farms and pasture raised livestock for our health and the health of the soil. Thank you Kelly for a well investigated and informative blog post.
KitchenKop says
Thank you for commenting anyway, even though you had to deal with all that because of it!
Susan says
When I try to talk to friends and family about the things I’ve read, they think I have become some kind of “real foodie loon.” I try to tell them about being poisoned to death with chemicals in our food. “Something’s gonna kill ya,” they tell me as they shove more processed food into their mouths. But as I’ve shared stories like this (pig) one, all I am ever met with is blank stares. One person tells me the lake of junk food in my diet has made me paranoid! UGH!
But as I explain to these people, if we would just look a little deeper, it seems that something very scary is happening. First Obama signed the NDAA (thank you Kelly for informing us about that!) and if you are unfamiliar with it, please do some research. Its implications are frightening if you truly allow it to resonate with you. Then Obama signed a new executive order allowing the government to come onto your farms, homesteads, ranches and homes and take any and all of your food producing items, animals, tractors, etc. Although the government says executive orders are rarely utilized, Google the orders that have been signed over the years. Should the president choose to activate one or all of them, instantly the life and freedoms you have right now would be gone in a heartbeat.
So, you take the NDAA and the latest executive order, and it begins to make you ponder how far the government would go. What if they come onto your property to seize your belongings and decide you are not cooperative enough? Why, the military will arrest you without due process and you will never be heard from again.
Does that thought process seem as far fetched as my friends tell me it is after everything we’ve read up to this point? Maybe I have lost it, I don’t know, but it sure seems like there is a real threat there that most people refuse to see.
KitchenKop says
That “something’s going to kill ya” line drives me crazy. And the fact that many call me (and all of us Real Foodies) a ‘loon’, while they’re sick and on a bunch of pills – who is more loony? It can really tick you off when you stop to think of the way all of our health care costs have gone up so much that few can even afford it now and our paychecks get smaller as companies try to keep up.
wendi says
Kelly, I am a huge fan of your blog. However, I think what is occurring is more the result of an authoritarian system, rather than an economic one (example: communist or capitalist). With these situations, I find it best to follow the money trail, and in our system corporations have sized control of our government from the people. Sadly, our government has become the apparatus of Big Ag. So, in this case the corporate power uses government to crush small business; this protection of big business has been going on for decades.
China’s system could technically be seen as State Sponsored Capitalism with people at the top make a fortune on the backs of workers (seem familiar). The problem is greed, and this can occur in any economic system.
Lisa says
Has it ever occurred to you that big ag is simply being used by the government?
wendi says
Lisa, who lobbies who? Sadly, our government has become a tool.
Amanda says
Dear John (the man who answer the phone for Governor Snyder’s office):
I am sorry I used the word “revoke” and not “rescind”, I understand the importance of legal verbiage as I am a legal assistant; however, in an effort to eliminate this condescending correction on your part when speaking to others, the word “rescind” in the dictionary is noted as to “revoke something”.
Just a note to y’all that are calling – use the term “rescind” or you may just feel stupid after calling.
KitchenKop says
Wow, “John” sounds like a peach.
Amber C says
I agree that the government doesn’t care unless someone has a lot of power and therefore influence but what we must remember (until it is truly too late) is that they work for us and we can still stand up for ourselves if the tides would change and the majority would become educated and understand what is going on. Each election gets worse and worse with the same fools voted into office. Each election we experience more governmental control over our lives. Enough is enough! All this talk is good but until we stand up and call for a radical change in those who represent is, it will only ever get worse.
Linda says
Govt does not care about you unless you have A LOT OF MONEY! Unfortunately, you and I and all the small farmers don’t enough money or influence to even rate their attention. They don’t care what they are doing to us, to our food, and to the earth. We are living in an insane world.
Jessica says
I saw this story a couple weeks ago and I emailed the governor and the MI DNR. Basically, I got back a reply that pretty much stated that they didn’t care about my opinion. We live in a scary world.
WK Aiken says
Fascism should more appropriately be called Corporatism because it is a merger of state and corporate power.
– Benito Mussolini
And the MSM-fed lemmings keep on sleeping. It’s a good thing I’m not afraid of being obnoxious.
Jill says
Thank you, Kelly, for this post. I have been following this story with absolute horror at the kind of precedent it will set in this country if the DNR gets away with this blatant disregard for the constitution and the inalienable rights it was carefully written to protect.
I too saw the hunger games recently and quickly realized after a fleeting thought of, “How could a government become so twisted against the people they are responsible to?”, that it happens easily and all too frequently, as a quick study of the 20th Century will prove. How soon we forget! As a nation we are either operating on selective memory, or we have stopped learning our history, because otherwise the mere though such an approach to government “leadership” would immediately bring to mind the misery, injustice, and poverty that history has repeatedly proven is the inevitable outcome.
Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.
Be says
I am ready to get my tri-corner hat and musket out. This must not stand!
I have already sent letters and email everywhere I could think. We also joined the Farm to Consumer Defense Fund and I encourage all people who want a choice in their diet to do the same. Also, don’t forget to attach the Michigan Pork Producers Association which is run by the big meat packers that support the elimination of their competition (they have banned me from their Facebook because of my annoying habit of calling a lie a lie). They are just as bad as the DNR – VOLUNTARY?? Are you kidding me?
Actually, we just watched Farmageddon last night and I HIGHLY recommend it. But it is going to piss off everyone but the Communists in our society (YES – we know you are there no matter what you call yourselves). What amazed me is how calm all those poor farmers were about it. I wouldn’t pour my milk out or kill my animals unless someone pointed a gun at my head while I did it. If you are gonna deny my rights have the guts to do your own dirty work! And I’ll tell you that if the USDA raided my property and told me not to tell anyone they would be buried in a shallow grave in my front yard.
And your home state even! What a shame. I think we should move beyond being a Kitchen Kop – it’s time for a Kitchen Militia!
Patti says
I hope Americans are paying attention to this! I find it very alarming as the government continues to take away our rights. In my opinion, one party is as bad as the next!
Carrie says
This kind of stuff is why I took my older kids to see The Hunger Games – which in my opinion is a thinly veiled criticism of communism. It’s led to lots of discussion about what happens when big gubmint controls everything.
Soli @ I Believe in Butter says
As a lover of pigs both alive and dead, this is not cool. If it’s such a problem (and there are wild boar issues in some parts, but these are not wild boars) then encourage hunting, and thus utilizing the animals. That is what gets me the most, it seems like this is such a waste. Especially when so many people are hungry and/or going malnourished.
Rust says
You are more right than you know.
“Blogging About the Paleo Diet Can Get You Shut Down in North Carolina”
https://reason.com/blog/2012/04/23/blogging-about-the-paleo-diet-can-get-yo
KitchenKop says
Yes, this makes me sick, too……….
Commenter via Facebook says
Is in awe! Proof positive the law is and ass! and an arse!
Commenter via Facebook says
And this: Also this about Mangalista: The pig has been domesticated for centuries as a source of food. These pigs have very little hair covering their bodies, but there is one breed with hair that is domesticated too. This breed is known as Mangalitsa. The pig is a sub-species of the wild boar and its scientific name is Sus scrofa domesticus.
However, there are some biologists that consider the pig to be a completely different species from the wild boar and they have given it the scientific name of Sus domesticus. In this case, the wild boar is scientifically called Sus scrofa.
According to your release, the only animals prohibited are Sus Scrofa Linnaeus….. I look forward to your comments.
Commenter via Facebook says
I posted this on the MDNR Facebook page: Other swine targeted were Mangalista.
Mangalitsa Pig
Other name(s): Mangalitza Pig; Mangalica Pig; Wooly Pig; Curly Hair Hog; Curly Coated Pig
Scientific name: Sus domestica
Commenter via Facebook says
The Invasive Species Order prohibits a particular species, Sus scrofa Linnaeus, commonly known as Russian boars, Eurasian wild boars, or razorbacks….. I wonder if Dave or Mike were raising these aniimals? According to what was in the article, many of the swine killed were Duroc’s. The Duroc strain of hogs was started in Saratoga County, New York, by Isaac Frink who lived near Milton.He secured his first hogs in 1823 from Harry Kelsey, who had moved to Florida, Montgomery County, New York, in 1822. hmmm Doesn’t sound like Russian Boars to me.
Commenter via Facebook says
I think it went out of style about the time Oleo became popular…