I am appalled - link here - Our future is in heritage breeds and seeds. This is war!
Photo: Carly and Art/Flickr
For those concerned about the welfare of farm animals in the typical conventional situation, there are two options. You can go vegan and completely avoid all animal products, or you can buy meat from farms that raise animals in a more holistic, healthy manner. These animals live happy lives, are fed well, and slaughtered humanely.
For someone who considers eggs, meat, and other items an important part of a nourishing diet, the latter is the route I have chosen to take. Therefore, protecting the farmers who try to raise animals in a worthy manner is important to me. I was recently very disturbed to find out about a severe blow delivered to many small pig farmers in Michigan. This blow involves the slaughter of entire farms of pigs, without any compensation to the farmers. Some farmers made the difficult decision to shoot their own pigs (including piglets) rather than letting government officials carry them off to do the deed themselves. This massacre of pigs is happening under very dubious circumstances.
On April 1st, the Invasive Species Order (ISO) went into effect. This order conferred upon the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) the power to prohibit certain breeds of pigs and the New Zealand Mud Snail. I haven’t read of any mud snail owners tearfully killing their beloved pets. However, because heritage pigs come under the order, the Department of Natural Resources are making sure that all farms who breed heritage pigs are killing their stock. If they don't comply, farmers are faced with high fines and jail time.
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
It is stories like this one that makes me feel like the world is indeed crazy.
Of course, conventional pig farmers who raise their pigs in tiny quarters on concrete are thrilled to see the removal of any competition. With one swift blow, entire herds of pigs can be eliminated. Not just one herd is affected by this order as it affects 2,000 farms and private hunting ranches.
The official statement from the DNR explains the justification for these drastic measures by saying that it was necessary "to help stop the spread of feral swine and the disease risk they pose to humans, domestic pigs, and wildlife as well as their potential for extensive agricultural and ecosystem damage."
