Insanity In Michigan As Farmer Forced To Shoot All His Pigs As 'Invasive Species'

[Judee]

Not sure I can comment on this, because my language wouldn't be fit for reading!!

NaturalNews exclusive: Michigan government unleashes armed raids on small pig farmers, forces farmer to shoot all his own pigs
by Mike Adams

(NaturalNews) NaturalNews can now confirm that the Michigan Department of Natural Resources has, in total violation of the Fourth Amendment, conducted two armed raids on pig farmers in that state, one in Kalkaska County at Fife Lake and another in Cheboygan County. Staging raids involving six vehicles and ten armed men, DNA conducted unconstitutional, illegal and arguably criminal armed raids on these two farms with the intent of shooting all the farmers' pigs under a bizarre new "Invasive Species Order" (ISO) that has suddenly declared traditional livestock to be an invasive species.

See our previous report on this subject at:
http://www.naturalnews.com/035372_Mi...m_freedom.html

And hear my interview with Mark Baker, who runs one of the farms to be targeted by the Michigan government, at:
http://tv.naturalnews.com/v.asp?v=67...9C21450485DA07

The ISO also deems farmers who raise these pigs to be felons, and DNR officials were ready to make arrests on the scene and haul away these farmers to be prosecuted as hardened criminals.

Farmer forced to shoot his own baby piglets in cold blood
"I think this is an unconstitutional order, these actions of the DNR are way out of bounds," attorney Joseph O'Leary told NaturalNews in an interview today. He is representing one of the farmers who was targeted in these raids. "To take what was six months ago an entirely legal activity, and suddenly people are felons over it. They're not growing drugs, running guns or killing anybody, they're raising animals pursuant to USDA regulations and state of Michigan regulations. They haven't done anything wrong here, and the DNR is treating them like they are hardened criminals."

In anticipation of the DNR arriving on the scene, one farmer engaged in what can only be described as a heart-wrenching task of shooting his own pigs, one by one, including baby piglets before the DNR arrived. This was to avoid being arrested as a felon. His livelihood is now completely destroyed, as the state of Michigan has put him out of business. Even after this farmer informed the DNR that he had destroyed his entire herd of pigs, the DNR continued to illegally acquire a search warrant by providing false information to a court Judge, then conducting an armed raid on his ranch to verify that the entire herd of pigs had indeed already been shot to death. That this took place satisfied the DNR, which is now showing itself to be engaged in the mob-style destruction of targeted farming businesses through its mass-murder agenda of Michigan's small-scale farm pigs.

"It was very traumatic for him. These guys are farmers, and I know how much he cared for the animals there, and the DNR treats these like they're some kind of a plant that needs to be exterminated rather than animals that people care about," said O'Leary.

Here is what one of the raided farmers had to say about his experience of being forced to destroy his pigs:

"I was served a search warrant yesterday at 7: 45am. I have killed all my hogs. [DNR] 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." (www.BakersGreenAcres.com)

One of the raids targeted Ron McKendrick of Renegade Ranch in Cheboygan County. His ranch was raided on Saturday morning, and DNR agents reportedly conducted an interrogation of his customers and his 75-year-old senior citizen employee. In order to gain access to his property, DNR bureaucrats acquired a temporary restraining order which was used to bully their way onto the property (a violation of the Fourth Amendment).

Another raid was conducted against the farm of Dave Tuxberry. He's the man who was forced to shoot all his own pigs before DNR agents arrived, in order to avoid being arrested as a felon.

Full story & video:
http://www.naturalnews.com/035585_Mi...rms_raids.html

[Judee]

Here's a little more information on this sad and insane situation...


Remember the Old Phrase “Buying a Pig in a Poke”?
April 17, 2012
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Michigan pigThat’s when something is presented in a way that conceals its true nature—which is the case right now in Michigan. Action Alert!

In 2010, Michigan’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR) issued an Invasive Species Order (ISO), ostensibly 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.” So far, it sounds OK. But the swine in question are identified by such ubiquitous characteristics (mainly hair color) that most any open-range pigs, especially heritage or “old world” breeds—often being raised on small family farms—will now be defined as illegal “invasive species” and thus unjustly threatened with eradication. The order went into effect April 1, 2012.

Possession of these animals carries up to a two-year jail sentence and $20,000 in fines. Moreover, the ISO allows the DNR to seize and destroy heritage breeds of pigs raised by Michigan farmers on the spot—and without compensation. So far, the Michigan DNR has conducted two armed raids on pig farmers in that state, one in Kalkaska County at Fife Lake and another in Cheboygan County. The raids involved six vehicles and ten armed men.

Because the ISO deems farmers who raise these pigs to be felons, DNR officials were ready to make arrests on the scene and prosecute them. Mike Adams reports that one farmer, upon being served with a search warrant, heart-wrenchingly shot all his own pigs (including pregnant sows and dozens of piglets) to avoid being arrested as a felon. His livelihood has now been destroyed, but the DNR was satisfied and made no arrests.

This ISO is a blatant attempt to take away property rights, freedom of food choice, and market share through the force of law. What’s really behind it?

These are the very pigs that farmers and ranchers in Michigan have been raising for decades; there are indications that this ISO may have been nudged into position by the conventional pork industry as a tactic to wipe out competition from the local, specialty ranchers and farmers who don’t work for the Michigan Pork Growers’ Association. The Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund sees it as an attack on the local food movement and a brazen power grab that threatens the livelihood of small farmers across the state. A video created by a family farmer clearly explains the issue.

This is, however, part of a much bigger problem. Right now you get paid less for beef cows if they are the “wrong” color. Generally feeder cattle that are uniform in color, regardless of what color, will sell for a higher price than those that are less uniform in color. (More information about the economics of cattle color can be found here.) But heritage-breed cows, a vital pool of genetic diversity, are almost always “the wrong color.” If cows are bred for one color, you lose a lot more than other colors. You lose a great deal of genetic diversity which could prove to be very important for the future.

A standardized color is only obtained with an engineered animal. If you control for color, you lose genetic diversity and are left only with “engineered” animals. It is, of course, much easier for Big Farma to create monopolies from engineered animals.

You can see the parallels with seeds, crops, and vegetables. Just as we need seed banks, we need gene banks so that the heritage pig genes aren’t lost. If they outlaw pigs that are of a nonstandard color, why not outlaw all nonstandard animals to further the interests of agribusiness? The UN warned of this possibility in 2006: around 20% of domestic animal breeds are at risk of extinction, with a breed lost each month, due to a globalization of livestock markets that favors high-output breeds over a multiple-gene pool. Having that pool could be vital for future food security.

So this isn’t just about Michigan pigs. This is about stopping agribusiness from enlisting the powers of government to control gene pools before it is too late.

If you are a resident of Michigan, please contact Gov. Rick Snyder and your Michigan legislators and tell them you want the DNR to repeal its Invasive Species Order and support the heritage breeds of pigs being raised by small farmers.

http://www.anh-usa.org/buying-a-pig-in-a-poke/