So, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources has decided that come April First, a particular kind of pig is an invasive species, that the pigs must be destroyed. That’s fine for actual, feral pigs. And the original order says,
Wild boar, wild hog, wild swine, feral pig, feral hog, feral swine, Old world swine, razorback, eurasian wild boar, Russian wild boar (Sus scrofa Linnaeus). This subsection does not and is not intended to affect sus domestica involved in domestic hog production.
[My emphasis.]
Problem is, not only is there is no real difference between sus domestica and sus scrofa, but any variety of pig that goes feral acquires unpleasant characteristics. It’s not the species or sub-species, it’s whether or not the animals are the subjects of husbandry.
My favorite part of the DNR regulation linked to above?
Other characteristics not currently known to the MDNR that are identified by the scientific community.
[/blockquote]
AKA, “Any pig shit rule our tame whitecoats come up with.” And:Possession of the following live species, including a hybrid or genetic variant of the species, an egg or offspring of the species or of a hybrid or genetically engineered variant, is prohibited….
In sum, Michigan DNR can come onto your farm anytime it wants, look at your pigs, under criteria that aren’t even known to it yet, and if it decides your livestock is in non-compliance, they get to destroy. Oh, and you won’t be compensated:
Indemnification cannot be paid to prohibited swine that are destroyed. Indemnification in statute is for livestock and invasive species are not livestock, and are therefore, not eligible for indemnification.
In fact, not only will you not be compensated, you will be stuck with the costs of destroying your livelihood.
The cost for enforcement of the order will depend on the level of compliance with the Order by April 1, 2012
Apparently, DNR has forgotten that farmers tend to be more than a little…independent.
I’m gonna bet that, with farmers saying openly that if DNR shows up with guns to destroy the pigs, the farmers will shoot back, DNR is going to back down, hard and fast.
I hope so.
Because if not, this may well be casus belli for the Second Civil War.
And across the state of Michigan, Department agents will discover that DNR also means, “Do Not Resuscitate.”