Next time someone tells you that government regulation is about curbing the power of big business, recall this bloody scene being linked by the Drudge Report right now. In short, some farmers are raising “heritage breed pigs” that the state has deemed an “invasive species.”
A disclaimer: I know next to nothing about pigs, and the only sources on this story are very slanted, but it’s worth considering the accounts:
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.
So, is this about public safety? Maybe. Or maybe it’s about something else. These guys at the food renegade website think it’s about protection of big business:
The Michigan Pork Producers Association and other large agribusiness interests, as well as conservation groups have worked together with the DNR to push for the ruling to be implemented. For the factory pork breeders, this is about eliminating the competition. The ISO ensures consumers will only have the choice of pork raised in confinement, known as confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs).
