Michigan Residents: Rescind the Invasive Species Order!

On April 1, 2012, an Invasive Species Order (ISO) that Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) issued in 2010 went into effect. The ISO prohibits the possession of various breeds of swine; DNR claims that the order will “help stop the spread of feral swine and the disease risk they pose,” not to mention their “potential for extensive agricultural and ecosystem damage.”

But instead of using a commonsense definition of “feral swine,” the order’s incredibly broad definition makes heritage breed hogs, even those raised on small farms, into prohibited swine. The ISO allows DNR to seize and destroy heritage breeds of pigs raised by Michigan farmers, and many hogs have already been needlessly killed due to the ISO. Possession of prohibited swine after April 1 is a felony with penalties of up to two years in jail and $20,000 in fines per violation (that is, per pig). Hog owners are left with the choice of either losing their property without compensation or becoming felons.

Please ask the governor to rescind the feral swine ISO.

Please personalize and add your own comments if you have time!

Recipients

Your Governor

Contact

*Required fields

* Title:

* First Name:

* Last Name:

* Your Email:

* Address 1:

Address 2:

* City:

* State / Province:

* ZIP / Postal Code:

* Phone Number:

Yes, I would like to receive periodic updates and communications from Alliance for Natural Health USA.

Remember me. What's this?

Message

* Subject:

Dear [Decision Maker],

* Personalize your message

On April 1, 2012, an Invasive Species Order (ISO) that Michigan DNR issued in 2010 went into effect. The ISO prohibits the possession of various breeds of swine; DNR claims that the order will "help stop the spread of feral swine and the disease risk they pose," not to mention their "potential for extensive agricultural and ecosystem damage."

But instead of using a commonsense definition of "feral swine" -- that is, pigs that breed and roam in wild and unfenced public and private lands, but not including pigs raised under the husbandry of humans -- DNR has issued an order using a prohibitively broad definition of what constitutes "invasive swine."

This definition makes heritage breed hogs, even those raised on small farms, prohibited swine. The ISO allows DNR to seize and destroy heritage breeds of pigs raised by Michigan farmers; DNR will not compensate farmers whose pigs are destroyed. Possession of prohibited swine after April 1 is a felony with penalties of up to two years in jail and $20,000 in fines per violation. Hogs have already been needlessly killed due to the ISO.

The order violates property rights and the right to make a living. Farmers and other hog owners in Michigan must either get rid of their now "prohibited" property or become felons. The order effectively eliminates genetic diversity in the hog population, leaving only the less hardy pigs raised in the confined animal feeding operations, and denying the right of consumers to access the foods of their choice.

DNR needs to stay off family farms. Only the Department of Agriculture should have jurisdiction over farms, not DNR. Governor Snyder, you have the power to rescind the Invasive Species Order. The only ones who benefit from it are members of the Michigan Pork Producers Association, all of them giant factory farming operations that view small pig farmers as a threat. Please do the right thing, governor, and rescind the ISO immediately.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[City, State ZIP]

Protecting Natural Health