Health Impact News

Last year we covered the story of the Michigan DNR’s attack against family farms in Michigan raising heritage pigs. Using the states Invasive Species Act to expand its jurisdiction beyond hunting and fishing to farming operations, the DNR threatened several family farms in Michigan with felony charges if they did not destroy their herd. (Read the full story here.) There was strong suspicion that this action was prompted by the Michigan Pork Producers Association’s interest in large confined pork operations.

One family farm that refused to destroy their herd was the Bakers Green Acres. Mark Baker brings us an update in the video below. Mark decided in December to take some of his heritage Mangalitsa Hogs into a processing plant that they had been using for about 5 years. The plant later called him back and said they could not process their hogs due to an embargo by the USDA. This action of course cut off their revenue stream and the only way they had to support their hog operation. So now we have evidence of both the DNR and the USDA opposing family farms in Michigan who raise heritage pigs.

Get more up-to-date news on this situation from the Bakers Green Acres blog.

See Also: Michigan DNR Attacks Free-range Family Farms to Protect Pork Industry