UPDATE:
Greg Niewendorp Served Warrant
Cattle Tested and Tagged
Greg Niewendorp
Served Warrant, Cattle Tested and
Tagged Against Niewendorp’s Will
East Jordan,
Michigan--Monday October 8, 2007
This morning,
agents of the Michigan Department of
Agriculture (MDA) used a warrant to
get on the property of cattle farmer
Greg Niewendorp for the purpose of
TB testing and ear-tagging his
cattle with National Animal
Identification System (NAIS)
compliant Radio Frequency
Identification (RFID) ear-tags
against Niewendorp’s will.
Niewendorp has refused to
participate in the dangerous
experimental herd testing program
and refused the application of the
RFID ear tags which force him,
against his will, to have his cattle
be part of the NAIS.
Charlevoix
County Sheriff George Lassiter, who
has worked closely with Niewendorp
in the events leading up to today’s
trespass, served the warrant at 9:00
and soon after MDA agents arrived
and began to herd the cattle into
pens for testing and tagging.
Sheriff Lassiter did not allow the
Michigan State Police to
participate, contrary to what TB
program coordinator Bridget Patrick
insisted would be the case when I
interviewed her two weeks ago.
Patrick showed
up early to be interviewed by the
numerous media present (local NBC
and CBS affiliates among others). A
woman physician among Niewendorp’s
local supporters asked Patrick
extensive, pointed questions about
the nature of TB and the TB
eradication program, as did
Niewendorp. Independent filmmaker
Mark Nixon taped the day’s events
including the Patrick interviews.
MDA agents
took from 9:00 to 3:00 to pen the
cattle they could catch, leaving
them panting and without water in
near-90 degree weather while they
tested and tagged. Though the
warrant said “tag” it did not
specify RFID tags. When Niewendorp
said. “I’m protesting the fact that
RIFD tags are being used on my
cattle. It’s what puts you into the
USDA system,” his formal protest was
entered in the day’s report. Unsure
how to proceed, the agents called
their superiors for orders, were
told to use the RFID tags, and
proceeded to do so.
NOTE: Mark
Nixon will be providing a raw
footage DVD of the day which we hope
to post on the VICFA and NICFA
websites. Please check regularly
for non-compliance updates at http://www.vicfa.net
and http://www.nicfa.org
.
Non-Compliance Relief Fund:
Taking a stand
of non-compliance puts a tremendous
toll on one’s resources. The
National Organization for Raw
Materials (NORM) established the
Non-Compliance Relief Fund to
provide specific support for those
like Greg NIewendorp who take such a
courageous position. To support
Greg and others like him, please donate
here (one-time
donation or monthly pledge) or send
a check made out to NORM to:
Non-Compliance
Relief Fund
c/o NORM
680 E 5 Point
Highway
Charlotte, MI
48813
Many thanks,
Deborah
Stockton, Editor
VICFA Voice
The Virginia Independent Consumers
and Farmers Association (VICFA)
Our purpose is to promote and
preserve unregulated direct
farmer-to-consumer trade
that fosters availability of
locally grown or home-produced food
products.
VICFA opposes any government funded
or managed National Animal
Identification System.
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