Michigan Pig Farmers Say State Is Harassing Them Out of Business

Farmers accuse Michigan DNR of overreach and harassment under invasive species order targeting pig breeds

LANSING — A group of pig farmers and hunting ranch operators told Michigan lawmakers that the state’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has been waging a decade-long campaign to destroy their livelihoods under the guise of environmental enforcement.

At the center of the controversy is the DNR’s 2010 Invasive Species Order (ISO), which effectively banned the possession of certain breeds of pigs the state deemed “feral” or “invasive.” But according to the farmers, the pigs in question are not wild animals, but barnyard livestock raised for hunting and meat.

“This is not about dangerous pigs,” said Republican State Sen. Ed McBroom during a hearing. “It’s about government overreach. The DNR ignored legislative efforts to regulate the industry and instead used executive authority to force these farmers out.”

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McBroom recounted how small farmers were targeted despite breeding pigs on fenced, regulated ranches. The DNR argued that phenotypic traits — such as ear shape and hair color — were enough to classify the pigs as invasive. In one court challenge, the department released a list of characteristics they claimed would distinguish illegal pigs from legal ones, but critics say the list was arbitrary and unscientific.

Veterinary experts testified that the DNR’s pig classification methods were based on flawed science. They said the department created a genetic test based on less than 600 samples, which they argued was insufficient for a reliable scientific basis. Heritage breeds common on Michigan farms were left out of the analysis altogether.

Farmers say they initially complied with DNR regulations and court rulings, but the state kept moving the goalposts. After winning a lawsuit in 2016, many believed the ordeal was over — until the DNR sent undercover agents to buy pigs, kill them, and re-test their DNA to pursue new lawsuits against ranchers.

According to McBroom, dozens of ranches have been forced to shut down. “There were 70 ranches before this. Now there are five,” he said. “We figured out a way to make a living farming in the U.P., and they’ve spent millions trying to shut us down.”

Lawmakers on the committee expressed bipartisan outrage. One representative described the actions as "weaponization of the government," saying that ordinary farmers were being treated like criminals for doing honest agricultural work.

Witnesses argued the issue boils down to money and control, claiming the DNR wanted authority over fenced hunting operations and a share of the associated revenues.

As lawsuits continue, farmers and lawmakers alike say reform is needed to protect small businesses from regulatory abuse. “These are hardworking people trying to survive,” said McBroom. “The state should be helping them, not harassing them.”