The Complete Patient

Greg Niewendorp got his meeting with the Michigan Department of Agriculture earlier today, but it resolved nothing. Three officials, led by State Veterinarian Steve Halstead, initiated a conference call to urge Greg to allow the state to test his animals for bovine tuberculosis.

Greg reported on the meeting in a separate conference call this evening with a group of about a dozen supporters, which I attended. “They were trying to talk me into compliance. They didn’t get anywhere with me.” He did, however, receive an address of where to send his invoice for $15,000 as a penalty for an MDA official and two Michigan State Police trespassing on his farm last Tuesday (with no assurance it will be acted on). And he said Halstead gave him the names of two veterinarians to call to conduct the TB tests.

Several times, Greg told his supporters, “I want to face my accusers in the open,” such as at a public forum, where the whole matter of the appropriateness of the bovine TB program and related matters can be debated. “I want to use this situation as leverage to open a public debate on disease eradication, on the epidemiology of TB.”

His explanation of why there is a potential bovine TB problem in his area of Michigan: “We know there is TB bacteria in the soil. As soils grow more acidic, and become depleted of calcium, iron is taken up (by animals). Increased iron suppresses copper. That creates conditions ripe for microbacterial TB. As animals become acidic, you invite in the bacteria.”

He told the supporters that he has had great success raising a healthy herd of animals by addressing possible mineral imbalances in his animals. “I’ve taken control of this through a mineral tank. I have this miracle of extremely healthy cattle.”

He reiterated what Mary McGonigle-Martin reported in her research on yesterday’s posting: that raw milk is rarely associated with M. bovis. He also made mention of the Ted Beal research Steve Bemis describes. (In answer to the question about testing for bovine TB, only parts of Michigan are designated as bovine TB areas, while others are bovine-TB-free. There is an interesting map of Michigan showing bovine TB cases over the last 30 years, and Greg’s county, Charlevoix, doesn't show any cases of bovine TB involving deer, cattle, or other animals. In terms of what happens if bovine TB is found on a farm, take a look at an article I did for BusinessWeek.com earlier this year. It’s pretty grim, and the comments second that impression.)

It’s difficult to picture where this all might end up. By initiating a discussion with Greg, the MDA now looks much more reasonable than it did a week ago, when its agent arrived at Greg’s farm with a police escort. Is that push toward a more polite approach a prelude for seeking court action, or applying force?

Greg says he is prepared for either. “If they take me to court, I’m not going to lose. I’m in the process of taking down the Animal Industry Act.”

Debbie Stockton, who is with the Virginia Independent Consumers and Farmers Association, suggested the MDA might claim that Greg’s cattle threaten “an outbreak of disease,” and use that as an excuse to apply force.

If they try that option, Greg says he’s ready. “I have established a military occupation on my land. No one comes on…The only law enforcement agency allowed on my property is the sheriff.”