Baraga Co. pig farmer battles state of Michigan

A pig farm in Baraga County is in danger of being shut down by the state because of the type of animal they breed.  ABC Ten’s Keweenaw Bureau Reporter Rick Allen has the details.

Brenda Turunen of Ma Hog Farm, together with her husband, have bred a special variety of pigs that are hearty, hairy, and tasty.  Because of the unique features of the pigs, they can withstand the harsh winters experienced here in the U.P.

But the Michigan Department of Natural Resources has been battling feral swine loose in the wild and have declared them to be invasive species.

The pigs at Ma Hog Farm look similar to feral swine…but that’s where the similarity ends.

Turunen has filed a federal lawsuit against the DNR and the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.  As a member of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community…Turunen says her right to farm is protected under the Treaty of 1842.