Pigs Don’t Vote

Pigs don't vote, but they can make points, as this piglet did in Waukegan at a 2002 Tollway Board hearing on whether to raise tolls. I told the board members present that I didn't want this piglet to grow up to be a Toll Tax Hog.

One of the leaders in the fight for stricter environmental regulation of large animal farms in Illinois is McHenry County native Danielle Diamond. (More about her crusade here.)

She is one of the attorneys for Illinois Citizens for Clean Air and Water who “helped file the petition that led to the US EPA investigation,” according to a recent story in the Chicago Tribune.

I first ran into this issue during the 1990’s.

The best political message of that decade in Springfield was a sticker worn by those advocating strict environmental regulations of large livestock farms.

PIGS
DON’T
VOTE

was the slogan on the sticker.

Reports of failures of dams holding livestock sewage having decimated stream beds (I remember one from Georgia) propelled the proponents to return repeatedly to the State Capitol.

Last week, Chicago Tribune reporter Robert McCoppin, who has been following the issue, focusing on a dairy farm near Galena, reported the Federal Environmental Protection Agency has directed the Illinois EPA to tighten regulations on CAFOs (concentrated animal feeding operations).

Failure to meet Federal standards could lead to a Federal regulatory takeover.

I know of only one such facility in McHenry County. It’s northwest of Marengo and its owner loaned me three little pigs, one of which I used to catch attention of the Illinois Tollway Board when it was holding a hearing in Waukegan about raising tolls in 2002 when I was running for Governor on the Libertarian Party ticket.


Comments

Pigs Don’t Vote — 1 Comment

  1. How are you? Forgive that I distract you from more important issues. I Andrei. There was on training on a farm a floor of year in Alexis IL. It was pleasant to me. Help to find please work on a farm or in other sphere of manufacture. I send you the resume. I thank that have found for me your time.

    Andrei Tsitou
    Phone: 1-(375)-2974-96163
    skype: ilent84211
    silent84@mail.ru
    Career Objective
    An Associate Veterinary position in mixed animal practice or local farm that would utilize my skills in surgery, preventive practices, vaccinations, animal nutritional diet and customer relationship.
    Skills
    • Possess five years of experience in animal vaccination and animal surgery
    • Excellent veterinary skills
    • Capable of performing surgeries under anesthesia
    • First-rate organizational aptitude with good communication skills
    • Good computer skills
    • Ability to solve the problems and work individually
    Work Experience
    Independent Veterinarian Consultant (July 2008 – Present)-Kritcev, Belarus
    Veterinarian consulting services
    Responsibilities
    • Providing the basic nursing care to the animal
    • Successfully performed anesthetic surgeries of the animals
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    • Required veterinarian vaccinations
    Sokolnichi LLC, General Veterinarian (January 2006 – May 2008)-Belarus
    Responsibilities
    • Responsible for the providing first aid to dogs, cats, pigs and other animals
    • Carrying out anesthetic surgery in case of emergency
    • Responsible for conducting an orthopedic and other surgeries
    • Responsible for deciding pet nutrition and prescribing the pet diet according to the pet’s health after surgery till recovery
    Education
    • MD in Veterinary Medicine from Vitebsk Academy of Veterinary Medicine (2006)
    Languages
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