War on Warfarin to Poison Feral Hogs in Texas
Local rancher J.D. Glasscock has declared a personal war against the use of Warfarin poison on feral hogs in Texas.
Glasscock, who lives on an 8,700-acre Colorado County ranch originally acquired nearly 90 years ago by his great grandfather, is leading the charge against the use of Warfarin, which is at the root of Texas Agricultural Commissioner Sid Miller’s “Hog Apocalypse” plan.
“I believe that using Warfarin against feral hogs creates a situation that is both unconstitutional and inhumane, which is why I’m actively engaged with the Texas Senate, House of Representatives and Attorney General’s office to bring an immediate end to this program,” Glasscock said.
“We all recognize that feral hogs are an invasive problem, but we simply can’t allow such an inhumane program on our farms, ranches and in our state.”
POISONOUS PROBLEMS
Warfarin, a form of rat poison, causes hogs to bleed to death internally and externally, through the eyes, nose and rectum and is deadly to feral hogs and other Texas wildlife.
It can take up to 30 days of suffering before death, according to Glasscock, and that is the chief reason for his objection.
In addition, the poison can inadvertently kill wildlife, farm animals and family pets. Even getting into the human food chain is a possibility as feral hogs are regularly processed for the meat.
A former software engineer and entrepreneur, Glasscock has set up No2Poison.com to provide further education and garner additional support.
Supporters can sign the “No to Poison” petition on the site.
“When they are poisoned in this manner, animals will seek water and shelter.”
“That means that our ranch and others like it, which have an abundance of both, will become magnets for dying toxic hogs, leading to a host of other problems for Texas ranchers,” Glasscock added.
Hogs travel, and once ingested – the poison travels.
“Federal law requires ranchers to bury deceased toxic hogs using special gloves while handling. “I believe this violates our property rights and this kind of government overreach should be a concern to every private property owner,” he continued.
Instead, Glasscock and other ranchers that share his concerns advocate for more practical methods of dealing with the hog infestation that are environmentally safe and humane, such as more aggressive trapping and hunting programs.
Warfarin was used for a brief period of time in Australia before being banned. It became apparent that it was far too inhumane as landowners reportedly could hear hogs squealing through the night in pain.
Texas Rancher Warns Feral Hog Poison Program is the ‘Obamacare’ of Texas Agriculture
Federal mandate, fines, controversy, questions about constitutionality and repeal… sound familiar?
These are five common elements between the Obamacare program that most Republicans love to hate and Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Millers new feral hog control program which uses Warfarin poison to kill hogs, says Glasscock.
Like Obamacare, the Miller program centers upon a federal mandate.
- Poisoned hog carcasses must be disposed of when they are found regardless of who poisoned them.
- That means that according to the product label, a Texas rancher will be required by federal law to dispose of the dead hogs even if his neighbor was the one who put out the Warfarin.
Like Obamacare, the Miller program would impose fines in cases of non-compliance.
- For instance, handling a poisoned hog without wearing the proper gloves could potentially warrant a fine by the Texas DOA.
Like Obamacare, the Miller program is controversial as it appears to help some at the expense of others.
- A rancher who maintains a system of creeks and lakes to provide water for livestock might be the recipient of the hogs that have been poisoned by his neighboring farmer who is losing money because of the crop damage that feral hogs cause.
Like Obamacare, the program is considered to be unconstitutional by some.
- Those who do not wish their property to be used as a burial ground for the poisoned hogs, consider the program to be unconstitutional as it relates to their property rights.
And finally, like Obamacare the issue of repeal is still in question.
- Under pressure from many farmers and the Texas Farm Bureau, Texas Agricultural Commissioner Sid Miller is pushing to make the program work while the Texas House is pushing back with House Bill 3451 which recently passed by a large margin requiring field tests to be conducted possibly placing the Miller program on the path to repeal.
