We are a people who, by and large, believe the system is looking out for our best interests, that corruption is not really "that" deep.
But it is so deep.
In May, the Herdshare law went into effect.
This came after quite a few years of people from all walks of life demanding the right to . . .get this. . .
Share the ownership of dairy animals.
We settled there. We were being realistic.
Let me back up to say, We are people in a state carrying the motto, "Montani Semper Liberi" or mountaineers are always free. . .
A Lofty phrase for a state who really doesn't intend to see the statement in action. For any reason.
We were a people fighting to simply buy a whole food uncooked from people we know, and we settled for a law saying we could share the ownership of a cow. That is what it was, after all. . .settling. Accepting a lot of authority over us. . .still.
We knew asking for more was a lost cause. But somehow, maybe. . ."Uncle Sam, Earl and the Department of AG" would "let" these free people share ownership of a cow. . .if we asked nicely and assured them we would be safe. We wouldn't do anything they didn't expressly allow.
The Herdshare bill passed by a land slide in the House and by a solid margin in the Senate in 2016.
Finally, right?
They had not one call the day the WV Governor signed it, by his secretary's own words, against it, and she admitted there was an out pouring of support.
That is freedom, right? That is your representation in action doing what they are supposed to do. . .voting how the people they represent wish.
Oh, but no.
It isn't that simple. The legislative process and the making of laws through elected officials based on the will of the people they represent is a farce.
SMOKE and mirrors.
Rule Making and Departments of people "VOTERS" do not elect are simply one of many ways Freedom and the Law are torn into shreds each day.
I'll go on and cut to the chase: Lengthy and extremely restrictive Emergency Rules were filed by the Department of Agriculture in West Virginia in late June (the 27th) that essentially rendered the herdshare law useless. As they intended.
These uppity citizens had gotten away with too much liberty with this co owning cows stuff!
The rules were entirely outside the language of the law. But what did that matter?
While the people rallied, and we were extremely united in our written protest during the public commenting period, it was ignored. The Secretary of State, Natalie Tennant had 42 days to decide whether these rules constituted an Emergency. I've had it verified (the Administrative Law Division within the SOS) that August 8th was the 42nd day. They did not even bother to meet on the matter, and so the rules automatically go into effect for 15 months. Automatically.
While the rules do not supersede the ability of Legislators on Rule Making Committee (folks we elect) to create final rules, now that these emergency rules are applied, they are in place for 15 months unless the legislators would happen to meet and create "workable" rules in the fall which reject all of the emergency rules (unlikely) and the New Governor signs them fast, thus completing legislative action on the law. I've known laws to go years without rules being created.
I will add that public outcry did make a BIG IMPACT. The final emergency rules were not nearly as horrifying as the initial rules from the Department of Ag, but they are far cry from truly workable, and considering they are rules to tell you what you need to do for milk given to co-owners of a herd of dairy animals, It is all really beyond belief. The new rules that stand as of now are FOUND HERE. Some one might be able to creep along with some type of herd share in operation, but most will not be able to do so now.
Food Freedom has still skipped over West Virginia, while, as usual, every single state around us has moved on with something far closer to "freedom" than we have here.
What can you do? I don't think silence and acceptance are answers. Even if outrage and outcries do nothing, being quiet is NOT the right action, so:
Tell Natalie E. Tennant what you think about her actions. And come November, vote for anyone else. I do not care who the other party is. . . Smurfs, Santa, Mickey Mouse.
Tell the Department of Agriculture the same: whelmick@wvda.us; cferro@wvda.us
And remember to vote for ANYONE besides Helmick come November! Demand Ferro be replaced immediately.
Let the chair-people for Rule Making in the House and Senate know you still want simple rules for sharing livestock created first thing when they are in session:
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