Notice of Violation

[Update, 2-5-2012:  Tim, at Natures Harmony, points out that this is evidence that I'm feeding waste to my pigs.  What he neglects to mention is that "whey", as in the by-product of cheese production, is classified as the same sort of waste.   The law varies from state to state on what's legal to feed to pigs.  In Missouri, for instance, Whey is a banned as a pig food.   Summary?  Tim feeds waste to his pigs, too.  For the specific reference, Check page 2 of the comments on this post.    For a more on this controversy, click here.]


Another government department has taken official notice of my farm.  I got a "notice of violation" for "improper handling of solid waste" from the Snohomish County Health Department. 

What waste are they speaking of? 

Yep, you guessed it.  The produce that I feed to my pigs.   They've decided that I'm in violation of the public nuisance provisions of the Washington Administrative Code (WAC), specifically WAC 246-203-180

I've had plenty of agencies bug me about my farm, so I'm getting kinda blase about the whole thing.  "What would you like me to do to address your concerns" is a pretty good starting point. 

  "We want you to put the solid waste in rodent proof containers and to have it removed every week at the minimum.  "

  ah.  If it's rodent proof the pigs can't eat it, either.  Kinda defeats the purpose of the feed.  Would you rather it be be fed to animals, or go directly into the landfill?

So I retained an attorney for this matter.  I did ask how they came to come to my farm.  "We received a complaint".    One complaint, I asked?  "yes, one.  "

One complaint.  That qualifies as a public nuisance?  Here's the definition of a public nuisance:   WAC 246-203-010: 

"For the purpose of these regulations, a public or common nuisance shall be considered as that which is set up, maintained or continued so as to be injurious to the health, or an obstruction to the use of property by interfering with the repose, health, safety or life of any considerable number of persons."


One complaint.  55,000 cars drive by my farm every day, and one complaint in 6 years.    Someone I just don't get "...interfering with the repose, health, safety or life of any considerable number of persons."