These are some of the questions and concerns posted on the RWHA Facebook page that I was able to gather prior to the thread being deleted. ~ I am, in all things, transparent and forth-right and while I don’t believe in “airing dirty laundry”, I do believe in answering questions and correcting misconceptions. To that end, I have left the angry rhetoric and mockery in the delete queue and attempted to address questions and concerns.
- Why do you gate-keep your registry.
- I have to guess you are either talking about the password on the pedigree database or the private chat group, so I’ll answer both.
- The database is password protected to try to help keep the bots down as they can skew statistics and eat resources. There is a default guest password provided that allows up to 50 searches.
- Red Wattle Pigs Plus.Org (RWPP) has two Facebook groups. The first is a private group chat for owners of pigs registered with RWPP so we can discuss any business that needs discussion without input from individuals who are not engaged with the organization.
- We also have an open chat for people who are interested in learning about what we are doing on any level that does not have any requirements to join or lurk.
- I have to guess you are either talking about the password on the pedigree database or the private chat group, so I’ll answer both.
- Why do I think I should use the RWHA platform to advertise my list?
- I don’t and I haven’t.
- The now-deleted post regarding the RWPP was an official communication by the Board of Directors of the RWHA.
- I don’t and I haven’t.
- Why shouldn’t I be removed/banned?
- I haven’t taken any action to merit such consequences.
- (* although I have since left the association and no longer support them with my resources or registrations of my stock.)
- Do you feel it’s responsible after months of RW experience, and hogs, to anoint yourself the leader of a registry.
- Yes.
- It’s true I haven’t been raising and breeding hogs as long as I have other stock, but I’ve been involved in breeding preservation stock since the mid-80’s and have been living and working on this farm since 1994.
- The implication in the question is that I’ve only had red wattle pigs for a few months. The truth is that I’ve been dealing with unregistered and cross-bred stock for years and wanted to up my commitment to the red wattle by transitioning to purebred, registered stock.
- I have a solid working knowledge of livestock husbandry and genetics.
- I am open to education, learning, adjusting, am willing to reach out to mentors as needed, and willing to listen when they reach out to me.
- It’s true I haven’t been raising and breeding hogs as long as I have other stock, but I’ve been involved in breeding preservation stock since the mid-80’s and have been living and working on this farm since 1994.
- Yes.
- I am asked to comment on the damage I am creating by further dividing and souring the energy of the RWHA and multiple comments about me working against the association.
- I am not damaging, dividing, or souring the energy of the RWHA.
- I am (*was) deeply invested in the future of RWHA, emotionally, intellectually and financially.
- Damage and division was caused by the now-deleted official RWHA post, which grotesquely applied negative energy to my positive efforts.
- I am not damaging, dividing, or souring the energy of the RWHA.
- This question is oddly worded but I think it is asking why I don’t contribute and why I feel I can’t work within RWHA to create a cohesive/positive direction for red wattle hogs.
- I do (*) contribute and am actively working within the constraints of the RWHA Bylaws, rules and guidelines to effect change that I feel is in the best interest of the breed.
- * those efforts were to no avail. With that association going in directions I could not agree with or effect positive change, I made the choice to focus my 100% of my resources with RWPP.
- There appears to be a great deal of concern about the RWPP “lack” of standards.
- RWPP physical standards are similar but different to RWHA and actually more strict in some ways.
- We register only visually red pigs
- We do allow minimal, anomalous markings
- We require photos of the pig, it’s offspring and a discussion with the owner prior to registering an undocumented animal
- We register only visually red pigs
- We also rely on owner/breeder integrity and discretion.
- I can’t write rules for a farmer 1000 miles away standing in the field beside his hog that will tell them the quality of that hog — if they are manageable, if their produce has a great growth rate and is delicious. I understand that genetics are more than phenotype and with discussion could possibly accept an anomalous sow who produces better than herself.
- The main area where RWHA and RWPP standards differ is in the level of documentation required for registration.
- We have no membership criteria,
- We have no age criteria.
- We do not require pre-existing documentation for a hog to submit a request for registration.
- RWPP physical standards are similar but different to RWHA and actually more strict in some ways.
- There was a comment about substandard genes being reintroduced into a well working system.
- That’s not possible.
- RWPP is not registering substandard genetics.
- That’s not possible.
- There are multiple individuals expressing concern about my financial well-being, and the financial well-being of “a small group of individuals”.
- There is no “small group of individuals”
- It’s just me.
- There are NO FEES associated with RWPP.
- No membership fees
- No registration fees
- No transfer fees
- There is absolutely no financial benefit to owning RWPP.
- Money flows out, not in.
- It costs me time and money to run this and I do it without any expectation of compensation.
- I do this in order to help preserve and promote red wattle hogs.
- There is no “small group of individuals”
- Multiple individuals expressed concern regarding competitive registries.
- We are cooperative, not competitive.
- While we accept hogs with RWHA registration, we also accept many that can’t be registered with RWHA.
- The primary purpose of RWPP is to document hogs with the proper phenotype and genotype that cannot be registered with RWHA due to lack of documentation.
- We are cooperative, not competitive.
- Addressing the comment (not in the form of a question) about a “better” organization without feedback.
- We are different and we are better. We have transparency and an active owners group allowing owners to participate in the business of running the registry.
- While many of the hogs overlap, many also do not.
- While many of our standards overlap, many do not.
- I am completely open to feedback and have ongoing, open dialogue with owners of RWPP registered pigs.
- What I don’t have are the constraints caused by the ebb and flow of personalities and biases brought on by a changing/unchanging membership and board.
- You’ve read all this and still have questions.
- Reach out to us here: Communicate with us and we’ll be in touch.