The Michigan Department of Agriculture inspectors were back at Greg Niewendorp’s Michigan farm this morning to gauge the results of their test for bovine tuberculosis administered Monday, and he says they found two cattle that had positive responses. Two calves born this past summer had bumps on their tales, where the test was administered—the sign of a “responder."

The MDA immediately followed up by taking blood samples from the two calves, to determine whether they actually have bovine TB. The results of that test are expected to be known by next Tuesday. In the meantime, his farm remains under quarantine.

Bridget Patrick, the MDA’s Bovine TB Eradication Project Coordinator, confirmed that the agency had today completed its assessment of the test administered Monday under an administrative search warrant obtained after Greg adamantly refused for seven months to have his twenty cattle tested. She declined to provide the results of the tests, citing Greg’s “privacy” rights. (I guess he still has some rights.)

“For the time being, we’re finished” with Greg, she stated.

Greg figures the two positive tests are most likely “a false positive” that “could be from the animals having been stuck with the needle” for the test. Or else they could be carrying Avian TB, which is spread by birds and is harmless to cattle.

He added that he’s not concerned about an MDA finding that the animals have bovine TB, in which case, his herd would be destroyed. "What kind of impact do you think that will have? It will look like a setup."

Destroying his herd would draw more attention to his cause of fighting both the bovine TB testing program and its link to the National Animal Identification System (NAIS), both of which he claims are unnecessary and illegal. He hopes the cause he has ignited will over the next month or two expand beyond him, and possibly include several other farmers willing to follow in his steps by openly refusing the MDA’s test.  He also hopes to file a class action suit against Michigan authorities, including the local prosecutor and governor, challenging the validity of their enforcement of NAIS.

The big loss to him of "de-population" would be the work he’s done to breed his herd for top-quality meat production. “I would lose my genetics and everything I’ve done for the last eight or ten years” if the herd is destroyed, he said. “But I can buy more cattle. All it (destroying his herd) would do is strengthen our position even more.”

Greg says he truly appreciates the outpouring of support his case has generated. And he’s undaunted by the state’s enforcement actions. "I’ve never felt so much peace," he said. "The more they persecute me, the more they simply elevate the platform."