Dollars Fly Away on the Wings of…Butterflies

This week’s Golden Fleece Award, presented with two dozen butterfly kisses, goes to our pals at the United States Department of Agriculture for awarding $500,000 of your dollars to the 900 Thlopthlocco Tribal Members in Okemah, Oklahoma to farm butterflies.

George Scott, the Mekka Thlopthlocco Town King (we’re not kidding), sees it as a way to diversify his tribe’s economy.

Long time butterfly farmer Jane Breckinridge reports that raising these winged wonders, currently a $64 million industry and growing, profits from a shortage of the little critters.

Our question is “Why does a growing, $64 million industry enjoying a shortage of supply of its product, need $500,000 of your earnings to promote itself?”

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