By Dr. Mercola
In the latest move against small farmers who dare to operate outside of the auspices of CAFO (limited cattle operations) and Monsanto-dominated crops, the US government has seized $70,000 from a farmer small dairy farming in Maryland. The Feds did this under the “Bank Secrecy Act,” which required paperwork to be filled out for any cash in excess of $10,000.
The farmers, Randy Sowers and his wife Karen, made deposits totaling more than $295,000 between May 2011 and February 2012, but each transaction was less than $10,000.
Now, they’re being charged with “structuring,” a violation of federal currency reporting requirements, as the federal government accuses them of knowingly sending money less than $10,000 in an attempt to evade money. Avoid the Currency Transaction Statement requirements.
The government collects $70,000 on What Base?
The dairy farmer’s “crime” stems from his weekly sale at the local farmers market. Sales averaged around the same amount each week and, in all seriousness, the Sowers deposited them. They are said to have never even heard of the Bank Secrecy Act or the “structure,” but that doesn’t do much for the federal government — the consistency of the money Sowers sent, always less. over $10,000, sparked a federal sign, who declared it a sign of a crime.
The government quickly seized about $70,000 from the bank account, then issued a forfeiture order. As reported by Food Freedom News:first
“The Department of Justice has since sued to keep $63,000 of Sowers’ money, even though they committed no crime other than maintaining their privacy. Without the money, they wouldn’t be able to buy goods for the crop. When a similar action was taken against Taylor’s Produce Stand show last year, the coalition confiscated $90,000, dropped the charges, and withheld $45,000 of Taylor’s money.
Knowing that most farms operated at very low profit margins, such abuses of power would deprive a family of income, and that in return the federations increased their monopoly power. Monsanto, Big Dairy and their supply chains.… Former Maryland assistant US attorney Steven Levin told the newspaper [City Paper]”Basically, the focus is on seizing money, whether it’s legally or illegally earned. It can lead to financial ruin for business owners and potentially abuses by the government in the country. this.”
The Sowers raid was conducted by an agency established in 2009 to tackle money-laundering criminals. The agency successfully started off by seizing $1.2 billion from a real money launderer, but it seems what they’re interested in now is getting criminals out of small business people, including small farmers.
Why was the family farm attacked?
If they don’t seize bank accounts, it seems the government will find another way to attack small farmers. A family farm in rural Michigan — and possibly others — could be closed under a new state law that makes certain pig breeds a threat to hog farmers. and neighboring farmland.
Basically, the battle lies in the definition between wild pigs and domestic pigs. The dictionary definition of “wild” refers to an animal that runs wild. But Michigan authorities took it a step further and expanded the definition to include self-contained private hunting reserves and small farms, which authorities call the “invasive species” of pigs. .
There is no genetic test to determine if the species on these farms are truly invasive, so authorities are basing their cases on these farmers solely on importance. visual observation. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) uses this vague description to describe prohibited pigs and makes it clear that this Not applies to domestic pigs raised on CAFO:2
“Wild boar, wild boar, wild boar, wild boar, wild boar, wild boar, Old World boar, wild boar, Eurasian wild boar, Russian wild boar (Sus scrofa Linnaeus). intended to affect domestic fish engaged in domestic hog production.”
Other descriptors provided by the MDNR include so many characteristics that almost any pig other than the familiar pink domesticated breed raised on CAFO could be considered “wild”:
- Ergonomic or folding/soft ear structure
- Straight or curly tail
- Solid black, wild/gray, red/solid brown, spotted black and white, or spotted coat color black and red/brown
- “Other characteristics” not currently known by MDNR
Interestingly, the Big Pork industry has been planning this campaign against wild pigs for years, and even bragged about it in a 2010 news release.3 It was the same news as they announced victory over the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) in Ohio, where HSUS is seeking legislation to end pregnancy pens (cages so small that the sows cannot turn or move).
What this means for Michigan residents is that soon they will be unable to purchase meat that is humanely and sustainably raised from the Mangalitsa boars raised on Baker’s Green Acres farm. This particular breed is raised by only a handful of small farms across the country; While more than 2 million pigs are slaughtered each week in the United States, only about 50 of them are Mangalitsas (known as “it” pigs by New York Timesas a number of high-end restaurants and specialty markets have featured rich, wild-caught meat4).
But, of course, this has to do with more than pasture-raised pork from a heritage breed… it’s about your ability, your right, to buy and consume whole foods , unadulterated – a right further removed for those living in the United States of America.
The FDA also threatens your right to food choices…
Another clear example of the government stepping in to forbid you access to whole, unprocessed foods is the US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) fight against raw milk. When the Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund (FTCLDF) filed a lawsuit against the FDA over its raw milk ban, claiming that it was unconstitutional to ban raw raw milk in interstate commerce, the FDA took action. refuted with the following extremely disturbing and indignant statements:
- “Yes has no absolute authority to consume or feed any particular food to children. ”
- “There is no ‘deep-rooted’ historical tradition about Unregulated access to foods. ”
- “Plainants’ assertion of their ‘fundamental right to their physical and mental health, including the foods they do and do not choose to consume for themselves and their families'” similarly is unfounded because Plaintiffs have no fundamental right to get any food they want. “
- The FDA summary goes on to state that “even if such a right existed, it would not make FDA regulations unconstitutional because prohibits the sale and distribution of unpasteurized milk between states to promote physical and mental health. “
- “Yes no fundamental right to freedom of contract. “
Since when does the FDA have the authority to tell you what you can and cannot eat and feed your child? Apparently they believed they had it all. If you go by these claims, it means that the FDA has the authority to ban any food of their choice and make you guilty of seeking that food. If one day the FDA thinks that tomatoes, broccoli, or cashews are potentially harmful to you (which is just as ridiculous as their claim that raw milk is bad), they can enact such a ban and enforce it lawfully.
This means that the freedom to choose food is a myth if you live in the United States, and this is simply unacceptable. No one, and certainly not any government agency, can restrict your access to whole, unadulterated foods, but the dairy industry and other industrial farmers depend on CAFO employs powerful lobbyists that will not stop at persuading the government to remove small farmers from the market altogether. The truth is, if enough people start demanding natural, sustainable and humanely raised meat, dairy and products, the giant agricultural monopolies that currently dominate the market will not be able to compete. painting.
Their business relies on pesticides, CAFOs, GMO seeds, growth hormones and the like…so when they see all-natural plants like the one led by Randy Sowers and Karen’s wife runs, or nature farms like Bakers Green Acres gain loyal customers and growing bases, they feel nervous – and they get the government involved in any way they can.
Please support your local small farms
The healthiest food choices are almost always responsible, high-quality choices, lasting sources.
This is why I encourage you to support small family farms in your area. This includes not only visiting the farm in person, if you have one nearby, but also participating in farmer’s markets and community-supported farming programs. Now that summer is almost here in the United States, fresh produce and other great whole foods are available in abundance. Not only is food so much tastier and healthier when you get it from sustainable, CAFO-free sources, there’s also something about shopping for fresh food in an open social environment. feel right. A bleak, artificially lit supermarket – home to almost every food made with CAFO – can’t compete.
If you’d like to experience some of these benefits first-hand, here are some great resources for getting healthy foods that not only support you but the environment:
- Alternative Farming Systems Information CenterCommunity Supported Agriculture (CSA)
- Farmers markets – National list of agricultural markets
- Local harvest – This website will help you find farmers markets, family farms and other sustainably grown food sources in your area where you can buy produce, grass-fed meats and more.
- A Guide to Eating Well: Healthy Food from Healthy Animals – The Good Food Guide is a free online directory of sustainably raised meat, poultry, dairy and eggs from farms, shops, restaurants, hostels and hotels, as well as online stores in the United States and Canada.
- Communities involved in sustainable agriculture (CISA) – CISA is dedicated to maintaining agriculture and promoting the products of small farms.
- FoodRoutes – FoodRoutes’ “Find Good Food” map can help you connect with local farmers to find the freshest food possible. On their interactive map you can find listings for local farmers, CSA and markets near you.
Finally, for more information on ongoing attacks on small family farms in the United States, check out Farmageddon: The Invisible War on American Family Farms, a documentary by Kristin Canty. But I warn you… the injustices it contains can make your blood boil.
