Comments

Episode-162- HR 875 Targets Small Farms and More — 14 Comments

  1. That is just about exactly what my take was. I read the outcry then read the bill. It isn’t a good bill, but the criticism is very inflammatory and off base. I believe the criticism is even counterproductive since it deflects the true discussion away from Monsanto, lobbying and the takeover and instead focuses it on something that isn’t even going to happen.

    I wrote my trusty representatives and have had not one single response.

  2. Even if it is a tad exaggerated in commentary, think about its potential effect on the Dervaes family, Small homesteaders who make some subsistence living off of selling excess produce.. The neighborhood flea market, the country farmers markets, etc.

    With this and the NAIS, along with the CPSIA for home crafters etc friendly fascism is coming..
    Making us all depend on the NANNY

  3. I have put into storage a “complete Garden in a can” which contains 16 jumbo foil lined packets of open pollinator seeds. The plants from these seeds can be let go to seed and saved for the next years crops. Some of the seeds that are included in the can are peas,radishes,onions,spinach,cabbage,swiss chard,beets,carrots,lettuce,beans,corn,cucumbers,
    zucchini squash,peppers,winter squash and tomatoes. The cost is a little pricey but will store for at least 20-30 years. The link for this is http://www.beprepared.com then enter “garden seeds” in the search window and Shazam you are there.

  4. Trash makes a great point. This one bill, all by itself, meh. But add all the others in and we have a problem. But hey, we need to do it for the children.

  5. those poor kids are already in debt and they aint even born yet.But I gues in PS they will learn to not think about it.

  6. The smoke screen was covering up the Feds starting the printing presses for 1 trillion dollars.
    I think Congress should also be paid only 1.00 a year. For some reason they never caught on that the retention was from last year. They already have been there and completed their jobs but they were too stupid to realize unlike them they didn’t get paid on the front end…but the bonus was at the end of their time.
    Then what they did was piss on the constitution and willfully break the law to tax these people.
    These are people that took an oath to uphold the constitution…what happened?

  7. While the bill does not specificly mention an organic or back yard garden, they DO NOT meet the exclusions as outlined in #14 which specificly says Farm,Ranch,Orchard,Vineyard,Aquaculture Facility or Feedyard. The backyard of an in city or suburban home DOES NOT meet the definition of the exceptions. Therefore the way this bill is writen it is POSSIBLE that the government Could include the backyard garden. Now don’t go saying “well yeah, but….” Sen Dodd ment to say all bonuses with out a specific date, BUT as per him The treasury did want the Feb 11 date. So wha THEY Say and what they Mean are 2 different things.
    Food Establishment for road side sellers COULD fall under #7 Cat 3 food est and or #8 Cat 4 food establishment.

  8. The staff of Rep. Mike Castle of De. has confirmed tha the way the Bill is worded and that Gardens and roadside stands DO meet the requirements of either Catagory 3 or 4 as a food establishment and since they are NOT specificly exempted under the written exemptions in the Bill…. IT IS POSSIBLE FOR OUR GARDENS TO FALL UNDER THIS BILL. But as I stated above that is not what they meant when the bill was written BUT….. the door is open for them to do it if the bill is not reworded, or gardens and roadside stands to be written in as exemptions.

  9. Jack, I disagree with your statement that this bill does not subject home gardeners to inspection by Federal Agents. The USDA’s definition of a farm is any place that produces more than $1,000 in potential agricultural goods per year. The definition is not dependent on you actually selling the goods! (See my forum post for details) This means that many home gardens will be subject to registration, inspection, prescribed practices, and fines under this bill.

  10. @Tinker,

    Well sorry to say that you are simply wrong. You must look up the legal not the common definition of terms such as “farm” to interpret law.

    The bill sucks, I said kill it, call ALL the committee members, etc. But this sensationalism is going to back fire if people keep it up.

    Listen to episode 165 for more on this,

    http://www.thesurvivalpodcast.com/probability-and-impact-scale

  11. It is also not “the potential” is is “produces” or “normally would produce”.

    The only way to LEGALLY asses a value on goods is to monetize or trade them for something of a known value.

    This bill stinks, it should be defeated but this need many have to sensationalize it is going to back fire if maintained, mark my words.

    Again it is important to understand that most of the power in this bill already exists in our government today, right now. It is spread across multiple agencies and departments. The danger here is far more the consolidation of power rather then new power.

  12. Yes, the bill doesn’t specifically spell out “backyard gardens”. But do you honestly believe they eventually won’t be amended in, if the produce is sold, given away, or donated to public shelters, possibly carrying disease. Don’t want little nephew Johnny getting sick from Aunty Em’s hybridized tomatoes fertilized with chicken droppings, do we?

    Funny the disease carrying problems always came from big agri-business processing plants, and not for ONE single small time processor. Why are they “regulating” themselves, is my question? Hmm…. Something’s rotten in the tomato patch, if you ask me.

    Personally, I do like one fact re: this bill. It will essentially kill the hybrid seed industry, with all the “potential” to cross with hybridized patented seed. (Dave’s Garden has included a line in the plants database…. for patent info on varieties of most herbs, veggies, and flowers. Smart!) People will not want to take the chance of hefty fines with growing hybrids. (True Food Police!)

    Yay for OP’s! Unless… they finagle a way to eventually patent them…

  13. c,

    There are so many things just totally inaccurate about your comment I really can’t even respond.

    First of all organic production is regulated by a separate arm of the…never mind, I am bored saying the same thing over and over.

    Seriously you people that keep hyping this bill as something it is not will be the eventual reason that damn thing passes because no one is bothering to point out the real problems that are in it.