Health department tyrants raid local 'farm to fork' picnic dinner, orders all food to be destroyed

Natural News ^ | November 11, 2011 | Ethan A. Huff

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

(NaturalNews) It is the latest case of extreme government food tyranny, and one that is sure to have you reeling in anger and disgust. Health department officials recently conducted a raid of Quail Hollow Farm, an organic community supported agriculture (CSA) farm in southern Nevada, during its special "farm to fork" picnic dinner put on for guests -- and the agent who arrived on the scene ordered that all the fresh, local produce and pasture-based meat that was intended for the meal be destroyed with bleach.

For about five years now, Quail Hollow Farm has been growing organic produce and raising healthy, pasture-based animals which it provides to members as part of a CSA program. And it recently held its first annual "Farm to Fork Dinner Event," which offered guests an opportunity to tour the farm, meet those responsible for growing and raising the food, and of course partake in sharing a meal composed of the delicious bounty with others.

But when the Southern Nevada Health District (SNHD) got word of the event and decided to get involved, this simple gathering of friends and neighbors around a giant, family-style picnic table quickly became a convenient target for the heavy hand of an out-of-control government agency. And Monte and Laura Bledsoe, the owners and operators of Quail Hollow Farm, were unprepared for what would happen next.

SNHD official Mary Oaks raids picnic without cause or warrant, orders destruction of dinner food

Laura Bledsoe explains in a letter to her guests written after the fact that two days prior to the event, SNHD contacted the farm to say that, because the picnic was technically a "public" event, the couple would have to obtain a "special use permit," or else face a very steep fine. Not wanting to risk having the event disrupted, the Bledsoes agreed to jump through all the demanded legal hoops even though their gathering was really just a backyard picnic.

But the day of the event, an inspector from SNHD, Mary Oaks, showed up and declared that all the food the Bledsoes would be serving was "unfit for consumption," and that it would have to be destroyed. Though there was no logical or lawful reasoning behind this declaration, and the Bledsoes had complied with all the requirements, Oaks insisted that the food be discarded and destroyed using a bleach solution.

One of the so-called reasons for this action included the fact that some of the food packaging did not contain labels, even though labels are not necessary if the food is eaten within 72 hours. Oaks also cited the fact that some of the meat was not US Department of Agriculture (USDA) certified, that the vegetables had already been cut and were thus a "bio-hazard," and that there were no receipts for the food (which was all grown on the farm, not purchased from a grocery store).

You can view pictures of the event, as well as video footage of Inspector Oaks raiding the party, at the following link:
http://www.reallyvegasphoto.com/Eve...

Unaware of their rights, the Bledsoes initially complied with Oaks' unlawful demands and destroyed the food. But shortly thereafter, Laura's husband Monte remembered that they had an emergency contact number for the Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund (FTCLDF) on their refrigerator.

Shocked that they even had to resort to this desperate measure, the Bledsoes called FTCLDF for advice and spoke with General Counsel Gary Cox, who instructed them to ask Oaks for a search and arrest warrant, which of course she did not have. The Bledsoes then asked Oaks to leave the property, upon which she allegedly stormed off in anger and screamed that she was going to call the police.

Police eventually arrived, but unaware of why they had been called and what the alleged crime was, they, too, left and offered their apologies to the Bledsoes. Fortunately, the Bledsoes were able to improvise with the chef to create a whole new meal for their guests, which ended up turning out to be a type of blessing in disguise, according to Laura.

The entire shocking incident serves as a reminder to know your rights when it comes to food and health freedom. Without a proper search or arrest warrant, so-called health inspectors or law enforcement officials have no business on your property. And if they ever try to pull a stunt like what happened at Quail Hollow Farm at your gathering, you have every right to demand that they vacate your property as well.

Sources for this article include:

Be sure to read Laura's full account of the raid here:
http://www.quailhollowfarmcsa.com/3...

And check out the video footage captured at the event, including footage of SNHD inspector Mary Oaks, here:
http://www.reallyvegasphoto.com/Eve...

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Full title:

Health department tyrants raid local 'farm to fork' picnic dinner, orders all food to be destroyed with bleach

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Another take on the Quail Hollow Farm incident.

[Gene Eric]

I wonder how many of these granola crunchers voted for Obama and his crop Nazis.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[Borax Queen]

Disgusting.

I go to a Farmer’s Market and I’d say it’s a very clean, conservative crowd (buyers and sellers), overall. One or two leftist bumper stickers (wish I knew which vendor so I could avoid him/her). Some farms that have a similar set-up to this one, where you can buy shares and they have tours.

One woman who started making goat cheese recently told me yesterday that it was easier to serve overseas, in war-time, than to get a permit to produce the cheese.

[Altariel]

Moral of the story: Never let any government agent from any agency on your property without a valid warrant.

[JimSEA]

Asinine. I’d like to take the inspector out to the day market near our house in Thailand and then he would have something to compare with the NV dinner. In 30 some years eatin food from that day market, I haven’t been sick. We are so protected in the USA that small business is regulated beyond reason. There is more danger from produce mass produced on corporate farm and distributed far from where it is grown than there is in all the local produce sold bypassing the government inspections, etc.

[tickmeister]

It was state agency, doubt if Obama was involved. Besides, fresh meat and veggies doesn’t sound like granola to me. ‘Course you may prefer your Big Mac and fries.

[kcvl]

[willk]

“I wonder how many of these granola crunchers voted for Obama and his crop Nazis.”

You might be surprised how many Environmental Health Specialists are conservatives. I wonder how many people at the picnic would have hired a lawyer if they got sick.

[kcvl]

Mary G. Oakes, PhD, REHS
Environmental Health Specialist II
(702) 759-1681 office
(702) 538-6424 cell
oakes@snhdmail.org

office phone disconnected and cell phone has disabled the voice mail

[Mariner]

Too bad they didn’t shoot her tires out when she pulled up.

[jocon307]

“Never let any government agent from any agency on your property without a valid warrant.”

Agreed. Our government is out of control on all levels. Stopping nonsense like this and worse stuff that is not nonsense at all needs to really become a priority.

[alpo]

Were the bags of veggies Michelle gave the foreign leaders properly labeled?

Undoubtedly were contaminated with BS.

[davius]

As ye sow, so shall ye reap. The moonpies in the video sound like the same ones that yammered for government to impose repressive regulations. Well...They’re here!

[Fantasywriter]

This is the exact type of behavior the BTK Kansas Serial Killer used to exhibit. He had a municipal job that allowed him to terrorize residents at will, and neither his co-workers nor his boss lifted a finger to stop the abuses. In his spare time he was committing some of the most grotesque crimes in the annals of serial killers. This woman, Oaks, is psychologically screwed up in a fundamental and dangerous way. I wonder what her ‘hobbies’ are.

[Ezekiel]

SNHD official Mary Oaks raids picnic without cause or warrant

That's just it. Too many people feed and tolerate these nuisance bears and before you know it, the bears become very aggressive, no longer fearing the humans.

[DGHoodini]

“nuisance bear”? Mmoire like: ‘Nazi criminal pig’ to be more accurate. And her superior should be arrested for criminal conspiracy as well, if he/she is involved.

[sinanju]

That should be obvious, such nasty domineering characters are just naturally attracted to inspection/enforcement/planning gummint jobs that let them push other people around. Not to mention the demanding of bribes.

Wonder how the BTK Killer tended to vote.

[firebrand]

Hilarious!