Posted on 01/06/2012 8:50:18 AM PST by matt1234
Are you ready for the vegetable census? Yesterday I received the “2012 National Agricultural Classification Survey” from the US Dept. of Agriculture. It was accompanied by a cover letter stating (in large, bold font) that my response is required by law; and, if I do not reply, I “may be personally visited.” I am not and have never been a farmer or rancher. My land has never been farmed or ranched. I do, however, have a vegetable garden that I built in 2009. This garden is private and noncommercial. There is no illegal activity whatsoever on my property.
The survey is 4 pages consisting of dozens of questions. Among the pressing concerns of the USDA are the gender and ethnic origin of my “operators.” (I have none.)
I have no idea how I appeared on the USDA’s radar. Possibilities are aerial surveillance or monitoring of seed purchases.
In full disclosure, the survey states that a recipient can opt out of the main portion of the survey if he answers “No” to the first four questions. However, the way they are written, it seems impossible for a landowner or renter to answer “No.” For example, one of these questions is “Do you own, rent, or operate cropland, pastureland, or land with the potential for agricultural production?” Ponder that. Doesn’t all “land” have “the potential for agricultural production”? If so, a landowner or renter cannot answer “No” and thereby opt out. (Even a lot covered completely by a building has “the potential for agricultural production” because you can grow food on the roof or windowsills, or you can tear down the building.) So, the way I read this, if you own or rent land, you cannot opt out. Moreover, according to another of the first four questions, if you own one or more livestock animals, even a chicken or a horse, you cannot opt out.
This survey is patently absurd, in my case as a simple gardener, and in EVERY case, as evidenced by the survey’s language described in the preceding paragraph.
Questions to fellow FReepers:
1. Does anyone have experience with this survey?
2. Any suggestions about my course of action?
3. What would John Galt do?
1. Throw it in the trash.
2. If they show up, tell them to go away.
You mus havet a liberal, Saul Alinsky follower as a neighbor that snitched on you.
By the way, DON'T recycle it. You need to sequester carbon (it's for the good of the world!). The best way to sequester carbon is to bury paper in a landfill.
Does it specifically cite what law? If not, pitch it. If so, look it up.
Wow, I’d heard that this was in the offing, but didn’t realize it would actually happen. This absurdity would be great to publicize - sure to engender a backlash. I’ll even tweet to my followers if you want.
/johnny
You wanta’ do the smart thing? Tell them it’s a farm, show a loss (since you didn’t sell anything or there was a crop failure) then take all the tax deductions. I’m serious. Hey, they started this shit.
Post #2 is exactly what I would do.
Could it be a result of the Obama rural development program? And if land is not being used in what they consider a productive manner, it will be taken away. I don’t know but it sounds pretty sinister to me. I have not received anything like you yet but would not be surprised to get something any day. I do have crops but not all of my land is in production yet. I have under 50 acres total..
To answer your question re: all land having the potential to be cropland etc., the answer is, “NO”. Local government intrusion would disallow you to farm your land. If your home is not in a designated AG/ Res zone, you can’t be a farmer! Tell that to the potential Fed visitor.
—1. Throw it in the trash.
2. If they show up, tell them to go away.—
This.
—The best way to sequester carbon is to bury paper in a landfill.—
I like to soak it in used motor oil before I burn it.
Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner!!
Have fun with it — lie all over the place.
Say you are raising space-carrots and jackalopes.
I think they have fined two people in the past 60 years for not filling out the main census (and they were very vocal publicly about not filling it out) and no one has been taken to court on all their auxiliary forms, probably because they don't want the legal requirement to respond tested in court.
What were the other 3 questions?
I could tell them that I heard the previous owner once cultivated the wildwood flower there and I would really appreciate them coming over with the DEA sometime in the early spring to make sure it was eradicated and that no volunteer plants came up before I planted.
crops in my garden.....
Moonbat bane
illegal alien turnips
Affirmative action preventer flowers
progressive poison
I’d answer “No” to the question about whether your land has the potential for agricultural production. Don’t overthink the question. Yes, in theory any land could be used for agricultural production, but if the land isn’t in production, that’s because it’s just not practical—you couldn’t earn enough money from growing to justify bulldozing a building. You’re just growing a few veggies, not actually farming.
Just Say No and they’ll leave you alone. For the moment.
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