Farm bureau leader calls out feds on burn policy

Daily Astorian ^ | 1/13/16 | Dan Wheat

[Baynative]

Same practice landed ranchers in jail

OKANOGAN, Wash. — It’s “outrageous and hypocritical” that the federal government imprisoned two Oregon ranchers for a backburn that got away from them and burned a little over 100 acres of public land while federal and state agencies backburned thousands of acres of private land in Okanogan County last summer and were not held accountable, the president of the Okanogan County Farm Bureau says.

[Baynative]

"My definition of homeland security is America's ability to feed itself. There is nothing more important. America has to stop the war on agriculture," said Nicole Kuchenbuch, a rancher and county farm bureau president.

"If this nation’s farmers and ranchers are forced out of business, America has succeeded in staging her own famine," she said.

"The media tendency is to turn things into racial or socio-economic issues and vilify ranchers as a bunch of ignorant honkies. It's important to realize the American government is oppressive to all colors of people and everyone just wants to be free, healthy and prosperous," she said.

[Baynative]

Ping

(Apologies for not retyping the comment to eliminate the hieroglyphics)

[Baynative]

Ranchers are hard-pressed to find grazing land. One-third of 600,000 acres burned in the Okanogan, Tunk Block and North Star fires in 2015 was caused by agency backburning, Okanogan County Commissioner Jim DeTro has said.

Ranches in several parts of the county lost private timber, grazing grounds, hay, barns and equipment to agency backburning that ranchers opposed.

Kuchenbuch, her husband, Casey, and her father, Rod Haeberle, fought a fire alongside firefighters on their ranch last summer and begged them not to backburn 1,000 acres of their private land.

The agency did it anyway to protect homes but destroyed Haeberle Ranch timber, miles of fencing, the family's mountain cabin and a set of corrals.

"We were told afterward that there is no restitution for our losses," Kuchenbuch said.

[txrefugee]

Most city dwellers think their food grows on store shelves. When the last farmers are driven out of business by the Communists in and out of government, it won’t take long for food riots to rip the nation to shreds.

[Paine in the Neck]

“Do as I say, not as I do.”

Any question about whether we are citizens with a servant government or serfs of feudal overlords?

[Baynative]

This over reach of government began with congress abdicating their authority by allowing federal agencies to create and then enforce their own rules.

It's not just the burns. It's water rights, confiscation and condemnation. Many of us fight it as much as we can. But, we are few and often alone and those city dwellers you speak of couldn't care less, even if they lean conservative.

[Chode]

do as we say, not as we do

[jcon40]

The Cities dwellers out vote the rural folk and thus empower the bureaucrats who enforce nonsense rural policies. Food, water, power, gas, oil all come from rural America. Building dams, drilling for oil and now farming are all vilified. What a shame if the cities had to go a day or two without these products

[Busko]

All by design!!!!!! The Goosestepping Agencies will do what they are told. this is just the beginning!!!

[Smokin' Joe]

What a shame if the cities had to go a day or two without these products

When the shortages start, they are the first who should be cut off.

[jcon40]

Well I worry for my two daughters who live in the San Francisco area if the SHTF

They both still vote like country girls for all the good that does in Kalifornia

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

“Remember Los Alamos!”

It was a “
controlled” burn, started by Bandolier officials. 400 homes lost. My elderly Uncle lost everything!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerro_Grande_Fire

[Smokin' Joe]

I thought that was to cover for missing hard drives...

[Smokin' Joe]

I hope, for their sake if SHTF, they are either well outside of the main metro (and have a prayer of bugging out), or close to the water and have access to a boat.