2012 National Agricultural Classification Survey in forum [FedUp]
Loves2learn
Posts: 1210
Incept: 2009-01-28
The free (for now) state of Kansas
K, we have just under 6 acres, inside the city limits. Had it zoned ag 5 years ago before we built, just in case we decided to keep a few chickens or something. Never recieved this before now.
We bought a heifer and a steer in 2010. Built a chicken coop and bought some chicks last spring.
So how come all of a sudden USDA knows to send us this "survey"?
The letter that came with the survey starts out "The USDA is interested in all agricultural activity in the United States. You have been "identified" as someone who may have agricultural activity.
Then in huge font it says "THE NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL CLASSIFICATION SURVEY IS REQUIRED BY LAW. IF YOU DO NOT REPLY, YOU MAY BE PERSONALLY VISITED OR RECIEVE A PHONE CALL".
We have till Feb 3rd to respond.
If we answer one question, "Do you have any type of livestock including equine, poultry, fowl, bees or aquaculture?" with a yes, then there are a whole bunch more questions about the type of "operation" we are.
We are not an operation, our livestock and chickens are for personal consumption. Any extra eggs, we mostly give away. We don't make any money on the few dozen extra we do sell. It helps pay for feed and whatnot. I resent this intrusion. I'm inclined to ignore it.
Our dog won't let anyone near the house, but I don't want him shot either.
I know I'm not the only one with some small agricultural activity on TF. Anyone else get these forms? If so, what is your opinion?
----------
A poor person's farm may produce much food, but injustice sweeps it away. Proverbs 13:23 The illegal we do immediately. The unconstitutional takes a little longer. Henry Kissinger, New York Times, Oct. 28, 1973
I get these every year. Some times I fill them out if I have time and sometimes not. Most years I get no hassle. A couple of times I have been called about them and only once was I visited. The people calling and visiting are not full time employees Of the government. They are contracted to help gather the data.
Being on a government list is never a good thing but for the most part these USDA databases are harmless for now. No one is going to came after you from my experience if you choose to ignore it.
----------
Wealth is found in the warmth of the sun, in the coolness of moist soil, in the taste of fresh air, and in the pulse of your heart. Plant a seed and harvest your riches.
Loves2learn
Posts: 1210
Incept: 2009-01-28
The free (for now) state of Kansas
Thanks, Snooze and Bubba. I was thinking if contacted I would say "what form"? Postal Service is terrible these days, ya know.
----------
A poor person's farm may produce much food, but injustice sweeps it away. Proverbs 13:23 The illegal we do immediately. The unconstitutional takes a little longer. Henry Kissinger, New York Times, Oct. 28, 1973
Duc888
Posts: 7368
Incept: 2008-11-06
CT, the UNconstitution State
I'd tell them you breed ducks. Tell them you have 20,000 of them and plan on getting more. When they show up.... show them a 55 gallon drum filled with water and 4 yellow rubber duckies floating in there. Make sure you run an extension cord out to the drum. Put a little portable TV on a chair next to the drum and let the ducks watch TV. When the government stooge shows up, sit on the ground and rock back and forth ala Bill Gates. Babble incoherently. Ask the government worker if they'd like to sit for a while and watch TV with you and your friends.
This letter probably came from the USDA NASS (US Dept of Ag - National Agricultural Statistical Service).
My family's farm was almost 1,000 acres until dad retired in 2004. Raised cattle, wheat, corn, and soybeans. For my entire life I watch Dad pick up the USDA NASS ag census letters/questionaires at the mail box only to tear them up and throw them into the ditch. NASS employees called, visited, threaten, and begged but Dad always told them to go to hell.
It's strictly voluntary. If they can't get an answer out of you they'll make something up.
----------
"Economists are no different than the prophets of ancient Pompeii who reassured that Mt Vesuvius would never blow. After all, it never had before." Baxter Black, DVM and Cowboy Poet
"You can avoid reality, but you cannot avoid the consequences of avoiding reality." Ayn Rand
Is that a publicly known trait? I know people who worked directly with him for years and mentioned that behavior along with foul mouth outbursts. They say did the rock back and forth thing while biting his tongue waiting for someone to shut up.
But yeah I'd have fun with it. If you look crazier than a bat crap sandwich they'll probably leave quickly.
----------
"Better to die on your feet than live on your knees"
Tell them to put you on their "Do Not Solicit" list. See if you can bag some money with them not complying. Need to document... others on this forum are more knowledgeable than I on this topic - so start a new thread if you want more info.
----------
William Wallace enters history when he assassinated William de Heselrig, the English High Sheriff of Lanark, in May 1297. Over 300 million guns and over 1 trillion rounds of ammo, 535 pricks are pushing the buttons of 300 million or more free gun owning people. --I don't like the odds for those pricks.
Loves2learn
Posts: 1210
Incept: 2009-01-28
The free (for now) state of Kansas
DUC888...OMG we have barrels to catch rainwater. During mosquito season we put goldfish in there to eat the mosquito larvae. A few rubber ducks..no problem.
----------
A poor person's farm may produce much food, but injustice sweeps it away. Proverbs 13:23 The illegal we do immediately. The unconstitutional takes a little longer. Henry Kissinger, New York Times, Oct. 28, 1973
Got this form yesterday as well...promptly roundfiled...with the threat of a visit or "receiving a phone call" - ooh, that last one is ****ing scary...they can blow me...
In a slow zombie drawl - "Send more feds..."
----------
Every normal man must be tempted at times to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin to slit throats. H. L. Mencken
Read this last night - if you want your skin to crawl, read link. Some points from the article that might explain why 'they' are so insistent on knowing what you are growing:
Quote:
If groups of people are allowed to assert their independence by opting out of the corporate food machine, then they are less subject to external control, as well as ceasing to be profit providers. Organic agriculture therefore faces substantial regulatory barriers, and, increasingly, extreme over-reactions by central authorities.
Quote:
Although not yet a reality, direct taxation of home-produced food has been floated. Unfortunately this idea is all too plausible. States are indeed desperate for revenue, and the connections politicians have with large corporations gives them a direct incentive to protect the profit margins of those who feather their nests:
I heard a state legislator today on the radio talking about taxing home gardens that grow vegetables and other produce. This state is in serious economic trouble and they are looking at every possible source of revenue. The legislator stated that many home gardeners sell their produce at flea markets and do not pay any sales tax, that the produce grown even if not sold amounts to income and should be taxed.
In 2006, Britain was already contemplating taxing gardens, not yet for the vegetables they produce, but simply for the property tax revenue stream government could extract for any distinguishable positive feature of a property.
It is not that much of a stretch to imagine an attempt at taxing produce, although this would obviously be very difficult to enforce. Fortunately, there do exist places where the opposite approach is gaining a foothold. Long may they continue. And spread.
Quote:
Controlling the supply of necessities in order to generate monopoly profits is not new and is not limited to food. See for instance the erstwhile Bolivian water privatization that resulted in a requirement to obtain a permit even to capture rainwater. If access to affordable options is limited, people are forced to pay the rentiers their monopoly profits.
Collecting rainwater has been illegal in many western US states as well, since water rights are separate to property rights:
----------
I have never wished to cater to the crowd; for what I know they do not approve, and what they approve I do not know. - Epicurus Oderint dum metuant - Caligula & Police State USA
I heard a state legislator today on the radio talking about taxing home gardens that grow vegetables and other produce. This state is in serious economic trouble and they are looking at every possible source of revenue. The legislator stated that many home gardeners sell their produce at flea markets and do not pay any sales tax, that the produce grown even if not sold amounts to income and should be taxed.
Thanks for posting that Raftermanfmj...that's pretty ****ing scary. While TN does not have an income tax...if the feds attempt to implement something like this...I will instantly stop paying ALL taxes and start defending my property from all enemies foreign and mostly domestic.
----------
Every normal man must be tempted at times to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin to slit throats. H. L. Mencken
Not even that if you have to pay a tax to use it...but that's also why I included the word "defending"...I fully intend to keep it, or die defending it.
----------
Every normal man must be tempted at times to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin to slit throats. H. L. Mencken
Loves2learn
Posts: 1210
Incept: 2009-01-28
The free (for now) state of Kansas
Timbo, in your video, it was said" something should be done" and when asked what should be done, she looked like a deer in the headlights. That's the problem.
Thanks for the info, Rafter. The answer to the problem is there in the last paragraph
Quote:
Regulations against decentralization immobilize people for corporate interests to extract their pound of flesh.
In this instance, we need to emulate the herd animals and cross the river all at once. This is our best hope of achieving a simpler, decentralized future that might be workable, unlike our current industrial paradigm. We are going to have to live without cheap energy and cheap credit because they are going away. Decentralization is the only real option we have, but if we are to achieve what we need to achieve, we need to mobilize on a large scale rather than take only a few tentative steps into the crocodile infested waters.
I'm with Mpilar. We will not comply. We will not meekly walk into the railcar or truck. But we have to stand together. .Gov has delcared war on it's own people. If only a few fight back, it's all over. The Occupiers and the Tea Partiers don't get it. Between the NDAA and the son of NDAA, where you lose your citizenship, they have already cornered us. We are the enemy because we just want to be free from corporate control. What now? I think I need to go to the firing range and continue my work out plan.
Someone noted that we applied for the ag zoning and that marked us. But we did that 5 years ago. They just now are sending out the form? I think more and more people are going to see these forms and we will be told we are not allowed to grow our own food anymore.
----------
A poor person's farm may produce much food, but injustice sweeps it away. Proverbs 13:23 The illegal we do immediately. The unconstitutional takes a little longer. Henry Kissinger, New York Times, Oct. 28, 1973
.Gov has delcared war on it's own people. If only a few fight back, it's all over. The Occupiers and the Tea Partiers don't get it. Between the NDAA and the son of NDAA, where you lose your citizenship, they have already cornered us. We are the enemy because we just want to be free from corporate control. What now? I think I need to go to the firing range and continue my work out plan.
Yup...those that think there's GOING to be a revolution are naive...we're already in the middle of it - the revolution is here and taking place...but for now, we're the only ones getting shot at because we're too chicken-**** to shoot back.
----------
Every normal man must be tempted at times to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin to slit throats. H. L. Mencken
Shoot back? Hell, Mpilar, most folks are still determined to live their lives as though NOTHING WAS HAPPENING. Just look at the number of posters even on this site who are determined to continue participation in this great ponzi.
Failure of imagination? No. Failure to ascertain the meaning of the facts on the ground.
----------
"...But people better realize that the worst-case scenario could actually happen.9/11 happened. This can happen. An economic 9/11, the likes of which we've never seen." Gerald Celente
The method for control is going to be water. If you listen carefully, the groundwork is being laid to indoctrinate the unknowing that water is a scarce resource and needs government regulation to protect its use and availability everywhere.
Water regulations and taxes will be the means to control who does what and who gets monopoly control.
----------
Wealth is found in the warmth of the sun, in the coolness of moist soil, in the taste of fresh air, and in the pulse of your heart. Plant a seed and harvest your riches.
RSS available
You are not signed on; if you are a visitor please register for a free account!
we have barrels to catch rainwater. During mosquito season we put goldfish in there to eat the mosquito larvae. A few rubber ducks..no problem.