County sues farmer for having too many crops

• Spartaaaaa wrote on 2010-09-13 19:21

  DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. -- DeKalb County is suing a local farmer for growing too many vegetables, but he said he will fight the charges in the ongoing battle neighbors call “Cabbagegate.”
  
  Fig trees, broccoli and cabbages are among the many greens that line the soil on Steve Miller’s more than two acres in Clarkston, who said he has spent fifteen years growing crops to give away and sell at local farmers markets.
  
  “It's a way of life, like it's something in my blood,” said Miller.
  
  In January, Dekalb County code enforcement officers began ticketing him for growing too many crops for the zoning and having unpermitted employees on site.
  
  Miller stopped growing vegetables this summer and the charges were put on hold as he got the property rezoned.
  
  Two weeks after approval, however, his attorney said the county began prosecuting the old charges, saying he was technically in violation before the rezoning.
  
  “It should go away. I think it borders on harassment,” said Miller’s attorney Doug Dillard.
  
  Miller faces nearly $5,000 in fines, but he said he plans to fight those citations in recorders court later this month.
  
  A county spokesperson said officials can’t discuss the matter while it is in court, but neighbors were quick to come to his defense.
  
  “When he moved here and I found out what he was doing I said, ‘Steve, you’re the best thing that ever happened to Cimarron Drive. And I still say that,” said neighbor Britt Fayssoux.

  
  
  Link to article: County Sues Farmer, Cites Too Many Crops - News Story - WSB Atlanta
• Piko wrote on 2010-09-13 19:24
  Are they serious?
• starpaw7 wrote on 2010-09-13 19:25
  [Image: http://www.laymark.com/i/o/08.gif]
• Piero wrote on 2010-09-13 19:50
  [Image: http://verydemotivational.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/129081368664396461.jpg]
• starpaw7 wrote on 2010-09-13 20:20
  Aren't growing too many crops a good thing :what:
• Chillax wrote on 2010-09-13 20:25

  Quote from starpaw7;154078:

  Aren't growing too many crops a good thing :what:

  
  
  Not if you're trying to control the prices of crops.
• Axx wrote on 2010-09-13 23:00

  Quote from Chillax;154081:

  Not if you're trying to control the prices of crops.

  
  The US spends quite a bit of money on paying farmers not to grow crops. It's actually a good thing, as unbelievable as it might sound.
• Cucurbita wrote on 2010-09-13 23:02
  >having unpermitted employees on site.
  
  That I understand.
• paladin wrote on 2010-09-13 23:02

  Quote from starpaw7;154078:

  Aren't growing too many crops a good thing :what:

  
  
  Too many crops = low prices = farmers cant farm
  Its one the many things that happened in the great depression
• Chillax wrote on 2010-09-13 23:09

  Quote from Axx;154199:

  The US spends quite a bit of money on paying farmers not to grow crops. It's actually a good thing, as unbelievable as it might sound.

  
  
  Yes, I know that. Less supply->higher prices->more money for farmers when they sell their crops.
• Cucurbita wrote on 2010-09-13 23:29
  We really should start using more corn for ethanol and plastic though.
  
  We really really really should.
• Spartaaaaa wrote on 2010-09-14 00:02

  Quote from Axx;154199:

  The US spends quite a bit of money on paying farmers not to grow crops. It's actually a good thing, as unbelievable as it might sound.

  
  
  But the difference here is that they are suing him to get him to stop growing crops. If the county gave him compensation for the crops he could have been growing, then that would be a different story.
• Chillax wrote on 2010-09-14 00:15

  Quote from Spartaaaaa;154348:

  But the difference here is that they are suing him to get him to stop growing crops. If the county gave him compensation for the crops he could have been growing, then that would be a different story.

  
  
  I'm guessing the city resorted to suing because it doesn't have much money, due to the recession we're in right now.
  
  

  We really should start using more corn for ethanol and plastic though. We really really really should.

  
  
  Which...uses up a lot of energy, aka gas.
• Juno wrote on 2010-09-14 00:33
  Why not just send the extra crops to some poster child third world country :<
• Chillax wrote on 2010-09-14 00:53

  Quote from Juno;154391:

  Why not just send the extra crops to some poster child third world country :<

  
  
  Because there are no monetary advantages for doing that. Shipping and handling isn't free.