Make sure you get your permits before plowing your fields...

[Sysop]

Ridiculous...

Farmer faces $2.8 million fine after plowing field

 

[Steppenwolfe]

Ridiculous...

Farmer faces $2.8 million fine after plowing field

California... Enough said.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Sorry, couldn't read it all because the website kept popping up ads.

 

[Industrial Toys]

It seemed to be quite the complex saga however. Besides, look at the equipment farmers are using these days. Clearly, they can afford a little slap on the wrist like that.

 

[hawkeye08]

SAD day... obviously we don't have the detailed story, but farmers should be able to work the land within reason (I doubt that the farmer was plowing or ripping in a stream)... The grass seed growers around here finally had to give up.. even with permits and following the rules, they were not able to burn their grass stubble fields (best way to dispose of grass straw and stimulate new growth).

 

[feasant]

progression=regression

 

[BrokeFarmerJohn]

It seemed to be quite the complex saga however. Besides, look at the equipment farmers are using these days. Clearly, they can afford a little slap on the wrist like that.

2.8m is a slap on the wrist? Or making him buy more land and plant native plants, what then? The guy owns 400 acres of protected wetlands?

 

[boggen]

2.8m is not slap on the wrist.
not sure if link will work.
dusty way red bluff ca, to paskenta rd, ca

Google Maps

most of the creak sides are lined with farm fields.

zooming out on other hand... and going 3D. looks like a nasty mountain range with possibly a good amount of "slope"? and a lot of erosion issues?

i could see issues, if erosion control was not taken into account. lots of dirt washing away. vs staying in the field. water ways here on the fields on this farm. just to help deal with "silt". one of the lakes, when i was knee high i was. was 7 to 10 plus feet deep. now 30 odd years later. i would venture 1 foot deep. lake is only is filled with water from run off from nearby fields. a lot of dirt!

========
ripper comments in article *ughs* that is tilling the dim wit!

========
on other hand. dealing with nightmare neighbor of a farmer over the years. and dealing with cows and big poo going into nearby creaks, and letting dead cows, dead pigs, dead sheep rot in or right at the edge of creaks. along with chemical pollution. along with "set backs" of how far you need to be away from body of water / creak.

if the water went from good in creak to above what is average for creak. and erosion was issue. not much farmer can do... still a water way. you can still farm. but farmers can still get nabbed for chemicals running into creaks and like.

being down wind err down creak. of rotting animals and poo going into creak, and chemicals going into creak. *been there done that*

 

[IslandTractor]

The story isn't quite as simple as "farmer fined for plowing his land". Anybody and especially a commercial farmer should understand the sensitivity of wetlands issues. Seems he willfully decided to ignore those issues. Unless what he did was egregious, I would imagine that the real fine will be far less than the maximum reported to earn a juicy headline. Not exactly "fake news" but hardly shocking.

 

[widefat]

This is the type of thing that makes my head hurt. While I firmly believe in a persons right to possess and use their land without excessive government oversight, I also know that we as a species, if left to our own, would destroy the environment. As much as I believe in our property rights, I support the Governments action in this case. If you are in the business, then it's up to you to know and understand the rules.

 

[Oldoak]

The story isn't quite as simple as "farmer fined for plowing his land". Anybody and especially a commercial farmer should understand the sensitivity of wetlands issues. Seems he willfully decided to ignore those issues. Unless what he did was egregious, I would imagine that the real fine will be far less than the maximum reported to earn a juicy headline. Not exactly "fake news" but hardly shocking.

I would say, a very rational assessment of the limited information publicized. :thumbsup:

In many instances government does "over reach". But do we as individuals pick and choose what rules, regulations, or laws we will or not abide by? Almost everyday someone is complaining about this or that law but do noting about it to vote those same public officials that approved such legislation out of office.

 

[TractorGuy]

I would say, a very rational assessment of the limited information publicized. :thumbsup:

In many instances government does "over reach". But do we as individuals pick and choose what rules, regulations, or laws we will or not abide by? Almost everyday someone is complaining about this or that law but do noting about it to vote those same public officials that approved such legislation out of office.

Hear Hear!

BUT, even when they do the politicians always seem to flip flop and go along with the rest of the cronies once they get in office. One a law is passed the damage is usually done forever.

My wife asked the other day if I would dig a pond on our land. I told her we would require and environmental study and permitting. She said the heck with getting a permit. She says Daniel Boone is rolling over in his grave. I just laughed.

 

[dmccarty]

The article states that the government's argument is that the guy was not plowing, which the law allows, but instead he was ripping the soil. At least the argument will be over the meaning of the word "plowing" instead of "is."

We have an NGO in our county running around creating an "inventory" of environmental assets. They have marked a part of our land as a wetland even though the area in question is on the top of the hill and bone, freaking dry. The soil is hard packed, useless clay mixed with rocks and huge boulders and any rain that falls runs downhill. Short of being a desert, it is about as far from a wetland as one can get. The map they are using just has big circles marking areas they want to "inventory" and they are obviously using area photos along with some big Wild A...ss Guesses on what is actually on the ground. At some point there will be regulations created from the inventory and any landowner disagreeing with the so called experts taking of their land will have to go to court. But hey, the NGO is on a mission to save the planet. so it is all ok.

Later,
Dan

 

[BigBoyToys]

But do we as individuals pick and choose what rules, regulations, or laws we will or not abide by?

If a state can declare themselves a "Sanctuary State", and not abide by Federal Law...why can't a farmer declare his farm a "Sanctuary Farm" and ignore Federal Law as well???
I would imagine CA would be very understanding! :drink:

 

[PJSprog]

Every time I read a California ridiculousness story like this, I am reminded that while living in Illinois is not exactly an oasis of freedoms, it could always be worse.

 

[Oldoak]

Hear Hear!

BUT, even when they do the politicians always seem to flip flop and go along with the rest of the cronies once they get in office. One a law is passed the damage is usually done forever.

My wife asked the other day if I would dig a pond on our land. I told her we would require and environmental study and permitting. She said the heck with getting a permit. She says Daniel Boone is rolling over in his grave. I just laughed.

Yes, you make a very good point. Politics and cronyism go hand in hand and has become the bane of our country. :drink:

 

[IslandTractor]

Every time I read a California ridiculousness story like this, I am reminded that while living in Illinois is not exactly an oasis of freedoms, it could always be worse.

I am not so sure this is only CA. It's the Feds. Wetlands are usually a federal issue as I recall.

 

[PJSprog]

I am not so sure this is only CA. It's the Feds. Wetlands are usually a federal issue as I recall.

Agreed. However, it seems 99% of these types of stories originate in that state. Just my perception, perhaps.

 

[widefat]

Yes, you make a very good point. Politics and cronyism go hand in hand and has become the bane of our country. :drink:

And that's a shame. I have a nice riparian area. The organization - the "environmental council" - in our area that holds all of the conservation easements offers programs to benefit the environment. I would like learn from them re how I can best maintain and enhance the riparian area, but there is NO WAY I am going to allow them on my property or become attached to them in any way. This is why we cant have anything nice.

 

[IslandTractor]

Agreed. However, it seems 99% of these types of stories originate in that state. Just my perception, perhaps.

Yes, they are more aggressive in CA and more importantly bigger. Recall it was the CA "air pollution board" that outed VW on their diesel deception (after given a heads up by Univ of West Virginia). CA is something like that sixth or seventh largest economy in the world so if they sometimes behave like a sovereign state it is for a reason.