Health department cops allege licensing issues over food co-op
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Anyone ready to start a food co-op?
Armed officers raid home, hold mom, kids for 6 hours
Health department cops allege licensing issues over food co-op
An Ohio family whose members have served their friends and neighbors with food cooperative services involving bulk and discount supplies has been targeted in a raid by armed law enforcement officers wearing black fatigues who forcibly rounded up the mom and 10 children and held them for six hours.
The raid prompted a complaint filed today on behalf of the family by the Center for Constitutional Law at the Buckeye Institute. It alleges authorities "made a haphazard unannounced entry into the property with guns drawn, as other officers surrounded the property, with guns drawn," then "confiscated the family's personal food supply, personal computers, and personal cell phones."
The complaint names the Ohio Department of Agriculture, the Lorain County General Health District and the state's attorney general. A spokeswoman at the Department of Agriculture said its officers were at the scene in an advisory role. A spokeswoman at the county health agency refused to comment except to explain it was a "licensing" issue regarding the family's Manna Storehouse…………………….
The Buckeye Institute argues the core issue – the right to buy food directly from local farmers, distribute locally-grown food to neighbors and pool resources to purchase food in bulk – are rights that do not require a license.
"The Stowers' constitutional rights were violated over grass-fed cattle, free-range chickens and pesticide-free produce," said Thompson, the institute's Center of Constitutional Law director. "Ohioans do not need a government permission slip to run a family farm and co-op, and should not be subjected to raids when they do not have one. This legal action will ensure the ODA understands and respects Ohioans' rights."
The institute said licensure law enforcement is one thing, raids are another.
The complaint states:
· The affidavit does not indicate that the Stowers are dangerous.
· The affidavit does not indicate … exigent circumstances … that would warrant using force.
· The police knocked on the door, and Katie Stowers opened.
· Police shoved Katie to the side and immediately entered the residence without first announcing (1) that they are police; or (2) the purpose of the visit.
· During the raid, at least one, if not several police entered the home with guns drawn, and the Stowers home was surrounded by police who also had guns drawn.
· Once having obtained entry… the lead officer … with his gun drawn, swiftly and immediately moved to the upstairs of the home, where he found eight small children."
· The officer used physical force to get Jacqueline Stowers and her children down the stairs.
· The officers held the Stowers family captive in their living room for in excess of six hours.
The complaint raises issues of unlawful search and seizure, taking of private property, due process and unlawful application of police power.
http://worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=83865
Armed officers raid home, hold mom, kids for 6 hours
Health department cops allege licensing issues over food co-op
An Ohio family whose members have served their friends and neighbors with food cooperative services involving bulk and discount supplies has been targeted in a raid by armed law enforcement officers wearing black fatigues who forcibly rounded up the mom and 10 children and held them for six hours.
The raid prompted a complaint filed today on behalf of the family by the Center for Constitutional Law at the Buckeye Institute. It alleges authorities "made a haphazard unannounced entry into the property with guns drawn, as other officers surrounded the property, with guns drawn," then "confiscated the family's personal food supply, personal computers, and personal cell phones."
The complaint names the Ohio Department of Agriculture, the Lorain County General Health District and the state's attorney general. A spokeswoman at the Department of Agriculture said its officers were at the scene in an advisory role. A spokeswoman at the county health agency refused to comment except to explain it was a "licensing" issue regarding the family's Manna Storehouse…………………….
The Buckeye Institute argues the core issue – the right to buy food directly from local farmers, distribute locally-grown food to neighbors and pool resources to purchase food in bulk – are rights that do not require a license.
"The Stowers' constitutional rights were violated over grass-fed cattle, free-range chickens and pesticide-free produce," said Thompson, the institute's Center of Constitutional Law director. "Ohioans do not need a government permission slip to run a family farm and co-op, and should not be subjected to raids when they do not have one. This legal action will ensure the ODA understands and respects Ohioans' rights."
The institute said licensure law enforcement is one thing, raids are another.
The complaint states:
· The affidavit does not indicate that the Stowers are dangerous.
· The affidavit does not indicate … exigent circumstances … that would warrant using force.
· The police knocked on the door, and Katie Stowers opened.
· Police shoved Katie to the side and immediately entered the residence without first announcing (1) that they are police; or (2) the purpose of the visit.
· During the raid, at least one, if not several police entered the home with guns drawn, and the Stowers home was surrounded by police who also had guns drawn.
· Once having obtained entry… the lead officer … with his gun drawn, swiftly and immediately moved to the upstairs of the home, where he found eight small children."
· The officer used physical force to get Jacqueline Stowers and her children down the stairs.
· The officers held the Stowers family captive in their living room for in excess of six hours.
The complaint raises issues of unlawful search and seizure, taking of private property, due process and unlawful application of police power.
http://worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=83865
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by P.G. on
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Probably see more raids like this when the government starts getting serious about enforcing their NAIS (National Animal Identification System) program.
http://nonais.org/but-what-is-nais/
How does it work for hobby farmers?
http://reliableanswers.com/patriot/2006/01/national-animal-id-run-a...
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Permalink Reply by Sandstone on -
There comes a time when everyone has to make some hard decisions and I think the time is fast approaching when those decisions will be tougher and the consequences more severe. I am not naiive enough to believe that everything can be changed by going though your Congressman. I know a lot of farmers took their tractors, combines and everything else they had and blocked a meeting the DOT was trying to have to sell the trans-america highway going through East Texas. Supposedly they got it stopped but I think now it is being done in three different phases and is being sold to the citizens by their local representatives - we'll see.
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"I am not naiive enough to believe that everything can be changed by going though your Congressman."
Especially when so many congressmen/women don't share your views, huh?
Of course you'll never get them to openly admit it.
Our food production system is flawed. It's slanted way in the favor of BIG corporate enterprises. Not what is most healthy or wholesome for consumers.
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Permalink Reply by Caliente on -
Is there a single aspect that isn't tilted in favor of corporate America? Ever since the misnomer made by the states that granted "corporations" personage, i.e., made them "persons," the "We the People" part of our federalist system became "We the Corporations." SOmething fundamentally is wrong here.
Try getting the FCC to resolve a consumer complaint over Voice over internet protocol (cable phone issues), cell phone billing problems, etc. As one court noted, these complaints enter a black hole of the FCC, and the consumer is left "waiting for Godot" for resolve.
Truly, wholesale changes are needed. The problem is our Congressmen and women are bought and paid for by the powerful corporate interest lobbies.
Now, that said, the best I can determine, the NAIS is purely voluntary at the federal level. read here for facts,myths and questions: http://animalid.aphis.usda.gov/nais/faq/faq.shtml#Q7
I do not know if the state of Louisiana has a parallel system nor whether it's voluntary or involuntary.
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So far it's voluntary but I heard you must comply if you want to show your animals. The whole point is the ID system is gross overkill for what it will accomplish. And how long before it becomes mandatory? In some states, it is mandatory.
It will do little to protect the public. Other countries require stiffer inspections at the processing point of production BEFORE it's put into the supply chain. Big processors don't want that.
(And keep in mind that on site inspector's wages are paid by the processors!)
The way our processing system works now is you'd likely have consumed contaminated food before you would be alerted by our inspection system. Thousands of animals from multiple places are co-mingled at the large processing plants! What good would identification do?
Also I don't believe any citizen in the United States has died from Mad Cow disease. The whole NAIS thing is a knee jerk thing politicians have come up with to make them look like they are protecting us. It's really a joke!
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