Farmer Fined $2.8 Million for Plowing His Own Field

In limited doses, under the appropriate circumstances, succinylcholine is a useful drug. Applied in excess, it kills. The actual cause of death is asphyxia. The drug induces paralysis, resulting in an inability to breathe. Excessive government kills by a similar mechanism. For example:

A farmer faces trial in federal court this summer and a $2.8 million fine for failing to get a permit to plow his field and plant wheat in Tehama County [California].

A lawyer for Duarte Nursery said the case is important because it could set a precedent requiring other farmers to obtain costly, time-consuming permits just to plow their fields.

“The case is the first time that we’re aware of that says you need to get a (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) permit to plow to grow crops,” said Anthony Francois, an attorney for the Pacific Legal Foundation.

“We’re not going to produce much food under those kinds of regulations,” he said.

More