- Jul 10, 2004
- 24,526
- 16,976
- 1,405
47%? They need to reevaluate the need for this
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KERMAN, CALIF. Marvin Horne had been praying for what drought-struck central Californias famous farmlands need little of -- a good dry spell.
His acres of raisin vines require two weeks of uninterrupted scorching sun to shrivel the grapes here in this gentle valley of sleepy fruit groves and yawning blue skies.
Unfortunately, an unseasonal inch and a half of rain earlier in the week has partially rehydrated his crop, laid out to dry on reams of paper running the length of the vines.
As raisin grapes produce only a single crop per season, Horne could lose a hefty slice of his harvest. But, like all raisin growers in the United States, he is used to having part of his crop taken from him.
Since 1949, the government has been taking its share of their harvests under a Department of Agriculture protectionist order - Marketing Order 989 originally designed to keep prices high and growers in business.
It began as 25 percent and then it went to 35 percent and then the year in question, they told us, we're going to take 47% of your crop. I said youre not taking any of it, Horne told me as we trod softly through the avenues of sugary sweet Thompson grapes, waiting to be trimmed by seasonal Hispanic harvesters.
Reserves for agricultural products had existed before World War II. Today, apart from diamonds and oil, no other commodity is required to be placed in special stockpiles.
In a business where margins can be as thin as the vines the grapes grow on, Horne described it as highway robbery and government thievery, claiming it goes against the Fifth Amendment which says private property cannot be taken for public use without just compensation.
Read more: California raisin grower battles federal order taking almost half his crop | Fox News
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KERMAN, CALIF. Marvin Horne had been praying for what drought-struck central Californias famous farmlands need little of -- a good dry spell.
His acres of raisin vines require two weeks of uninterrupted scorching sun to shrivel the grapes here in this gentle valley of sleepy fruit groves and yawning blue skies.
Unfortunately, an unseasonal inch and a half of rain earlier in the week has partially rehydrated his crop, laid out to dry on reams of paper running the length of the vines.
As raisin grapes produce only a single crop per season, Horne could lose a hefty slice of his harvest. But, like all raisin growers in the United States, he is used to having part of his crop taken from him.
Since 1949, the government has been taking its share of their harvests under a Department of Agriculture protectionist order - Marketing Order 989 originally designed to keep prices high and growers in business.
It began as 25 percent and then it went to 35 percent and then the year in question, they told us, we're going to take 47% of your crop. I said youre not taking any of it, Horne told me as we trod softly through the avenues of sugary sweet Thompson grapes, waiting to be trimmed by seasonal Hispanic harvesters.
Reserves for agricultural products had existed before World War II. Today, apart from diamonds and oil, no other commodity is required to be placed in special stockpiles.
In a business where margins can be as thin as the vines the grapes grow on, Horne described it as highway robbery and government thievery, claiming it goes against the Fifth Amendment which says private property cannot be taken for public use without just compensation.
Read more: California raisin grower battles federal order taking almost half his crop | Fox News
