One for the USDA

[chickened]

http://www.cornucopia.org/2011/12/oregon-man-pleads-guilty-to-selling-corn-falsely-labeled-as-organic/

Found this interesting, does the punishment fit the crime?

 

[Fred's Hens]

For those who bought products derived from his 4.2 million pounds of corn, I guess they didn't get organic, eh? That is no small amount.

Perhaps he is being made, or will be made an object lesson for others?

 

[dfr1973]

Quote:
From your link:

Sentencing is set February 14, 2012 at 10:00 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Ann Aiken. The maximum penalty for wire fraud is 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

There has been no punishment yet; however, this sounds like a straight-up case of fraud. He lied about his product to obtain more money for it. If the "certified organic" label is to mean anything, then all frauds must be prosecuted. If the USDA did not prosecute any and all cases of fraud, then customers would have no faith in the label and it would be meaningless because people would call anything and everything "certified organic" whether it is or isn't to get a better price for what they are trying to sell.​

 

[sherylreno]

Quote:



Yes.

 

[PotterWatch]

I'll wait to see what the punishment is before I say if it is appropriate. As someone who spends extra money to buy organic products and as a farmer producing an organically grown product, I hope that the penalty is stiff!

 

[Matthew3590]

Ignorance is bliss.