Big Muddy
02-05-2016, 11:16 AM
Even though I have leased out my farm, I had some rice and soybeans, remaining in my grain bins, which I needed to sell, so I could clean out the bins....I had taken advantage of the govt. rice loan program, which allows a farmer to get an advance payment on his rice crop, then actually sell and ship it to a rice broker, at a later date, then pay off the advance loan....soybeans do not have such a program.
Under this rice program, the farmer is strictly forbidden from shipping the rice out of the bins, until given permission from the Farm Service Agency....they even come out, and place a big yellow placard on the grain bin, warning the farmer of all the fines and penalties, if shipped without authorization..
The soybeans needed to be shipped, first, and it was an all day task....so, the 18 wheelers showed up, and shipping to the grain elevator went as planned....just as we were finishing up with the last truck load, I noticed a white truck with FSA govt. decals on the doors, drive by real slow....a few minutes later, the truck drove by again, but never stopped....I really didn't pay much attention to it because the FSA folks are out inspecting farm related stuff, all the time.
A few days later, I get a very nasty threatening letter from the "new" FSA director, stating that I was in violation of removing rice from my bins without authorization, and I was being fined, penalized, and could face jail time....that's not all, the FSA director did....he sent letters out to every rice broker in the MS Delta, stating that they should not purchase ANY rice from me because I was in violation of shipping without authorization....WTF???
I started getting phone calls from every rice broker, all of whom I had very good relationships with....they wanted to know what the f**k was going on.
I was livid....all I could think about was that day'um govt. truck, driving by and seeing me shipping "something" outta my bins, but never stopping to look into the 18 wheelers to see what I was shipping, or at least stop and ask me.
I had gained a little composure, by the time I drove the 20 minutes to the FSA office....I walked straight into the director's office without an appointment, and closed the door behind me....I simply asked him if that was him in the govt. truck, and he admitted it was....then, I asked him if he had enough sense to know the difference between rice and soybeans....he sorta smirked, but turned pale and nearly fell outta his chair, when I told him that was my soybeans, being shipped....he said he didn't know which bin I was shipping out of, and just "assumed", I was shipping the rice without authorization....I almost jumped across his desk, and cold-cock his little azz, but my better judgement took over because that would have sho'nuf sent me to jail!!!
He begged me to let him make it right, but I told him I wanted to think about, and let him squirm for a few days....then, I would contact him.
So, what would you guys do in this situation???....and, no, I ain't gonna sue anyone over this, but I DO wanna teach the little sheeit a lesson.
Under this rice program, the farmer is strictly forbidden from shipping the rice out of the bins, until given permission from the Farm Service Agency....they even come out, and place a big yellow placard on the grain bin, warning the farmer of all the fines and penalties, if shipped without authorization..
The soybeans needed to be shipped, first, and it was an all day task....so, the 18 wheelers showed up, and shipping to the grain elevator went as planned....just as we were finishing up with the last truck load, I noticed a white truck with FSA govt. decals on the doors, drive by real slow....a few minutes later, the truck drove by again, but never stopped....I really didn't pay much attention to it because the FSA folks are out inspecting farm related stuff, all the time.
A few days later, I get a very nasty threatening letter from the "new" FSA director, stating that I was in violation of removing rice from my bins without authorization, and I was being fined, penalized, and could face jail time....that's not all, the FSA director did....he sent letters out to every rice broker in the MS Delta, stating that they should not purchase ANY rice from me because I was in violation of shipping without authorization....WTF???
I started getting phone calls from every rice broker, all of whom I had very good relationships with....they wanted to know what the f**k was going on.
I was livid....all I could think about was that day'um govt. truck, driving by and seeing me shipping "something" outta my bins, but never stopping to look into the 18 wheelers to see what I was shipping, or at least stop and ask me.
I had gained a little composure, by the time I drove the 20 minutes to the FSA office....I walked straight into the director's office without an appointment, and closed the door behind me....I simply asked him if that was him in the govt. truck, and he admitted it was....then, I asked him if he had enough sense to know the difference between rice and soybeans....he sorta smirked, but turned pale and nearly fell outta his chair, when I told him that was my soybeans, being shipped....he said he didn't know which bin I was shipping out of, and just "assumed", I was shipping the rice without authorization....I almost jumped across his desk, and cold-cock his little azz, but my better judgement took over because that would have sho'nuf sent me to jail!!!
He begged me to let him make it right, but I told him I wanted to think about, and let him squirm for a few days....then, I would contact him.
So, what would you guys do in this situation???....and, no, I ain't gonna sue anyone over this, but I DO wanna teach the little sheeit a lesson.