My last contact with DEI cost me about $700
Posted: Tue Feb 11, 2025 2:57 pm
Well, it wasn't all DEI's fault, some of it was just "Green Wienie-ism"
Several years ago I was trying to Re-up some CRP ground. About 8 or 10 acres of trees I had planted for a Riparian buffer, flood control, and water quality. I was getting $650-700 to leave this ground in trees, and maintain it.
They had people out 3-4 times that summer doing paperwork, counting trees, inspecting weeds and thorn trees. We all agreed the thorn trees needed to be cut out, and I could do that as there were maybe 20-25 trees.
Anyway, at the end of the process they sent me out a young lady that had zero farm experience, She was trying to read me some of the requirements of things I had to agree to do. ( Plant a few trees in some bare areas, cut some thorn trees and some multi-flora rose). She came to the word "Glyphosate" and couldn't pronounce it, and didn't know what it was. ( but she is out there to advise me and tell me what to do)
When I went to their office to sign up, they sent in a Pakastani guy who could barely speak English and I had almost no idea what he said. So the girl comes in. As I was about to sign, they told me they had found out that an endangered bat had been found nesting somewhere in a 12 mile circle of my farm, and that the Endangered Species Act would apply and I could now, not, cut those thorn trees, but had to girdle them, leave them stand in case a bat wanted to nest in them. Even though on my own accord, I had never cut any of the shag bark hickory on my place, because they DO provide nesting for bats, but damned ole thorny locust doesn't. anyway, next day I called the FSA and asked if I could get out of the deal. They had me write a note saying I didn't want to participate in the program any longer. I told them I wanted nothing to do with the ESA. So that was that.
My real gripe though was the type of unqualified people they had me working with. I had worked with FSA and NRCS for 40+ years, and always worked with people who knew farming and land management. These last two got their jobs because the one was a woman, the other a minority I guess. But both totally unqualified. But drawing a good salary, and taking a job that a struggling young farmer could have probably used.
End of rant, Have a nice day. Gene
Several years ago I was trying to Re-up some CRP ground. About 8 or 10 acres of trees I had planted for a Riparian buffer, flood control, and water quality. I was getting $650-700 to leave this ground in trees, and maintain it.
They had people out 3-4 times that summer doing paperwork, counting trees, inspecting weeds and thorn trees. We all agreed the thorn trees needed to be cut out, and I could do that as there were maybe 20-25 trees.
Anyway, at the end of the process they sent me out a young lady that had zero farm experience, She was trying to read me some of the requirements of things I had to agree to do. ( Plant a few trees in some bare areas, cut some thorn trees and some multi-flora rose). She came to the word "Glyphosate" and couldn't pronounce it, and didn't know what it was. ( but she is out there to advise me and tell me what to do)
When I went to their office to sign up, they sent in a Pakastani guy who could barely speak English and I had almost no idea what he said. So the girl comes in. As I was about to sign, they told me they had found out that an endangered bat had been found nesting somewhere in a 12 mile circle of my farm, and that the Endangered Species Act would apply and I could now, not, cut those thorn trees, but had to girdle them, leave them stand in case a bat wanted to nest in them. Even though on my own accord, I had never cut any of the shag bark hickory on my place, because they DO provide nesting for bats, but damned ole thorny locust doesn't. anyway, next day I called the FSA and asked if I could get out of the deal. They had me write a note saying I didn't want to participate in the program any longer. I told them I wanted nothing to do with the ESA. So that was that.
My real gripe though was the type of unqualified people they had me working with. I had worked with FSA and NRCS for 40+ years, and always worked with people who knew farming and land management. These last two got their jobs because the one was a woman, the other a minority I guess. But both totally unqualified. But drawing a good salary, and taking a job that a struggling young farmer could have probably used.
End of rant, Have a nice day. Gene