USDA threatens $60,000 fine, federal raid against woman in legal possession of tree

**Prince** · 10-03-2011, 01:35 PM

USDA threatens $60,000 fine, federal raid against woman in legal possession of indoor lemon tree
by Ethan A. Huff, staff writer

(NaturalNews) The US government's assault against innocent American citizens continues to get more aggressive and just plain strange, with new reports of harassment against honest owners of ordinary lemon trees. Health Freedom Alliance (HFA) reports that officials from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) are now spying on people whom they suspect are in possession of ordinary lemon trees, and threatening them with excessive fines and even federal raids if they refuse to surrender the plants on demand.

Several years ago, Bridget Donovan, who has now been dubbed "The Lemon Tree Lady," purchased a Meyer lemon tree from meyerlemontree.com. A resident of Wisconsin, Donovan purchased the tree legally and in full accordance with all federal and state laws regulating citrus transport, and had lovingly cultivated and cared for her indoor citrus plant for nearly three years.

Then, out of nowhere, Donovan received an unexpected letter from the USDA informing her that government officials were going to come and seize her tree and destroy it -- and that she was not going to be compensated for her loss. The letter also threatened that if Donovan was found to be in possession of "regulated citrus" again, she could be fined up to $60,000.

Donovan was shocked, to say the least, as her tree was not a "regulated citrus." The store from which she purchased it is fully legitimate, and she had done absolutely nothing wrong. But it turns out Donovan and many others who had also purchased similar citrus plants had faced, or were currently facing, the very same threats made against them by the USDA.

Most of those targeted simply surrendered their trees without trying to fight back, Donovan discovered. And while she, herself put up a hefty fight in trying to get honest answers in order to keep her tree, Donovan was eventually forced to surrender it as well. And worst of all, many of those who were told that a replacement tree would be in "compliance" later had those trees confiscated, too.

Why has the USDA been targeting lemon tree owners? The answer is unclear, other than that they are a supposed threat to the citrus industry. And a USDA official admitted to Donovan that the agency has been spying on those suspected of owning lemon trees, and targeting all found to be in possession with threats of fines and raids if they failed to give them up -- and the agency has been doing this without a valid warrant.

"I felt utterly violated, angry, and upset," Donovan is quoted as saying by HFA. "I pay my taxes, I obey the law, and this is how I was treated? I did nothing wrong. I would expect these action (sic) toward someone running a drug house, not someone who owned a lemon tree."

Learn more: USDA threatens $60,000 fine, federal raid against woman in legal possession of indoor lemon tree

**maniclion** · 10-03-2011, 02:12 PM

Dude fuck this god damned police state bullshit, I will tie myself to my grapefruit tree with a shotgun in hand if these assholes try to chop down the only shade tree on my yard without any explanation, nor warrant...fucking dickless shitlickers need to get their act together...

**IronAddict** · 10-03-2011, 02:21 PM

WTF? Everyday this just gets more ridiculous and ridiculous.

So, I suppose you have to buy FDA approved lemons now.

I've heard & tried Lemon Kush, but this is just absurd!

**DOMS** · 10-03-2011, 02:27 PM

Fuck that noise!

If you're threatened with legal action, the motherfuckers have to tell you what you're supposedly doing wrong.

**cg89** · 10-03-2011, 03:45 PM

mine as well start growing weed plants....the fine is prob lower

**Dark Geared God** · 10-03-2011, 04:57 PM

**TonyMack** · 10-03-2011, 08:21 PM

Ron Paul 2012

**brad1224** · 10-03-2011, 08:25 PM

i have a maple in the back is that ok?

**maniclion** · 10-03-2011, 10:30 PM

Originally Posted by cg89

mine as well start growing weed plants....the fine is prob lower

Mine as well mine, cos thos gringo pendejos be trippin ese'

**SFW** · 10-03-2011, 10:42 PM

I threw a few lemon seeds into my potted coleus recently and they sprouted. Fuck, i hope i dont get raided

**Zaphod** · 10-04-2011, 06:37 AM

Originally Posted by DOMS

Fuck that noise!

If you're threatened with legal action, the motherfuckers have to tell you what you're supposedly doing wrong.

Not any more.

**jagbender** · 10-04-2011, 09:14 AM

I read the whole story. Total Bullshit! Why doesn't the Government hunt down illegal alians instead of lemon trees? WTF!

**DOMS** · 10-04-2011, 09:16 AM

Originally Posted by jagbender

I read the whole story. Total Bullshit! Why doesn't the Government hunt down illegal alians instead of lemon trees? WTF!

Because there is not "lemon tree" vote to court.

**Noheawaiian** · 10-04-2011, 10:11 AM

Watch these idiots make a reality show on the dangerous life of "Lemon Tree Repo".

**VikingWarlord** · 10-04-2011, 10:26 AM

The USDA can go sit on a running chainsaw.

**keepitreal** · 10-04-2011, 10:26 AM

Originally Posted by maniclion

Dude fuck this god damned police state bullshit, I will tie myself to my grapefruit tree with a shotgun in hand if these assholes try to chop down the only shade tree on my yard without any explanation, nor warrant...fucking dickless shitlickers need to get their act together...

x2 people need to wake the fuck up because it is too damn close to being too late

Originally Posted by DOMS

Fuck that noise!

If you're threatened with legal action, the motherfuckers have to tell you what you're supposedly doing wrong.

Originally Posted by Zaphod

Not any more.

After the gov pulling off 9/11 the ignorant masses gladly gave away all of rights, at this point they can technically do whatever the fuck they want, and in complete secrecy, if they want to make you go bye bye without a trace they can now legally do so... welcome to nazi USA...

Originally Posted by TonyMack

Ron Paul 2012

I wish Ron Paul could have a valid chance in the upcoming election but to want to vote for him it involves looking into what he stands for and thinking about how fucked up things really are, the problem is most sheeple like to live in their little bubbles and try to avoid thinking at all cost like it causes them pain or something, but I do believe Ron Paul and others like him could be our last hopes of turning this country around peacefully.

**Prince** · 10-04-2011, 10:36 AM

Originally Posted by keepitreal

after the gov pulling off 9/11 the ignorant masses gladly gave away all of rights, at this point they can technically do whatever the fuck they want, and in complete secrecy, if they want to make you go bye bye without a trace they can now legally do so... Welcome to nazi usa...

yup.

**KelJu** · 10-04-2011, 10:54 AM

America deserves all of this. Every time we said the government should ban something or regulate something, we opened the door wider to allow for more interference in our personal lives.

You guys see a story about a lemon tree and think it is absurd, and it is absurd. I see a story about people with being busted with steroids and having their lives ruined over it as absurd. I see the government tying to arrest me and ruin my life for consuming mind altering drugs as absurd. I am a fully functional productive member of society who generally follows the law, pays my taxes, and does my part for society, yet I have to live like a criminal because of the choices I have made regarding what I consume.

My shrooms are your lemon tree. I hope they cut down everyone's lemon tree, and then maybe the public will get pissed off enough to see the error of their ways. It was never intended for the government to protect us from ourselves and regulate what we consume.

We are already sliding down this slippery slope at an incredible speed and it may be too late.

"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." -- Benjamin Franklin

**Little Wing** · 10-04-2011, 11:00 AM

Even as far back as President Ronald Reagan, the USDA has been heavily populated with industry insiders and Big Ag representatives. Reagan appointed several hog and cattle industry insiders to high positions within the USDA. People of the same stripe, with the addition of ranking executives from Monsanto and ConAgra Foods, still occupy high positions in the USDA today.

Corruption: USDA Looks Out Only for Self Interests

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