Open Letter from a USDA Employee

Posted by Ann Barnhardt - June 9, AD 2011 3:03 PM MST
http://barnhardt.biz

Ann,

Spot-on analysis (regarding the White House "Rural Council"). The only problem, I fear, is that it's too little too late. USDA (or as I call them, the Department of Rural Poverty), has already done a great job of infiltrating rural communities by offering great-paying jobs with health insurance. Farmer/Rancher kid goes off to college, gets a degree in Ag Econ, and comes back to his hometown and becomes the next USDA loan officer with FSA or Range Conservationist with NRCS because he hasn't figured out how to make a living in production agriculture because State U fed his mind with a bunch of pullusfimus instead of REAL knowledge and problem-solving skills. He has no misgivings about the "great good" that USDA does. After all, he's probably making more money than he would as VP of the local bank, managing the local feed store, or working for Dad. He "helps" people by giving them low-interest loans when they can't get a loan at the local bank because it won't cash flow, or signing him up for cost share "conservation" programs, subsidy payments, and the like. After all, he's a nice guy. Our kids are in 4-H together, and he's a deacon at church, too. Little do they know that as both employees and beneficiaries of such USDA goodies, they have become beholden to Secretary Vilsack (rhymes with nut...). And that's just chicken feed compared to the multi-million dollar loans for such boondoggles as multi-family rural housing, rural broadband internet, "organic" farming, Pigford recipients, FOOD STAMPS (48 million recipients and counting) etc. The infrastructure is already there. They just need more ACORN-minded Shirley Sherrods to fill those bureaucratic positions.

Yes, I am a hypocrite. I as a young man, I bought the pullusfimus, and I still work for USDA. But I made an oath to support and defend the Constitution, promote agriculture, and fight fraud, waste, and abuse within USDA. The best way I can think of to promote agriculture is to do everything in my power to discourage as many people as I can to stay out of your local USDA office. Don't apply for the loan. Don't report your acreage so that you can get your payments. When times get tough, don't get Food Stamps, get blisters and callouses. Once you start down that path, that "easy" money does something to people's brains, and they develop a sense of entitlement. And that's how they get you. Now you're dependent upon the Man, and the Man makes the rules. And when the Man changes the rules, people cheat, lie, and steal to get what they "deserve." Unfortunately, that's when I show up, only I don't have a checkbook, I have a set of handcuffs. But I would cease to exist if you would've stayed out of the USDA office. I will do my best to discourage as many people as possible to avail themselves of USDA "services", and I'm starting with the worst of the bunch. What I'm asking every agricultural producer in America to do is this: put me and every USDA employee out of business. If you don't buy our "products," we cease to have power. If you want the Federal Government out of your business, quit taking the money. If you want the Federal Government out of your community, run for city council and quit taking the federal grants with the strings attached. You want a smaller, constitutional government? Do what Nancy Reagan told us when we were kids: JUST SAY NO! I am convinced that easy and "free" money is far more dangerous drugs.

Over the last 10 years, I've arrested hundreds of people (USDA employees included) for fraud, permanently disqualified thousands from food stamps and other entitlement programs, and recovered millions of dollars (some of which went overseas to people who celebrate when planes are flown into buildings). And it all could've been prevented, if only people wouldn't have fallen for the ruse of getting something for nothing. I'm doing my best to put myself out of business by going after as many criminals as I can and discouraging the rest from "partnering" with USDA. I'm asking rural America put me out of business too. We would do well to heed the example of Abraham, who said to the king of Sodom, "I have sworn to the LORD God Most High, Possessor of Heaven and Earth, that I will not take a thread or a sandal thong or anything that is yours, for fear you would say, 'I have made Abram rich.'"

Ann, If you deem this worthy of posting on your blog, feel free to edit as needed. Over the last couple of years, I've been giving this message over and over to the detriment of my career. I can't be afraid of the truth anymore. Silence is Treason.

Signed,
USDA Employee