24 February 2016 /18:36 UTC-07 Tango 01 (06 Esfand 1394/16 Jumada al-Ula 1437/18 Geng Yin 4714)

“Since May 5, 2015, I have been investigating what appears to be a scheme to defraud farms and seed companies that purchase organic alfalfa seed for use or resale.”-Drew McCandless, FBI

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is about to search a southern Idaho farm after a state investigation caught the ‘farmer’ selling non-‘organic’ (conventional) alfalfa seed as ‘organic’.

The farmer in Buhl promoted his operation as organic, yet to boost his profits he sold less desired conventional seed as organic.  The FBI is also investigating how the farmer came up with $1.7-million USD to buy his farm.  Accounting books provided to state inspectors, in 2014, did not match with bank deposit records.  Another concern is that records show the ‘organic farm’ was selling for more seed than what could actually be grown on the farm’s 177 hectares (438 acres).   Interestingly, just days after the farm owner was interviewed by federal investigators he filed documents to have the farm transferred out of his name. However, investigators discovered the names listed on the transfer request are previously used aliases of the owner!

The federal investigation began last year, after an Idaho Department of Agriculture investigation.  The state was tipped off by a farm manager turned whistleblower.  The farm owner would buy conventional seed then sell it to ignorant buyers from out of state, mainly east of the Rocky Mountains.  The fake organic seed sales have taken place since at least 2010!

At this point nobody has been arrested.  If a federal judge approves the warrant to search the farm in Buhl, the FBI has implied that it expects to find evidence of illegal activity that will allow them to seize all property and assets of the owner.

Food Crisis: Deflation will cause 1 in 5 dairy farms to fail!