This is simply outrageous, and unacceptable.
"In April, Fauquier County, Virginia threatened Martha Boneta, owner of a small farm in Paris, VA, with thousands of dollars in fines for a series of alleged violations, including hosting "an event" on her farm without obtaining a special events permit.
The event? A small birthday
party for the 10-year old daughter of a close friend, Robin Verity.
Martha was also cited for
selling produce directly to consumers from her farm without a license. But Ms.
Boneta paid for and received a county-approved business license for a
"retail farm shop" in June, 2011. However, just one month later, the
county Board of Supervisors approved an amendment that restricted "farm
sales", and began issuing citations to farmers in the area.
Farmers in the area believe
this is a violation of Virginia's "Right to Farm Act", which bars
governments from restricting the rights of farmers from earning a living, so
they orchestrated a protest during Martha's Board of Zoning Appeals hearing on
August 2nd, 2012. (She lost the Appeal, btw.)
Increasing economic freedom
matters to people like Martha. But it also matters to consumers everywhere who
should be free to choose the foods they want and buy directly from the farm
that produced them." Source
