Manna Storehouse raids in Ohio

Usually, I wouldn't cite a Daily Kos entry for anything, but I think this one on what happened in Ohio to a small organic co-op (private membership) Manna Storehouse, is worth looking at. It provides a lot of links that I won't go into. Both left, libertarian and right seemed alarmed by big government interference in legal, but non-licensed, activities. I suspect the raids happened because we have no serious crime in Ohio, and all the authorities who protect our great state from the bad guys need to go to the rural areas and farms because things are so peaceful in the cities. Ya think?

Here's the story as it appeared in The Morning Journal:

Wednesday, December 3, 2008 6:42 AM EST
By MORNING JOURNAL STAFF
news@MorningJournal.com

PITTSFIELD TOWNSHIP — An Ohio Department of Agriculture agent seized food, electronic devices and documents from a Pittsfield Township organic and natural food cooperative believed to be unlicensed, according to a search warrant filed yesterday in Lorain County Common Pleas Court.

Jacqueline and John Stowers, owners of the Manna Storehouse, 43565 SR 303, were inspected in November 2007 by the Lorain County General Health District, according to court records.

On Monday, ODA enforcement agent William Lesho confiscated hundreds of pounds of processed beef and large amounts of lamb, turkey and other perishable products in addition to office files, a computer, two cell phones and other electronic devices, according to the search warrant inventory. The items were taken to establish the Stowers' ownership in any property, records of hidden wealth or illegal income and anything that would establish illegal activity, according to the search warrant affidavit.

Jacqueline Stowers declined to comment because she had not seen the court papers yesterday evening.

A health district sanitarian and two other inspectors visited the cooperative on Nov. 30, 2007, to make observations and were told to leave. Jacqueline Stowers wrote in a December 2007 letter to the sanitarian that the inspectors never had permission to be on their property and that the Manna Storehouse is not operating a retail food establishment that requires a license.

"We declare now that we do not want to be a 'licensed retail food establishment' or a 'food service operation' and we do not plan to become one in the future and that we will not knowingly conduct any activities that would require that type of licensing," she wrote.

The matter was forwarded to the Lorain County Prosecutor's Office after the Lorain County General Health District received her letter, according to court records.