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U.S. Court Rules that EPA Violated Personal Privacy of Farmers, Ranchers
NorthernAg.net ^ | September 13, 2016 | Unknown

Posted on 09/14/2016 7:12:01 AM PDT by Twotone

The Environmental Protection Agency has violated the personal privacy of tens of thousands of farmers and ranchers, according to a unanimous ruling issued by the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.

The ruling in American Farm Bureau Federation and National Pork Producers Council vs. EPA concerned the federal agency's 2013 release to three environmental groups of a vast compilation of spreadsheets containing personal information about farmers and ranchers who raise livestock and poultry in 29 states.

The case also related to similar personal information from farmers and ranchers in seven additional states that had yet to be released. The information included the names of farmers, ranchers and sometimes other family members, home addresses, GPS coordinates, telephone numbers and emails. EPA claimed that it was required to disclose the information under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

"This was an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy by a federal agency in violation of law," said AFBF General Counsel Ellen Steen. "The court's decision is a vindication of the right of farm families to control their own personal information. Farmers and ranchers have a strong privacy interest in their personal information, including their home address, even when they live and work on the farm."

(Excerpt) Read more at northernag.net ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: courts; epa; epaoutofcontrol; obamasfault; privacy; ranchers; tyranny; tyrant

1 posted on 09/14/2016 7:12:01 AM PDT by Twotone
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To: Twotone

This was one of the more disgusting acts of Obama thuggery. There was no good or valid reason to do this, except to persecute, frighten & control people.


2 posted on 09/14/2016 7:20:06 AM PDT by PghBaldy (12/14 - 930am -rampage begins... 12/15 - 1030am - Obama's advance team scouts photo-op locations.)
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To: PghBaldy

Release the personal and family information of all EPA executives.


3 posted on 09/14/2016 7:25:03 AM PDT by Dacula (Southern lives matter!)
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To: Twotone

Another federal agency that needs abolishment.


4 posted on 09/14/2016 7:25:20 AM PDT by TADSLOS (Vote Trump. Defeat the Clinton Crime Syndicate. Reset America.)
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To: Twotone

Personally, I think that each farmer affected....ought to be given tax-free status for the next twenty years as part of the government ‘pay-back’.

I also think EPA needs a special type of punishment....like downsizing their personnel by a quarter, and limiting any potential hiring of contractors....for at least a ten-year period. I’d even go and appoint a federal judge as oversight chief of the EPA and give him the ability to drag them into his court daily if necessary.


5 posted on 09/14/2016 7:26:12 AM PDT by pepsionice
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To: Twotone; All

So what is their recourse, all these people who had their rights violated by the EPA? None? That’s what I thought.


6 posted on 09/14/2016 7:30:30 AM PDT by notdownwidems (Washington DC has become the enemy of free people everywhere)
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To: Twotone

Hopefully after about noon on Jan 20, 2016 the EPA will be living on borrowed time. All those poor bureaucrats out of work. Breaks my heart. Sob.


7 posted on 09/14/2016 7:44:42 AM PDT by upchuck (Proud member of the 50% in the deplorable basket. Go Trump/Pence!)
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To: upchuck

Bump!


8 posted on 09/14/2016 7:46:13 AM PDT by Texas Fossil ((Texas is not where you were born, but a Free State of Heart, Mind & Attitude!))
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To: Twotone

I don’t see the release of this information as being the violation of their rights. Collecting it in the first place was the violation. Why does the EPA need to have the email addresses and phone numbers of some farmer’s family members?


9 posted on 09/14/2016 8:19:13 AM PDT by SeeSharp
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To: Texas Fossil

Trump will never get the economy going unless he gets rid the EPA and all government rule making…… unless approved by congress

Look how easy it was to kill the coal industry right a rule

Next is fracking and kill the oil industry


10 posted on 09/14/2016 8:21:15 AM PDT by Hojczyk
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To: Hojczyk

It is Time to DownSize DC! Close entire Rogue/Unconstitutional Departments, including their SWAT Teams.

Only way to remove the powerful entrenched Bureaucraps who practice this treason is eliminate their job. Only way to do that is close the agency, reshape government without them in the new hires for agency replacement.


11 posted on 09/14/2016 8:26:46 AM PDT by Texas Fossil ((Texas is not where you were born, but a Free State of Heart, Mind & Attitude!))
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To: Twotone

And absolutely nothing will happen to those responsible for releasing the information just like nothing happened to Lois Lerner or the Clinton e-mail wipers. Banana republic at its best (or worst)


12 posted on 09/14/2016 10:07:39 AM PDT by falcon99
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