USDA Appears To Be Caving on Rabbit Fines

I think I can say with a high degree of confidence that the USDA appears to be caving when it comes to the matter of the USDA assessing John and Judy Dollarhite a fine of $90,463 because the Nixa, Mo., couple sold more than $500 worth of rabbits in a calendar year.

I base that conclusion on the following e-mail I received late Tuesday afternoon from USDA/APHIS Spokesperson Dave Sacks:

Hello Mr. McCarty

Here is one final statement I can offer, in the event you write any follow-up stories.

We are working out an alternative to the $90K fine and plan to reach out to Mr. Dollarhite over the next week to discuss. We are hopeful he’ll be amenable to discussing it with us and let us visit his facility as we work the issue out.

Thank you.

Dave

When I contacted John Dollarhite to find out if he was aware of the “alternative,” he said he was aware and has actually received some helpful assistance from staffers at the office of U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.). Perhaps, that’s what prompted the arrival of the USDA spokesperson’s timely email.

In addition, Dollarhite said that he learned via conversations with Senator Blunt’s staffers and others that the USDA’s offices in Washington, D.C., had been flooded with phone calls from across the country about his case during the past few days.

Perhaps, the anti-tyranny protest set for Wednesday in Ozark, Mo. will be more of a party and show of force than a protest. Organizers, however, remain convinced that the need for the protest remains.

“Don’t declare victory yet,” wrote Paul Hamby, co-coordinator for the Campaign For Liberty in Missouri, in an email Tuesday. “If a thug steals your car and then calls you to sit down and work out the terms of returning it to you, is that a victory?”