Can’t photograph buildings, can’t photograph cops doing bad things, and on and on. Why not just outlaw cameras and be done with it? Of course, then only outlaws will have cameras.
Taking photographs from the roadside of a sunrise over hay bales near the Suwannee River, horses grazing near Ocala or sunset over citrus groves along the Indian River could land you in jail under a Senate bill filed Monday.
SB 1246 by Sen. Jim Norman, R-Tampa, would make it a first-degree felony to photograph a farm without first obtaining written permission from the owner. A farm is defined as any land “cultivated for the purpose of agricultural production, the raising and breeding of domestic animals or the storage of a commodity.”
Media law experts say the ban would violate freedoms protected in the U. S. Constitution. But Wilton Simpson, a farmer who lives in Norman’s district, said the bill is needed to protect the property rights of farmers and the “intellectual property” involving farm operations.
Simpson, president of Simpson Farms near Dade City, said the law would prevent people from posing as farmworkers so that they can secretly film agricultural operations.
He said he could not name an instance in which that happened.
He just want to stop you from taking any pictures of the wet-backs slaving on him farm.
There’s no news here.
The motive is so obvious at to be transparent.
This has developed over the last few years, that hobby photographers are having a hard time taking pictures without being challenged even accused of wrongdoing.
I don’t remember how many times I have been challenged – not by police – but the public, why I take pictures. In Europe and Asia this is not an issue (except for the UK which is understandable as they are the most surveilled society in the world… and accept it)
Now this, illegal to take pictures of farmland… Next time I visit the US my Nikon D3s stays at home, and I’ll use my iPhone that obviously is not so threatening or even illegal…. or what?
This is a bill intended to help big Ag and the monstrous companies the claims to be growing ‘food’. This bill would help defend big ag from pesky whistle blowers, journalists and the like from showing us whats going on with food production in the US.
This dickhole senator/puppet has the gall to hide behind ‘small farmers’ while attempting this fascist un-american horse shit.
This all follows the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act which was legislation consisting of thousands of pages – passed in the middle of the night after it was “read” for 2 hours.
Clearly animal ag feels terribly threatened that consumers will get a glimpse of their cruel practices perpetrated against it’s animal-slave-victims. And rightfully so, everyone I know that has seen the youtube footage has sworn off the (meat) stuff for good.
So does this mean that the FBI cannot legally photograph marijuana farms?
#34 I grew up on a farm. Part of my chores was taking care of the chickens. I hated it and I hated the chickens. I thought they were the meanest, nastiest animals on the planet. My revenge is the joy of going to KFC, Bojangels, or Popeyes and ordering a 12 pc with two large sides (one of which is coleslaw). The chickens lose and I win.
Geeee, I wonder what they are hiding?
Ah, small government at work.
Wouldn’t want still or video of “Farmers” exploiting farmworkers – especially kids !!! Have to protect their “Intellectual” FASCISM !!!