“That Woman” And Farm Freedom

Never doubt the power one person can have on society.

Martha Boneta has made the increasingly ICLEI friendly folks at the Virginia Association of Counties very upset. She is now referred to as “that woman.” That is indeed high praise when a status quo political toady calls you out like that. It also shows that open to the public is not something these folks really want to embrace.

Please read this article from the Faquier Free Citizen and lets make sure we support the Farm Freedom bill in next years General Assembly session. The article is reproduced below.

The Virginia Association of Counties (VACo) cancelled its so-called review of farm legislation after the Countycrats learned “that woman” was at its meeting at the Richmond Marriott Friday.

The Countycrats must be very afraid to speak about their farm agenda in front of “that woman.”

VACo, the powerful lobbying body for counties, is known for its anti-property rights agenda, including opposing Virginia’s eminent domain amendment passed in 2012 with over 74 percent support of voters.

Their written agenda for Friday’s meeting showed that VACo was to address the Virginia Farm Rights Protection Act, which FFC was the first to publish, and the Farm Freedom Act.

VACo was also to address mystery legislation that VACo’s meeting agenda referenced quite curiously as the “Strawman Bill.”

Preceding that part of the scheduled agenda, Deputy Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Travis Hill gave an eloquent presentation about the political and legislative landscape that was challenged and changed with introduction of H.B. 1430, the ‘Boneta Bill,’ in the last session of the General Assembly.

The question and answer period following Mr. Hill’s speech is when things turned histrionic and nasty.

One questioner, reported to be former VACo president and current Rockingham County Supervisor William Kyger, went on a tirade saying “that woman” is the cause of problems, and claimed that the Boneta Bill would lead to strip clubs at farms.

He also observed with wisdom short of Solomon “that woman” would not be getting attention without all that ‘publicity.’  Yes, those darn news reports about Fauquier County’s dishonest and unlawful behavior, IRS audits unlawfully disclosed to county officials, and more drive seem to drive people nuts.

Unbeknownst to Kyger, “that woman” was at the VACo meeting.  It is not publicized as such, but the meeting is open to the public since it consists of public officials.

A woman was speaking one-on-one with Mr. Hill on his way out of the meeting when Kyger interrupted them and rambled more to Mr. Hill about “that woman” and strip clubs.  Kyger — obviously not minding his manners — did not introduce himself to the woman or ask her name, choosing instead to launch into his tirade with Hill in front of this woman.

When she introduced herself to Kyger as Martha Boneta, after he had rudely barged into the conversation with his rant, Kyger verbally attacked her claiming that she was “unethical” for having ‘allowed’ him to engage in his uninvited rant without introducing herself to him.

Calling Solomon again.  But it gets even better.

After the Countycrats learned “that woman,” Martha Boneta, was at the meeting, Larry Land of VACo announced that the scheduled discussion of farm legislation, including the mystery “Strawman Bill,” would not take place.

These are events further proving the need for farmers to have remedies against counties, as provided in the Virginia Farm Rights Protection Act.  Some, not all, Countycrats cannot be trusted with holding, and are unfit to hold, power with the force of government.