What you didn’t say, Mr Linegar,

To Sonoma County Ag Commisioner
Mr. Linegar,

I am writing this morning to comment on the quotes attributed to you in today’s Press Democrat article titled “Rural Neighbors Balk as Pot Farms Crop Up”. I was struck by what you did NOT say to reporter Julie Johnson. You did NOT say that you  are aware of any other  agricultural crop that requires a security system because of the inherent public safety issues. You did NOT say that this particular crop is not a legal product according to federal law. You did NOT say that this agricultural industry cannot use the banking system.

I don’t know where you live, Mr. Linegar, but if you are a rural resident I wonder how you would feel if a grower submitted an application to grow cannabis next to your home? Perhaps you live in Santa Rosa city limits and will be exempt from being monitored by their security cameras, from being threatened and bullied by your “neighbor” who doesn’t really live there, look at their ugly pot perimeter fences, endure the increased traffic on your street day and night and smell the agricultural crop which you maintain is just like any other crop.

Because of all these issues which you do NOT seem to acknowledge publicly, all the permits that go to your department should be sent back to Permit Sonoma where at least the neighbors can have some input.

N. Richardson