Growing vegetables has landed one Georgia farmer in hot water.
There was a time when farmers were paid to avoid taking agricultural equipment out to their field. But one grower in Georgia is getting fined for being too productive.
According to Atlanta television station WSB-TV, farmer Steve Miller is being sued by DeKalb County for the amount of vegetables he produced on his property. Officials began issuing tickets in January for the growing violation and for having unpermitted employees.
During the summer, the television station said Miller stopped producing vegetables to get his property rezoned, which halted the legal proceedings. Once he accomplished that, however, the county came back to prosecute the old charges.
"It should go away," Miller's attorney, Doug Dillard, told the station. "I think it borders on harassment."
Neighbors have come to Miller's defense, while a country spokesperson told the station that representatives can't comment on the issue because it's still in court.
While Miller faces the county's accusations in court, other growers across the country have been encouraged to try to increase production through government programs focused on locally produced food.
