National Geographic Photog Arrested

[RV10flyer]

Since 2010, ag gag bills have passed in five states: Arkansas, Utah, South Carolina, Missouri and Iowa. Introduced in 19 overall. Owners don't want anyone taking pictures without permission of the cattle's hide busting open. Now go enjoy that nice steak with a side of growth hormones and antibiotics.

http://www.animallaw.info/statutes/stusks47_1825.htm#s1827

 

[flyingron]

With all due respect, I don’t think you know what you are talking about on this issue or the potential implications.

With all due respect, I do know what I am talking about, albeit I did lump some unrelated topics together. But god help us some photographer shoots a downer cow in a feedlot that's still destined for processing into food supplies (or even animal supplies, which is exactly how the European food supplies got into the BSE problem to begin with).

The “mad cow” case in December 2003 (one cow from Canada to the state of Washington) cost the US economy ~$11 billion due to concern from Japan etc. regarding our beef exports.

Now who the hell is talking about non-sequtitors? Are you alleging someone is going to drop prion laden bovine cerebellums on a feed lot from airplanes?

The hysteria that someone might "economically" damage things because of public misconception is a dangerous litigious and slippery slope. God help us that we're already facing a constitutional threat from regulations enacted to avoid disparaging foods (which already exist in less liberty minded European states).

 

[Terry]

I personally fly in and out of Garden City regularly. I have even flown over the feed lot being discussed. It is an excellent waypoint.

I earned my PPL in a Tomahawk flying over the plains and cattle all the time. If cows could read, I am sure they would identified my N number after seeing me fly over their land.

I used to have a heard of goats. They went nuts when the crop duster was working the field next to my land. Once the plane left, they forgot about the incident and went back to their routine of trying to escape their pen. :wink2:

I think the photographer should have asked permission first and there wouldn't have been any problem.

What a paranoid world we have become.

Terry

 

[Palmpilot]

Not being familiar with the area or ranch I was giving them the benefit of the doubt, may a lot of ranch hands, who knows. I guess it could be 500 ft AGL if not congested, or lower depending on the type of flying contraption he was using.

I don't see any mention of 500 AGL, or any other minimum altitude, in Part 103. Flying over congested areas in an ultralight is prohibited altogether. That creates a bit of a problem, because the FAA and the NTSB have been very liberal in their interpretation of what constitutes a congested area.