A stern warning from federal prosecutors Thursday for valley farmers who allow marijuana to be grown on their land.
U.S. Attorney Benjamin Wagner says federal prosecutors are teaming up with five valley counties to go after and prosecute those who lease their land to someone growing marijuana, especially on the valley floor. Violators could lose their property and even face jail time, Wagner said.
Valley law enforcement say they've have made great strides since 2007 to reduce the number of large marijuana grows on public lands in the foothills and mountain areas, but a new trend has emerged. Large marijuana grows are showing up on private ag lands on the valley floor in alarming numbers, they said.
"As a matter of federal law, the cultivation and sale or marijuana is illegal. Period," Wagner said.
In Fresno County alone, more than 120 ag land marijuana grows were identified last year, sheriff's department employees said. That compares to just a handful in 2009.
Sheriff Margaret Mims says the large marijuana grows are often touted as legal under state medical marijuana laws. But the plants are sometimes shipped to other states for huge profits of up to several million dollars per acre, she added.
"People are making decisions about what they're going to plant. Some will make the decision even after seeing this to plant marijuana. And the message is it's against the law federally and we're going to come after you," said Mims.
Prosecutors say they will not target genuine medical marijuana grows and genuine caretakers. Instead, they'll go after the most egregious offenders and try to seize land from those who allow it to happen.
Manuel Cunha, President of the Nisei Farmers League, says the vast majority of valley growers abide by the law. But the problem is starting to impact farms and their employees, he said. They've become susceptible to violence near these large grows, he added.
"We are going to send out information to every one of our growers to let them know that if they rent land, lease land, that they're going to have to be involved to see what is growing on that land," said Cunha.
Prosecutors say if you do know of a large marijuana grow on private ag land, call your local sheriff's department or the Drug Enforcement Administration.