Farmer Says Someone Destroyed Tobacco Seedlings

Source from:  By Martha Quillin, Staff Writer 04/24/2008

Local and state authorities are investigating a Lee County farmer's claim that someone broke into his greenhouse and sprayed pesticide on his tobacco seedlings, killing the entire crop of 1 million tiny plants. John Gross said he has no idea why someone would sabotage the farm where five generations of his family have worked. "It may have been done out of jealousy, I don't know," Gross said. "I do know I haven't made nobody mad - nowhere near mad enough to do something like that." Gross said he and his family took a rare vacation in early March and, when they returned, he noticed the back door to the greenhouse where the seedlings were growing had been left open. He normally keeps a block on the door to keep the wind from blowing it open, he said. Over the next week, he noticed the plants were shriveling. They gradually began to yellow and die. Tests by a private lab indicated the plants had been sprayed with a pesticide designed to kill broadleaf weeds, a chemical Gross said he doesn't even keep on his farm. The Lee County Sheriff's Office and the state Department of Agriculture's pesticide division are investigating. Enditem