<p> Is there some kind of secret agricultural war brewing? The USDA has recently filed a solicitation on the government’s Federal Business Opportunities website requesting an unknown number of <B>fully decked-out submachine guns</b> and <B>body armor</b>. No, you’re not dreaming. Why in the world is the USDA packing heat?<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"> According to the request, filed May 7th, the USDA is seeking .40 cal submachine guns that are either semi-automatic or fire 2-shot bursts, equipped with tritium night sights on the front and rear, with rails for attaching a flashlight and scope. Not only that, but the department is also seeking body armor and tactical vests, according to Washington Times.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"> If that’s not strange enough, <B>the solicitation doesn’t make any mention of why the USDA wants or needs to acquire these guns</b>. RT News reports that one possible explanation could be that the weapons would be used by the law enforcement division of the United States Forest Service, which falls under the jurisdiction of the USDA.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"> Moreover, <B>the USDA isn’t the only agency</b> making these odd requests. The Washington Times reports that the U.S. Postal Service also asked for “assorted small arms ammunition” earlier this year, while the Social Security Administration apparently put in a request for 174,000 rounds of “.357 Sig 125 grain bonded jacketed hollow-point bullets.”<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"> I’m not one for conspiracy theories, but I don’t think anyone should mess with the USDA anytime soon. </p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href=" http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome" target="_new"> United States Department of Agriculture </a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">
