<p>An old law that is still on the books allows the US Department of Agriculture to seize 47% of raisin producers' crops each year to hold in reserve, according to Inquisitr. Now, raisin growers are challenging the National Raisin Reserve in court, and a favorable decision seems likely.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">In 2013, raisin producer Marvin Horne challenged the reserve in court. He stopped contributing to the reserve back in 2002, and according to the USDA, Horne now owes the federal government more than $1 million including interest for unpaid fees, as well as an additional 1.2 million pounds of raisins, which he is still required to contribute.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">“I didn't choose to fight. All I choose to do is pack and market my own raisins. They’re the ones who picked the fight," said Marvin Horne. "I believe in America and I believe in our Constitution. And I believe that eventually we will be proved right. They took our raisins and didn't pay us for them.”<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">His case made it all the way to the United States Supreme Court, but a decision was not granted. In a 9-0 ruling in favor of raisin growers, the Supreme Court ordered instead that a California Federal Appeals Court reconsider the 5th Amendment violations outlined by Marvin and Laura Horne.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">The law was enacted directly following World War II, for the purpose of protecting raisin farmers from a drastic price decline. During the war, the federal government was buying significant quantities of raisins for the war effort. This demand ended abruptly and the National Raisin Reserve was then established to prop-up prices. Once seized, the raisins are sent to warehouses in California and are stored until they are mostly sold in foreign markets, fed to cattle, and used for school lunches, according to the Washington Post.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">The 5th Amendment does guarantee that private property shall not be seized without compensation. However, the reserve is still being enforced yearly. The USDA maintains that they are not in violation of the 5th Amendment because they do not literally come and seize the crops, but rather enforce a farming regulation. However, many raisin growers feel that the Reserve does violate farmers' rights.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Will Horne's case change the current system? If farmers prevail in their fight to abolish the Reserve, raisin supplies in the domestic market could nearly double.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href="http://www.inquisitr.com/1105608/raisin-growers-file-lawsuit-against-usda/">Inquisitr</a><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/one-growers-grapes-of-wrath/2013/07/07/ebebcfd8-e380-11e2-80eb-3145e2994a55_story.html">Washington Post</a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">
