# Crop grown for personal use = income? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 28, 2015, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crop-grown-for-personal-use-income/723679 "2015-06-28T06:42:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2015, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crop-grown-for-personal-use-income/723679/41 "2015-06-29T18:00:43Z")
> [@StarvingButStrong](#): > > Good to hear I needn’t fear the IRS coming after me for, oh, maybe 30 tomatoes a year. 😃 > > But not counting lending the use of items as barter strikes me as strange. Items/services are sort of interchangeable, aren’t they? There are business that sell services, the ownership of items, and the temporary use of items and I’m sure they’re all taxable… So shouldn’t using any assortment of services/items/usage on either side of a deal all be treated the same? Hypothetically, wouldn’t you then be able to claim (or grossly exaggerate) use of your equipment, including wear, depreciation, etc. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2015, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crop-grown-for-personal-use-income/723679/42 "2015-06-29T18:01:25Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > You mean the thinly veiled antisemitism wasn’t enough for you ? You mean the ‘bankers’ reference? ---
**Author:** ![GiantRat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@GiantRat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GiantRat)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2015, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crop-grown-for-personal-use-income/723679/43 "2015-06-29T18:01:36Z")
Heck, in Maryland, until recently we had to pay taxes for rain that fell on our property. Square footage x estimated rainfall = $$. That was recently (mostly) repealed, but is a good example of how pretty much anything can be taxed. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2015, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crop-grown-for-personal-use-income/723679/44 "2015-06-29T18:15:17Z")
> [@GiantRat](#): > > Heck, in Maryland, until recently we had to pay taxes for rain that fell on our property. Square footage x estimated rainfall = $$. > > That was recently (mostly) repealed, but is a good example of how pretty much anything can be taxed. There is a point there. As already mentioned in the thread that’s not an income tax, but at some point everything can be taxed in some way or another and eventually the distinctions don’t matter much. ---
**Author:** ![I.Dunno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9f8e36/32.png) [@I.Dunno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I.Dunno)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2015, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crop-grown-for-personal-use-income/723679/45 "2015-06-29T19:25:56Z")
> [@GiantRat](#): > > Heck, in Maryland, until recently we had to pay taxes for rain that fell on our property. Square footage x estimated rainfall = $$. > > That was recently (mostly) repealed, but is a good example of how pretty much anything can be taxed. Just curious, was this some attempt to pay for storm sewers? Or just because? ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2015, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crop-grown-for-personal-use-income/723679/46 "2015-06-29T19:38:00Z")
> [@I.Dunno](#): > > Just curious, was this some attempt to pay for storm sewers? Or just because? Short version: The EPA mandated that wastewater into the Chesapeake be controlled. Voters rejected the first attempt to pay for this, so the state found a method that they could implement without voter approval. ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2015, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crop-grown-for-personal-use-income/723679/47 "2015-06-29T19:48:41Z")
This seems close enough to the OP to be posted: There’s a nasty little dirty trick you can pull on some deadbeat who won’t pay you what they owe you. Sometimes it’s just not worth the effort to go through the courts to collect the money. You can “cancel the debt” and issue a [1099c](http://www.irs.gov/uac/Form-1099-C,-Cancellation-of-Debt) for the amount you’re owed. You won’t ever be able to collect, but the slacker _will_ have to pay income taxes on the amount … sometimes just the threat of a 1099c will get your money !!! “Pay me or I’m contacting the IRS” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crop-grown-for-personal-use-income/723679.md?page=2)