Where Will This Lead

<a href="http://www.billingsgazette.com//index.php?id=1&display=rednews/2006/01/14/build/nation/25-usda-farmers.inc">Using images from above, <acronym title="United States Department of Agriculture, Bought and Paid for by The Big Meat Packers">USDA</acronym> prosecutes farmers</a><br />n<br />n<blockquote>Satellites have monitored crop conditions around the world for decades, helping traders predict futures prices in commodities markets and governments anticipate crop shortages.<br />n<br />nBut those satellite images are now increasingly turning up in courtrooms across the nation as the Agriculture Department's Risk Management Agency cracks down on farmers involved in crop insurance fraud.</blockquote><br />n<br />nStrikes me as kind of scary that they are using satellites to keep track of what you are doing. Don't get me wrong, I am glad they are catching people in insurance fraud cases but using satellites to do it strikes me odd. This leads me to a question, does taking pictures of your crops from space violate the 4th amendment restrictions against unreasonable search? Why are they taking pictures if they don't suspect you? Do they need a warrant? Since your crops are out in the open I assume no warrant is needed but it still seems like an unreasonable search. What's next, use satellites to track <a href="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-1965307,00.html">home improvements</a> so the government can increase your taxes? How far will this satellite surveillance go to keep track of the ordinary citizen? Technology always leads to interesting questions.<br />n<br />n<b>Advances in technology will continue to reach far into every sector of our economy. Future job and economic growth in industry, defense, transportation, agriculture, health care, and life sciences is directly related to scientific advancement. Christopher Bond</b>