*This story has been revised from the original version posted March 2. It originally stated a $4.9 billion dollar lawsuit was filed. After reviewing court documents, it has been updated to show that it was a $4.9 million dollar lawsuit filed against Vreba-Hoff Dairy Development.*
TOLEDO — A $4.9 million dollar lawsuit has been filed in federal courts by AgStar Financial Services naming Vreba-Hoff Dairy Development as the lead defendant.
Federal lawsuit
AgStar Financial Services is seeking foreclosure and alleging breach of contract against Vreba-Hoff Dairy Development and many of the Ohio farms Vreba-Hoff has advised.
According to the court documents, the $4.9 million dollar lawsuit was filed Jan. 19 and appears to be an attempt to recoup money loaned to various Ohio dairy farms developed by Vreba-Hoff Dairy Development.
Farm loans
AgStar Financial Services loaned individual dairy farms funding, which was obtained through Vreba-Hoff Dairy Development LLC. According to the court documents, John H. Vander Hoff, who is listed as manager of Vreba-Hoff Dairy Development, signed many of the loan agreements.
Other defendants include Wilhelmus Van Bakel, John H. Vander Hoff, Dirk Swier Maat, Waste Galore, Inv., First National Bank, Clair W. Harting, MacAllister Machinery Co., Lou Ann Wannemacher, Beverly A. Fuerst, Dennis M. Cox, Wild Cat Farms, LLC. and another finance company, Rabo Agrifinance, Inc.
The documents filed show loans unpaid for the purchase of cattle, feed and equipment.
Lawsuits
This is not the first federal lawsuit filed demanding money associated with Vreba-Hoff Dairy Development.
Hopewell Dairy and Chesterfield Dairy, both dairies being run by Dutch farmers, also reportedly part of Vreba-Hoff Dairy Development, are in bankruptcy court and were placed into receivership by a bankruptcy judge Sept. 30, 2009.
Court action
The court action was part of a lawsuit also filed by AgStar Financial Services. According to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Northern District of Ohio, Hopewell Dairy owes over $21 million to creditors,
Three dairy lawsuits
According to the federal court docket, all three lawsuits are scheduled for case management hearings March 15 in Toledo.
Bankruptcy
Maple Grove Dairy, another dairy that had been part of Vreba-Hoff Dairy Development, was sold at a bankruptcy auction.
An auction to sell off the assets of Maple Grove Dairy was held Dec. 16 in the milking parlor of the farm.
It was owned by Rinke Oenema, a 1 percent interest by Afke Oenema-Hiemstra, and Vreba-Hoff Dairy Development, LLC.
It was sold for $1.4 million and the personal property brought almost $400,000
Maple Grove Dairy owed $7.14 million, of which $4.59 million was owed to AgChoice Farm Credit.
Couldn’t happen to a nicer bunch of theives and polluters. Vreba-Hoff’s primary product was never milk it was always manure. And they spilled more of it than anybody. Polluting creeks and stream that run into rivers. They come here because they can’t get away with that in their country. Back ya go!
I believe the original press release was Billion but was correct to be 4.9 Million. Either way a group of crooked polluters getting dealt a dose of punishment for their years of abusing investors and American citizens near CAFO who have to endure the filth and pollution.
Just an FYI, many family members that own Vreba Hoff are Americans. Their parents and cousins are Dutch, but the kids (most of the owners) were born and raised in Michigan. The “head” guys are the van Bakel brothers, who are Dutch. The rest of the owners are the 5 Vanderhoffs (3 brothers and 2 sisters).
Vreba Hoff does not pay companies who do environmental drilling for them. They owe us $5000.00 which I guess we’ll never see judging from this article. Why are they allowed to continue in operation, and why aren’t they doing some prison time for their crimes? Monetary punishment is not enough. They should be used as an example to any company who is trying to rip off hard working Americans.
And to ad insult to injury their representative called us a few weeks ago and wanted us to drill again on their property. Dah!