Next week should provide interesting bi-coastal legislative and regulatory action for raw milk advocates.
On the West Coast, so-called “emergency legislation” is being drawn up that would change or eliminate the 10-coliform-per-milliliter standard passed last October. It could be changed to a higher number–say, a 50-coliform-per-milliliter standard–reports Mark McAfee of Organic Pastures Dairy Co. Negotiations are currently under way to get the governor on board, following assurances from legislative leaders that an elimination of AB 1735, or a compromise, would easily pass both houses.
A hearing session on the legislation is tentatively scheduled for next Wednesday, Jan. 16, at noon. in Sacramento. Mark says supporters should feel free to show up, wear their raw milk t-shirts, and offer to testify in support of the legislation…and be on "best behavior."
As if to underscore that this legislative push is not a done deal, veteran raw milk advocate Aajonus Vonderplanitz tonight sent out an email saying that the California Department of Food and Agriculture "is now testing with the new standards set
On the East Coast, the New York Department of Agriculture and Markets will hold a hearing next Thursday to determine if raw milk products produced by the Meadowsweet Dairy LLC for its 121 shareholders should be destroyed. The LLC provides shareholders with raw milk, yogurt, buttermilk, and other products. The state refuses to recognize the LLC’s claim that the shareholders are outside the jurisdiction of the agriculture agency, and insists Meadowsweet needs a raw milk permit to operate; such a permit wouldn’t cover production of raw-milk yogurt, buttermilk, and cream.
Gary Cox, the lawyer for the limited liability company, had filed written arguments asking that the regulatory hearing be put off until after a court hearing scheduled for January 22 on a request for a preliminary injunction that would prevent the agriculture regulators from interfering with the LLC’s operations. Inspectors have appeared numerous times over the last few months seeking to photograph and inventory the dairy’s products, and the Smiths have turned them away, once with help from a sheriff’s deputy.
Gary argued that the court’s decision could render next week’s scheduled hearing moot if the preliminary injunction is granted.
Earlier today, negotiations on delaying the regulatory hearing until next month fell through when Barbara and Steve Smith refused an offer from the NY Department of Agriculture and Markets to allow inspection of their products and facilities, in exchange for the delay.
So the hearing is on for 11 a.m. next Thursday at 10B Airline Dr. in Albany, and the session is open to the public.
I think it’s safe to say that both these situations are highly fluid. California is, well, California. And state agriculture officials aren’t the most flexible bunch of people.
in addition, the administrative hearing next week will determine whether the smiths will be ordered to cease their conduct and whether the commissioner will order the imposition of fines and penalties. this is far from over.
i also wanted to say how touched i am by the support i have received from new york farmers, offering to watch my two kids while i attend the hearing. thank you all very much.
You’re welcome. The offer is open anytime for any reason. For obvious reasons, I don’t post here often but we are regular readers and are glad to see you here too.
Best of luck next week, maybe we’ll see you there.
– AuLait at SRM
I did read that Aajonus was one of the initial investors, am I correct? I know he made a comment about never being paid back and something about Mark making millions, what have you, but when we have two big names in the raw milk dept, wouldn’t it be best to try and work together? I get an e-mail almost everyday with the both of them contradicting each other and so, who are we supposed to believe? I have talked to both of them. Both could be considered extremists, or very passionate about what they believe, but to be doing this back and forth thing, is not helping set their eyes on the prize.
I would have thought because of Arnold’s background, he would be more sensitive and more cooperative about this issue. Most bodybuilders want to drink raw milk because of the hormones, protein and beneficial fat to help them get big. I know he does not compete anymore, but I am sure his passion for the sport and the fact that he practically was born with a weight in his hand, should sway him a little for organic and natural unadulterated foods. I hope he does come through and realizes another freedom is being taken away. If it is that big of a deal, then these strict laws need to be enforced with every company who has ever gotten a person sick with strict inspections and testing of peanut butter and other nuts, frozen foods, water, meats, fruits and vegetables on a regular basis.
There are many advantages to decentralized approaches to problems. Putting all your eggs in one basket isn’t always wise. Multiple fronts by multiple individuals also helps distract and confuse opponents.
Given the fact that Listeria is extremely prevalent in the environment, it would come as no surprise to me that a heat-tolerant form may have evolved and could be responsible for the recent deaths. Of course the article contains the usual dire warnings against drinking any form of unpasteurized milk…
http://www.thedailygreen.com/healthy-eating/eat-safe/listeria-milk-recall-45011108
Humans will never be free of bad information, intentional or not. We can generally live with that, but when our centralized control systems (government, business, and government-business hybrids) get hold of it, watch out!
Ah well…one can dream…
Bob Hayles
Thornberry Village Homestead
Jasper, GA
Thornberry Village Homestead…a small goat’s milk dairy owned by God, managed by Bob and Tyler.
Imagine here in Georgia for example:
One hundred and sixty some odd counties, each with it’s owm small claims court. If, on a weekly basis, there were 10 suits filed in each of the ten most populous counties, and another ten total scattered among the other 150 counties, and if those siuts were publicized by the Atlanta Journal and local TV investgative reporters who LOVE to make government look bad, and if this happened weekly, EVERY week…it would not matter who won the suits. Regardless of the merits of each suit, the agriculture department would have to deal with every suit…20 a week…every week. They could bluff and posture for only so long. I believe that between the bad publicity of their denying folks the right to choose what to eat AND the pressure of having twenty new suits to deal with each and every week, they could be brought to their knees.
Just my two cents worth.
Bob Hayles