Civil Disobedience in Pennsylvania, and Cops Arrive at Raw Milk Dairy

The Complete Patient ^ | August 10, 2007 | David E. Gumpert

[davidgumpert]

The latest battle in the raw milk wars broke out today in south-central Pennsylvania. A group of ten state police and agents from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) descended on the 100-acre Nature’s Sunlight Farm in Newville, and confiscated about $25,000 worth of raw milk products, along with packaging and equipment.

Though Pennsylvania is supposedly one of the more liberal states with regard to raw milk distribution, allowing farmers with permits to sell it not only from their farms and in farmers markets, but also in retail establishments, farmers say the state has become increasingly hostile to producers over the last few months.

[davidgumpert]

A Pennsylvania farmer has turned state efforts to enforce raw milk regulations into a matter of principle, arguing that state regulations not endorsed by the legislature don't have the power of law. He also argues that because he sells directly to consumers, he is engaged in private transactions not covered by state regulations. He's risking much for his beliefs.

[Montanabound]

My Uncle George used to get the most delicious raw milk from a farmer in western Pennsylvania about 40 years ago. Served ice cold...mmmmm.

[metmom]

Stop trying to protect me from myself.

ARGH!

BTW, we drink raw milk and have been for about 20 years now and NEVER had a problem.

[Think free or die]

Yup, we’ve consumed it for about 5 years, and it’s been very tasty, keeps longer than the pasteurized product, and has provided a variety of health benefits to our family.

[metmom]

It does keep better, although we keep our refrig at just above freezing. We turn it down until it freezes the milk, then slowly turn it up until that doesn’t happen anymore, and leave it there. We can easily get 10 days out of it.

Did you ever notice that most of the time the stuff in the stores feels somewhat warm anyway? Those milk cases just don’t seem to keep the milk very cold.

[lastchance]

This might interest you. A Campain For Real Milk.
http://www.realmilk.com

[no dems]

Sigh............I remember when this was a free country.....

[VOA]

bump

[Libertina]

Gosh, I’m impressed! Our government is so smart - it is an expert on medical procedures, diet, education, and even MILK production! B/ sarcasm

[VictoryGal]

Nanny government at its worst. :-(

Raw milk is more healthful and delicious than its pasteurized cousin.

[j. earl carter]

Pasteurization messes up everything. Beer and apple cider taste awful once they’ve been pasteurized.

[WildcatClan]

I don’t think that is true, at least the healthful part. If these people want to risk ecoli and other bacterium that is up to them I suppose. I am not sure why they would raid this dairy but if they have broken no law and people want to drink it, it’s fine with me. But as I know, raw milk is no more healthful than pasteurized and of there is no health benefit, why risk it?

[Nextrush]

That’s going on the next county.

[Lil'freeper]

A Nutrition Ping List For Those Interested in the Research of Dr. Weston A. Price

distressing news

[CitadelArmyJag]

Another raw milk family here (3 years now) and I cant even begin to list the positive health benefits this wonderful living food has given us.

Why are our police and federal agencies not focusing on the illegal immigrants and muslim terrorists? Bessie and Farmer John arent harming anybody but the dairy industry’s pocketbooks.

[VictoryGal]

Pasteurization was a real boon in the days where refrigeration was an iffy prospect at best. And if you don’t choose a dairy you trust then there could be issues with raw milk, so people have to be aware and informed. But raw milk, appropriately handled, has enzymes and components denatured or destroyed by pasteurization, thus more healthful.

[editor-surveyor]

Thanks for the ping Lil’freeper.

Anytime that you market anything that puts doctors and pharmacists out of business, the thugs are going to come and break down your doors.

The U.N. charter demands that 2/3 of the worlds population be killed off, and this operation in Pennsylvania is typical of compliance efforts in that regard. It’s going to get worse.

[editor-surveyor]

"But as I know, raw milk is no more healthful than pasteurized and of there is no health benefit"

Unfortunately, what you 'know' simply isn't true. Pasteurized products are all, at best, dead products that were once edible. It is a wholely destructive process that is unnecessary. God does it right, and man does it wrong, every time.

[WildcatClan]

As I said victorygal, if you see some benefit and feel they outweigh the risks you should be able to have all the raw milk you want. I totally agree with you about finding a good dairy but no matter how good, you still are risking listeria, ecoli, and any other number of bacterium. The consumers of raw milk “feel” there is a benefit and if they do then I have no problem with that. I just pointed out there is no science to support these feelings and, on the contrary, pasteurized milk has vitamins A and D added so I would think it is as healthful if not more until I see science that proves otherwise. Children, the elderly and any with compromised immune systems are more vulnerable to the bacterium and many get sick and sadly, there are deaths documented in that regard.

I’ve drank raw milk and never got sick as I know, but it can and will happen, it’s just a matter of odds and conditionals.

That’s just me, enjoy your milk in whatever permutation you choose, as is your right.

Regards,
A confessed chocomilkoholic

[HungarianGypsy]

Not quite to this extent, but something similar happened to a dairy here in Arizona after it had government approval. The union was suing for contract violations.