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Organic Consumer Association's New Save Raw Milk Campaign
Massachusetts Officials Hear Raw Milk Support, Yet Consumer Access Still Threatened
by Kimberly Hartke
Julie Rawson, organic farmer and Executive Director of the Northeast Organic Farming Association of Massachusetts reported this morning that regulations to ban milk buying clubs in the state have been yanked from the agenda at the May 10th public hearing, the State saying that “The passion and concern on all sides of the raw milk debate have led MDAR to plan for a broader look at issues associated with raw milk.” Here is the official MDAR statement.
The Government Intent to Harm Raw Dairy Farms Still Clear
Buying clubs remain threatened. The ready access enjoyed by urbanites to a staple in their diet is still at risk. From the NOFA/Mass statement, it is clear that MDAR has not backed off their position that the buying clubs are illegal. Here is a link to Nofa Mass official statement.
Apparently the far and wide media attention, and organizing efforts that led to hundreds of complaints about the proposed regulatory language led to MDAR pulling it off the table for discussion. But, some are wondering if this is a tactic to defuse the rabble rousing of the real milk crowd.
In response to the actions of MDAR, the influential Organic Consumers Association (which boasts a nationwide email list of over 100,000) just launched a Save Raw Milk campaign.
The Organic Consumers Association still plans to stage a colorful, Raw Milk “Drink In” outside Monday’s hearing. A cow will be brought downtown to Boston Common, and a group of concerned citizens will stage a fresh milk Boston Tea Party. California dairyman, Mark McAfee, and Wisconsin filmmaker, Max Kane, are making the cross country trek to be there and remind Massachusetts that they are the cradle of liberty and that this is a national issue.
Author and raw milk blogger, David Gumpert plans to attend the demonstration, calling MDAR’s actions dirty politics and an attempt to stifle public debate.
Advice to Raw Milk Fans: Be Alert, Stay Involved, Get Plugged In
Nofamass.org is no longer calling for a large public turnout. They would prefer to hold their grassroots fire for another day, as Julie doesn’t believe the issue is over. “We will need people later. Key people will be on hand at the hearing to address related issues, but we no longer need a large turnout. This is a major victory, already. Our loud voices have already been heard. But, this is by no means over, we plan to continue monitoring this issue and working on it as it goes forward.”
Winton Pitcoff, head of the Massachusetts Raw Milk Network, a project of NOFA Mass, asks that interested parties follow the latest news on facebook. Julie adds that Massachusetts residents are invited to join nofamass.org, to keep in the loop on action alerts and upcoming events.
Winton Pitcoff said, “It’s great that MDAR has acknowledged the hundreds of comments they have heard from consumers, farmers and advocates. Now we need to take this opportunity to educate them further, about the need to expand raw milk markets in MA so that consumers can have better access to raw milk and the dairies can benefit from that demand.”
By the way, Sally Fallon Morell is speaking at the NOFA annual summer conference, August 13-15, 2010, which will be held at the University of Massachusetts.
Next week, Max Kane will do a guest blog about the Boston ‘Milk in your Tea’ Party, so stay tuned to Hartke is Online!.
The Media that Delivered the Message to MDAR
David Gumpert wrote about the Boston raw milk issue on Huffington Post (Alexa Rank 161, the foremost blog in the world) in this excellent article:
Fight Over Raw Milk Moves East, Amidst Charges of Collusion with Big Dairy
Boston Globe Columnist:
The Raw Story–Drinkers of unprocessed milk don’t want the government to put them out to pasture
Enterprise News:
State Sour on Raw Milk Dairies
The Republican newspaper reports:
Dairy Clubs Fight for Raw Milk
Jan Buhrman of The Organic Consumers Association:
Stand Up for Raw Milk and Real Organic Food
Kimberly Hartke is the publicist for Weston A. Price Foundation (WAPF). For more details about the WAPF Campaign for Real Milk visit realmilk.com.
I do read your blog on a daily basis; as a goat farmer and a proponent of raw milk, specifically raw goat milk, I certainly consider your blog required reading.
8 Comments
Kim,
This is a win!!
However, the raising of the temporary white flag does not mean that we do not overrun their positions and take all the media attention and still have a rally and “let the cow crap and pee on the Commons” and drink raw milk and raise some hell over this. The cancellation of testimony plays into our strategy….we the people still have the clout!!!
We must show them in the court of public opinion to never raise this issue again….this message must be sent even if none of us get to testify at the hearing. We will give them testimony in the papers and in the light of day outside!!
They must be on notice that we will crush them at the next attempted raw milk hearing with pissed off moms that want and demand their raw milk.
Please post this as my statement. Get everyone to attend…we need numbers and a cow to crap and pee on the commons. It has been too many years since it had real fertilizer.
Mark
All Monday activities in Boston–the 8:30 a.m. raw milk drink-in rally on the Common and the 10 a.m. hearing at the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources–are very much ON. Given MDAR’s reinforcement of its position to crack down on buying clubs, it’s more important than ever that people show up in force, and show the authorities how important food freedom is to us.
.-= David Gumpert´s last blog ..MDAR Tries 11th Hour Switcheroo to Stifle Raw Milk Debate: In This Circus, the Show Must Go On =-.
Yes, we must keep the pressure on . If they receive a powerful response each time they try to take our freedom away, it will be much harder for them to succeed. While this is a victory, it reflects a tactical retreat by the regulators. They will certainly try again later, hoping to sneak by without a public outcry. We must not let our freedom to eat nourishing food quietly slip away, or it will be gone.
.-= Stanley Fishman´s last blog ..Mushroom Cream Sauce Makes Luxurious Leftovers =-.
The department has left the people with an unclear message. It is important for the people to attend not only the rally, but the hearing as well. Regardless of what is on the hearing’s agenda for discussion, the people have every Right to talk about what ever they want. I’ve seen S.D. pull a similar political stunt where they sided with the people to invoke a “cooling off period”. Then after some time passed and the people were “cooled off” raw milk was right under attack again with unfavorable rules.
I tend to agree that this hearing Monday is a rare and important opportunity to demonstrate our outrage over the FDA campaign against nature’s perfect food. If I lived in the northeast, I would definitely be there to show my support for food freedom. Please, if you can make it to the ‘drink-in’ or hearing, please go!
I just read the below on David Gumperts blog, this is the FDA position on food freedom:
–There’s no absolute right to any raw unprocessed food, unless the FDA says it’s okay;
–There’s no right to good health, except as approved by the FDA.
–There’s no right for citizens to contract privately for their food.
See the complete post here:
http://www.thecompletepatient.com/journal/2010/4/30/the-food-rights-firestorm-spreads-is-big-dairy-helping-regul.html
What I say is, the only thing the government understands is large numbers and we need to turn out in force on Monday to let them know we will not tolerate these violations of our constitution. Believe me, if I was a Massachusetts buying club member, there is no question that I would attend that hearing and the drink-in.
Rabble, Be Aroused! Wave those pitchforks and milk cartons! Who knows, this may be your one and only opportunity!
I am with you in spirit, and will send a letter to MDAR. Wish I could be there!
.-= Kimberly Hartke´s last blog ..Ohio Governor Moves to Deny Consumers Right to Know about Hormones in Milk =-.
Can’t wait to see everyone in Boston tomorrow! The MDAR is saying that our buying clubs and car pools are illegal, and have always been illegal…we just didn’t know it. That is ridiculous!
Kristin
Glad to hear the fight is being taken up all over. Wisconsin still faces struggles in getting our raw milk bill signed. I just sent an email to Governor Doyle and it is posted on my blog if you are interested. We are all concerned he may be buckling…
.-= I Wilkerson´s last blog ..An Open Letter to Governor Doyle =-.
The U.S. is the only developed nation that
allows humans to consume milk from cows that were given bovine growth hormone
or BGH. Marketed as Posilac from the Monsanto Corporation, it is banned in
Japan, New Zealand, Canada and Australia, and most of the European nations
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