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Home>Get Involved>Action Alerts>20 MAR 2007

Raw Milk Updates, March 2007

Ohio Department of Agriculture Drops Raw Milk Appeal

Big victory in Ohio! The Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) has decided to drop its appeal of the Darke County decision granting Carol Schmitmeyer a victory in her raw milk battle against the Department. This means that Judge Hein's December 29, 2006 decision will be final if the Court of Appeals grants ODA's motion to dismiss their appeal. A final decision from Judge Hein means that herd-share agreements, as long as they are legally crafted and comport with Ohio contract law, appear to be legal in the State of Ohio. This decision will have positive and far-reaching consequences for herd-share and cow-share agreements, not only in Ohio but also in other states.

A big thanks to the legal expertise of Gary Cox of the Columbus, Ohio law firm of Lane, Alton & Horst, as well as to courageous farmers Carol and Paul Schmitmeyer and all their supportive herd-share participants.

Raw Milk Legislation in Maryland

Raw milk advocates gained much political support at recent hearings for HB 1010, a bill that would legalize on-farm sales of raw milk in Maryland. Mark McAfee from Organic Pastures Dairy was there to testify, along with many others who described the benefits of raw milk. The delegates posed many embarrassing questions to those testifying against the bill, including questions which forced them to admit that laws against raw milk were based on economic rather than health concerns. Representatives from the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene were forced to admit that no outbreaks from raw milk had occurred when cowshares were legal in Maryland. When opponents of the bill cited liability issue, one delegate ask why a huge multi-million dollar corporation like Whole Foods in California would want to sell raw milk in their stores.

Odds are good that the bill will pass out of committee and also pass a house vote, but we are still urging Maryland members to contact their representatives to urge their support of HB 1010.

A huge thanks to Liz Rietzig, chapter leader for Bowie, Maryland, for spearheading this effort-which has included much favorable publicity in local papers-as well as to Mark McAfee for traveling all the way from California to testify.

2007 Swiss Tour

Swiss Native Judy Mudrak is organizing a second trip to Switzerland for 12-20 healthy interested members of the WAPF.

Come see the cows, goats and sheep, meet the mountain farmers! Watch modern versus Alpine cheese making and wood wheel butter making, taste it all, attend Swiss festivals! Historical make and bake sourdough bread in regions Price visited, guided Alpine plant walk and salve making, museums, splendid mountain views and much more! Visit various regions including the Loetschental.

Length of trip: 2 weeks, latest arrival in Switzerland should be Thursday July 19, through August 2, 2006. You will book your own flight (s). For more info. please e-mail: Subject: Judy's Swiss trip. Or Judith Mudrak, 58 Cranberry Run, Southampton, NJ 08088 USA Phone: (609) 859-3828 EST. For snail mail, please always include a self addressed and stamped envelope.

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