Organic Valley Family of Farms presents itself as “Organic and Farmer Owned: As Good As It Gets”, with almost 1,400 dairy farm members. It donated organic sour cream at the just-concluded Wise Traditions conference sponsored by the Weston A. Price Foundation, and an organization official was present at some of the events. (Being accepted as a food donor at the Wise Traditions conference is a prestigious acknowledgment of an organization’s quality.)
But that squeaky-clean image isn’t what comes across in an email exchange its national dairy farm quality manager had last summer with an official of Wisconsin’s Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. No, what we get instead is an image of a turncoat, encouraging regulators to go after raw milk sellers.
The emails were obtained by Max Kane, the buyers club owner, who is facing possible contempt of court charges in connection with his refusal to get into the turncoat business, who gained access to the emails under the equivalent of the state’s freedom of information act.
Last July 6, Rachel Turgasen, national dairy farm quality manager, emailed Jacqueline Owens, chief of field services at DATCP, “I know we’ve had some discussions in the past about raw milk sales and cow shares…More & more, I am learning of farms engaging in raw sales off-farm of raw milk, raw cheese, raw butter…Bascially, I’m wondering how/if DATCP is regulating this and where the burden lies.”
To which Jacqueline Owens responds, “We have a list of about 18 locations in WI that we know are selling raw milk or raw milk products on the farm. We have limited resources so we are focusing on the ones that we know are processing raw milk dairy products without the required dairy plant license…I am aware of one dairy plant that warns and then terminates producers who sell their milk/milk products directly to consumers.”
Then, she adds an ominous request: “Please let me know if you have any additional questions or care to share the names of individuals you are aware of that sell raw milk or raw milk products directly off the farm.”
I asked both Rachel Turgasen and Jacqueline Owens whether Organic Valley had provided additional names. Rachel Turgasen didn’t respond to my email and phone inquiries, but I did reach Jacqueline Owens by phone, and she said, “The only information I have is what is in that email…I did not” receive additional names from Organic Valley.
So what we have is Organic Valley expressing concern about Wisconsin dairies selling raw milk directly to consumers, and DATCP seeking what can only be described as intelligence so it can add to its then-existing list of 18 raw dairies it knew about. (Wisconsin prohibits most sales of raw milk, but arbitrarily waxes hot and cold in its permissiveness around the matter.) We have a denial from DATCP that it received the sought-after intelligence (though no comment from Organic Valley).
Given DATCP’s aggressive stance in shutting down two dairies and sending warning letters to dozens of others, we can assume that DATCP has many more names by now.
But perhaps more significant, we have even further evidence of both the concern by dairy processors about the marketing inroads being made by raw milk, and collusion between the regulators and the processors. It’s particularly discouraging that an organization like Organic Valley, which positions itself as a friend of the small organic dairy, should be joining in on the offensive against Wisconsin raw dairies. It should be working on behalf of legislation currently being introduced in Wisconsin to legalize sales by its members, as a first step toward opening up the marketplace in Wisconsin, a major dairy-producing state.
Max Kane at the recent Weston A. Price Foundation Wise Traditions conference. Two other matters in Wisconsin: Max Kane also obtained emails showing that federal support for DATCP has increased from $9.3 million in 2005 to $13.6 million in 2008, with the largest chunk coming from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and smaller chunks from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. And no surprise here: salaries at DATCP range up to $120,000 annually for the head, Rod Nilsestuen. That’s a lot of taxpayer money being paid to bureaucrats for trashing family-run dairies.
***
My writing hand has recovered from the time I spent Friday afternoon at the offices of Chelsea Green Publishing (White River Junction, VT), autographing about 100 copies of The Raw Milk Revolution for bloggers who requested it. The books shipped Friday, so watch your mailboxes today and tomorrow. And thanks to Blair McMorran for the perceptive and detailed review of the book—some excellent suggestions for things to include in a revision.
***
Finally, a victory of sorts over the right to sell raw milk via a private club. A member of C.A.R.E. a huge buying club in Pennsylvania, had charges brought by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture dismissed by a magistrate last week. The PDA charged that the farmer was selling without a retail license and refusing inspection. The case was argued by the Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund.
***
Note: I’ve just added an emailing option at the end of blog posts. This is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time—now you can easily send posts around to friends and associates.
So here is my comment of which I have to leave a few facts out.
As to the inquiry by an Organic Valley official to DATCP it is my understanding from a clarification e-mail forwarded to me… it was a effort to clarify the States wavering position on raw milk in Wisconsin, for a long continuing disscusion about raw milk which has really not been an issue till now.
Inflammed by a few producers who seem to be upset on the current quota system inacted by Organic Valley, at a time when milk production was at more than demand and the few upset producers floated the idea of dropping all raw milk producers who provide milk locally(raw) from Organic Valley system.
This is a cooperative so all have members have a voice, and this issue has been in the thoughts of the Founders as well as producers for sometime.
The response from the DATCP official is one that is common place for a Ag employee to offer given the State has freindly relations with most of the dairy industry and can count on that dairy industry for help if needed.
However…..Organic Valley is not a friend with benefits with DATCP, nor did they give out any names to DATCP…yes there are Organic Valley producers on the list of 18…but they were there before the inquirey.
As we will see in the near future Organic Valley will be the happy medium of our food system.
Big organization with regional and local sensitivities…and more so as these next months play out.
There is room for everybody at this table we call sustainable..for ether to elbow either away from the table will only complicate our ability to provide choice, and good health to all who choose it.
Tim Wightman
Oh yeah…in high school history class when we were studying Nazi Germany.
Bob Hayles
http://www.juicymaters.com
Every time you are in contact with an elected official or government bureaucrat, remind them, "We don’t work for you. You work for US."
Say goodby to raw milk in South Dakota??? Another effort to trample our rights???
SD AG proposes new "rules" for raw milk.
http://www.state.sd.us/doa/das/Raw%20Milk%20Rules%20Oct%202009.pdf
No "person" shall "offer" or provide raw milk for human consumption UNLESS_____
No milk "producer" may "offer" or provide raw milk for human consumption on the farm "premis" UNLESS _______
UNLESS = YOUR PAPERS PLEASE does this sound a bit like NAZI Germany? Have we forgoten WWII history so soon?
And they didnot leave the consumers out.
COUSTOMER LISTS WILL BE REQUIRED So if you buy raw milk your name will be registered with the AG Dept. LIKE IT OR NOT WE ALL HAVE SKIN IN THE GAME NOW!
Their hatred for raw milk the king of all foods is utterly astonishing.
Perhaps raw milk is just like that ugly little dog in the Wizzard of Oz that pulled open the curtain exposing the awful evil system that was controlling them.
Can we ignore history because it could never happen to us here in the land of the free?
Attorney General Sues Farmer for SELLING Raw Milk in Parking Lot.
Its OK for farmer to sell raw milk on the farm but he is a criminal for "selling" in a parking lot.
DO WE HAVE ANY ADULTS LEFT OPERATING OUR SO CALLED LEGAL SYSTEM?
Is this utter madness or not???????????
http://www.kspr.com/news/local/72113102.html
yesterday at OPDC was magical. About 80 people gathered by mostly word of mouth to celebrate Sally Fallon Morell visiting OPDC for the first time. We have some Raw Milkers fly in from LA and land on the dirt strip and others drive from arround CA to meet and greet.
Three awards were given for Raw Milk Revolutionaries of 2009. Sally, Hillori Hansen a chef in Fresno and Steve Plog who operates the hottest raw milk buyers club in LA with explosive growth and overjoyed consumers.
Each award winner received a plaque will all enjoying free raw milk and cookies. The entire group walked to see the cows in the pastures and it was just really wonderful.
If we had done any advertizing of the event 750 people would have come.
I ignor the stone throwers and the non participants. The stories of healing shared amoung the group further confirm paranoid ignorant non the non brain function of the sterile food lovers and the FDA Jim Jones leader….Sheehan with his Russian Roulette Punch Bowl of GMO, hormone and grain fed and Pastuerized White Lactose Intolerant dirty dead stuff that most people no longer drink in America.
Raw milk drinkers are liberated free people and follow their hearts, minds and healthy guts. The current paradigm is being starved by economic votes and bankrupcty looms for FOOD INC!!!
Mark