When last I saw Glen Wise,a Mennonite dairy farmer, it was early May, just after he had been exonerated on two of three citations from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture for selling raw milk without a license.

He said he would appeal his one conviction to a higher court, and hopefully set a precedent allowing private sales of raw dairy products without a PDA raw milk permit, which prohibits sales of non-milk dairy products (cream, butter, soft cheese). Seems straightforward enough.

But as often happens in the world of raw milk, things tend not to be as straightforward as they appear.

The appeal and some additional PDA citations against Glen are all on hold as he tries to figure out what to do. All the publicity hes received about his case have placed him in the limelightand thereby turned him into an individual with important symbolic value to both sides in the struggle for nutritional freedom.

The PDA wants him to give up his struggle by obtaining a raw milk permit. It has strongly encouraged him to obtain his permit, suggesting the citations will be dropped if he does. It is ever more concerned that ever-increasing numbers of Pennsylvania dairies are refusing to obtain raw milk permits because the permits prohibit the dairies from selling non-milk products.

Glen is now pursuing a raw milk license, and is in the process of having his cows tested for standard plate count, somatic cell count and coliforms. The test for coliforms is giving him trouble, though, and after passing two of three required tests a few weeks back, his milk came in on the third test at just above the ten-coliform-per-milliliter limit (based on testing at the bulk tank). Hes in the process of trying a new series of three tests.

Hes following this path, he says, to satisfy elders at his church, who dont like their members to get into government spats. One of the major reasons to go forward with the PDA is so I dont cause offense with others in the church, he explains

They promote the idea of going along with the government as long as its not against Gods word or the Bible, he says. They dont feel the prohibitions on milk products are against Gods will.

His customers and other supporters would like him to continue the fight, he says. Its so obvious that the PDA wants to make Glen a poster child for the (raw milk) permit, says Bill Reil, a constitutional law expert who has been advising Glen and other Pennsylvania raw-milk farmers. PDA is taking advantage of Glen’s Mennonite affiliation, Glen believes.

A big part of Glen wants to continue the fight. I made my decision to go for a raw milk license, he says. Then Im not sure after all. Hes thought about doing a cow share, but doesnt want to deal with all the paperwork. He harbors a faint hope the PDA will recognize sales by dairies to members of CARE (Communities Alliance for Responsible Eco-Farming), the private buying group, but realizes this isnt likely.

The bottom line is that Glen Wise doesnt know what he will do. He is a man in the middle of a struggle that is becoming ever more political.

Expect to hear more about the challenges facing Pennsylvania raw milk producers at an all-day program Saturday on raw milk issues in Lebanon, sponsored by the Pennsylvania Independent Consumers and Farmers Association.