¡Join the fight!
In Eau Claire, Wisconsin, yesterday, four-hundred and fifty people showed up to offer 10 hours of testimony on state bills that would legalize the sale of raw milk in the Dairy State.
According to WSAU Radio in Wausau, "scientists, government officials, consumers, and farmers were among those testifying," and apparently the pros outnumbered the cons in the audience. The pro raw milk side was organized in large part by dairy farmer Vince Hundt, who bought a ton of paper hats for supporters of the legislation. Read more...
The raw milk fight has been heating up over the last year, with various states moving to legalize sales of raw milk. Raw milk dairy farmer Michael Schmidt's fight and win in Canada has certainly been encouraging to raw milk enthusiasts, and the publication of David Gumpert's Raw Milk Revolution, seems to have turned up the heat under the raw milk story, too.
But if I were looking for bigger watershed moments that mightactually change national opinion (or spark a deeper conversation), I'd watch the raw milk legalization debate in Wisconsin right now. Read more...
Via Jim Riddle at the University of Minnesota's Organic Ecology
A Look at the Newly Released Organic Pasture Rule Webinar by eOrganic
Join us for a Webinar on March 17
Space is limited.
Reserve your Webinar seat now at:
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/169941112 Read more...
In Georgia, lawmakers are introducing legislation to legalize raw milk. From the Jacksonville News:
"It will be regulated like any lawful milk product," McKillip said. "It puts it under the Department of Agriculture. If you're producing raw milk, you're under the same regulations as dairy farmers producing pasteurized milk."
With an interesting note in the comments: Read more...
New USDA Rules Establish Strong Organic Standards for Pasture and Livestock Read more...
I'm playing catch-up on a couple things after my horrible laptop crisis. One, of real importance to Minnesotan locavores, is the debut of Rochdale Farms cheese and butter. Jill Lewis at Heavy Table has the full breakdown on these new items, which have debuted at local, Twin Cities grocery co-ops, and which use milk from local Amish, sustainable, and organic dairy farms. Read up -- it's a good piece. Read more...
Last week, Fair Food Fight petitioned dairy farmers for their take on ABC's piece on dehorning, and it was an excellent discussion. Read the whole thread if you want a nice, strong cup of farmer know-how. Read more...
I speak to quite a few farmers on Twitter -- sustainable, conventional, and organic operations -- and I'm seeking comments to find out what they think about this. From ABC:
Via Cornucopia Institute: Family farmers from around the country, who produce organic milk, are petitioning president Obama, and the White House's Office of Management and Budget (OMB), for the swift adoption of new strict rulemaking that will rein in the abuses of a handful of factory farms they claim are violating both the spirit and letter of the federal organic law.
Read more...
Wisconsin has okayed creation of the largest CAFO in the state.
Rosendale Dairy, which we've reported about before, has been issued a permit by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, allowing it to expand its herd from 4000 to 8000 head, making the largest CAFO in Wisconsin. Read more...
