A week of Contrasts
I continue to be fascinated with the dynamics surrounding the Raw Milk issue. On Monday I traveled to Sacramento to testify in the state
capitol before a senate committee on Agriculture and Food safety.
California is presently in the process of formulating new legislation
in respect to raw milk.
As you know, raw milk has been sold in California stores for decades and is under repeated attacks from the FDA and CDC with their manufactured cases against raw milk. (Just like here in Canada.) There has been no scientific proof to support their evidence or to justify their intentions to ban raw milk completely. At this Senate hearing, expert witnesses from around the world clearly provided well-researched evidence in support of raw milk. In fact, based on public records, pasteurized milk would be banned if the same measures were to be applied.
Senator Dean Florez, who chaired the hearing together with the most senior Senator Edward Vincent in the Capitol, spelled out the goal of the hearing: We want to be leaders in regulating raw milk in a way that respects the farmer, the consumer and, at the same time, addresses the concerns of food safety.
 Hundreds of people attended this hearing. Senator Edward Vincent, speaking at the end of the proceedings, expressed his thanks to everyone and said that, for him, this was one of the best hearings he had ever attended in his entire political career. Coming from Canada, I found this to be an eye opener in terms of the political process. For years and years, we have been trying to engage ministers, MPPs and the Parliament in this issue in a constructive way. But have not listened to the people; instead, they have listened only to the lobbyists, forgetting who voted them in. In the meantime, Government is spending millions of dollars to prosecute farmers and intimidate consumers.
Yesterday I attended the Total Health Show in Toronto. Prior to the event, Toronto Public Health threatened the Convention Centre and the show’s organizers if I showed up with raw milk. During my lecture, they ordered a security guard into the room and had two health officials present whose mandate was to arrest and escort me out if I made raw milk available to the audience. (Remember last year when we and the audience toasted the Queen of England with raw milk in hand?)
The organizers of the Green Living Show, to take place April 25-27, have had to suffer exhausting meetings with health officials bent on preventing us from doing anything that would promote the cause of raw milk. Bill Clinton is to be the key speaker.
Ontario health officials are totally obsessed with control and are out of touch with what consumers are asking for. There is trouble brewing and they know it. Consumers are beginning to wake up. Consumers will not accept police state-like controls. Consumers are asking for constructive partnership, for dialogue and communication.
As much as we are criticizing the United States, one thing I learned when I testified at the Senate hearing was that there are real human beings listening and trying to develop, through dialogue, legislation that benefits its citizens.
Dear Ontario Government, dear Health Officials, we will not stop demanding our rights, we will not stop making you accountable and we are not afraid to face your irrational actions of power. Do not forget that there is a lot of People Power; do not forget that we are not afraid to express our mind and our will.
How much money have you spent on the Michael Schmidt’s Raw Milk case??????????????? Where is the rationale ???????
I am here to stand my ground and I am always ready to talk.
See you at the trial on May 23, 27, 28, 29, 30, and June 3 and 4 in Newmarket.
Warm regards
Michael Schmidt
More Photos from the Sacramento:
 
 
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