ruling on contempt of court charge fro Michael Schmidt

October 20, 2008

Michael Schmidt ruling venue change

To Sell Raw or Not To Sell Raw

THE MILKMAN’ MICHAEL SCHMIDT

Contempt of Court Ruling Will Be Given By Judge MONDAY OCTOBER 20TH

50 Eagle Street West, Newmarket at 9:30 am

With possible jail-time facing him, Michael Schmidt will find out Monday if he

has the legal power to continue providing raw milk.

On that day, Judge Boswell will rule in a Newmarket courthouse on contempt of

court charges arising from Schmidt’s refusal to stop offering “shares” in his

dairy cows - a roundabout way he devised to deliver pure, unpasteurized milk to

the people who want it.

“It is always a blessing to face the other side in front of a judge. We all are

humans and we all should stand for what we feel and think is morally right. Now

it will be up to the judge to rule.”

Schmidt is not your garden variety rabble rouser. “Raw milk” is sought out by

gourmet chefs for its flavor and by organic and “slow food” enthusiasts for its

organic, “untouched” properties. In 2007, famed chef Jamie Kennedy took up

Schmidt’s crusade, organizing a rally of urbanites against the province’s

draconian pasteurization laws.

This unlikely crusade dates to November, 2006, when armed officers from the

Ministry of Natural Resources raided Schmidt’s farm, seizing equipment and

computers. He was charged with failure to obey a written order to refrain from

storing and producing raw milk products. A month later - after losing 50 pounds

on a hunger strike - Schmidt brought a cow to the steps of the Legislature and

marked the end of his hunger strike by drinking a glass of milk directly from

the cow.

Michael Schmidt intellectualizes his passion in a productive and progressive

manner. This charismatic farmer not only represents the underdog, he is serving

as an inspiration for those who hope to fight the bureaucratic machine and win.

For more info, to set up an interview with Michael Schmidt, get GAT: Ingrid

Hamilton ingrid h/o: 416-482-6142 c: 416-731-3034

To download pictures, go to www.gat.ca/media

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Michael Schmidt

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