OT: Mennonite Farmer Arrested for Selling Raw Milk to Other Mennonites

[Guest guest]

Hello,

I mostly lurk but I thought this story was important. If it is very

off-topic, dear moderators, you can remove it.

ami moore chicago

===============================

This is a long article about a man arrested for selling raw milk to

private customers. Read to the end and find the relationship again

between Hillary and Monsanto.

 

The milk here in MN is by Kemp's and is labeled rBGH Free.

 

Chris

MN

 

The Criminalization of Raw Milk A Mennonite Farmer is Hauled Away By

LINN COHEN-COLE

On April 25, 2008, in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, Mark Nolt, a

Wenger Mennonite (Horse and Buggy Mennonite) dairyman, threatened for

months with arrest for selling raw milk without a permit was removed

from his property by state troopers.

Jonas Stoltzfus, a friend, fellow farmer, and Church of the Brethen,

was asked by Mr. Nolt to speak for him, and said of the raid

yesterday - " Six state troopers and a man with the Pennsylvania

Department of Agriculture trespassed onto his property, and stole $20-

25,000 of his product and equipment. "

Mr. Stoltzfus explained that Mr. Nolt did not have a permit

because " he chose to turn his permit back in because it did not cover

all the products he was selling. He felt he was being dishonest

selling stuff that was not covered by the permit. He is a man of

great integrity. "

" According to reports from neighbors and the Farm-to-Consumer Legal

Defense Fund, several officials of the Pennsylvania Department of

Agriculture participated in the raid, and while Mark was being

transported by police car to the courthouse, PDA officials

confiscated $20,000 to $25,000 worth of dairy products and production

equipment. Neighbors reported the farm had been closed and that a

large group of officials had gathered, with videos prohibited. "

" Mr. Nolt was told that people had gotten sick from eating his food,

but no one ever came forward and no proof was ever offered. "

" This is a Gestapo raid, " Jonas Stotlzfus said, " complete with state

troopers, raiding a hard-working farmer selling milk to friends and

customers. And his customers ARE his friends. " Mr. Nolt

Mr. Stoltzfus said of Mr. Nolt, " he is not going to stop [selling raw

milk] til he is ready to stop. He is the equivalent of that little

black lady in Alabama who wouldn't go to the back of the bus. He is

doing the same thing, he won't go to the back of bus. " Mr. Stoltzfus

said " she got arrested for that and so did Mr. Nolt. He ignored [the

threat] and kept on selling. He is a courageous man. " Mr. Stoltzfuz

said " Mark believes it is his right to sell, according to the

constitution, just like it was Rosa Park's right to sit wherever she

wanted on the bus. Same deal. There is nothing in the constitution to

prevent Mr. Nolt from buying and selling, especially to his friends, "

Mr. Stoltzfus said.

Stoltzfus commented that Mr Sheridan of the Pennsylvania Department

of Agriculture (Stoltzfus does not have the spelling and believes he

is with the licensing division) used to work for Dean Foods and

Hershey Foods, big corporate operations, and that Sheridan

was " jealous that farmers make a better product " and called the raid

by Mr. Sheridan " a vendetta. "

This case is similar to that involving Meadowsweet Dairy LLC in New

York, in that both Pennsylvania and New York allow raw milk sales,

but adamantly oppose the sale of other raw dairy products.

Mr. Nolt was doing things the way his community has for generations,

selling milk straight from his cows to those he knows.

Mr. Nolt contends that the regulations have not been approved by the

legislature and shouldn't apply to him because he is selling directly

to consumers, via private contracts that are outside the purview of

the state, making a privilege out of a right he believes he has - the

right to private contracts. "

The permitting issue, ostensibly for food safety, is contradicted by

a look both at raw milk itself and at its competition, corporate

milk - pasteurized and often from cows injected with rBGH.

Four issues stand out:

1. INDEPENDENCE of farmer and customers

Raw milk: Farmer sell raw milk from their own cows, to neighbors and

friends at a price farmers set themselves, paid by people who value

their product, without a middleman.

A growing number of people prefer raw milk (unpasteurized milk),

considering it not only safe but healthier than pasteurized milk

because it is still rich in pro-biotics not killed off by

pasteurization. l

Farming communities have consumed raw milk for generations. The

exchange between farmers and neighbors play a central part in the web

of relations sustaining those communities. Yet raw milk is banned in

many states.

Corporate milk: Dairy farmers sell their milk to milk " producers " who

pasteurize it, may add things to it, bottle it, distribute it, often

at great distances. Dairy farmers must accept a price set by others,

in a large competitive market. Nothing in the process promotes local

farming communities.

" ...The system of influence and control..is highly skewed in favor of

the corporate and financial system. " - Vincente Navarro, (Professor

of Health and Social Policy, John Hopkins U.).

2. HEALTH

Raw milk:

" [For years, m]illions [in California] consumed commercial raw

milk, ... not a single incidence was reported. During the same

period, there were many instances of contamination in pasteurized

milk, some of which resulted in death. f we withdrew ... every

food type responsible for a case of food poisoning, there would be

virtually nothing left to eat. But only raw milk has been singled out

for general removal from the food supply.

" ... the bacteria in raw milk is the healthy bacteria of lactic-acid

fermentation while the bacteria in pasteurized milk is the bacteria

of spoilage. ... Both raw and pasteurized milk contain E. coli,

normally a benign microorganism. The most likely source of the new

strains of virulent E. coli is genetically engineered soy, fed to

cows in large commercial dairies. If there is any type of milk likely

to harbor these virulent breeds, it is commercial pasteurized

milk. ... Children fed raw milk have more resistance to TB, scurvy,

flu, diphtheria, pneumonia, asthma, allergic skin problems and tooth

decay. In addition, their growth and calcium absorption was

superior. " (In California, there is currently an effort to ban raw

milk.

" Four distinct groups of bacteria survive pasteurization....the strep

of pasteurized milk are the most frequent cause of rheumatic fever --

the most deadly disease of childhood.' " - USDA

Corporate milk:

During the Clinton administration, a new study was released " conclud

[ing] that milk from cows injected with [genetically engineered

bovine growth hormone - rBGH) increases risks of breast and colon

cancers in humans.

.....

" rBGH poses an even greater risk to human health than ever

considered, " warned Samuel Epstein M.D., Professor of Environmental

Medicine .... " The FDA and Monsanto have a lot to answer for. Given

the cancer risks, and other health concerns, why is rBGH milk still

on the market? "

Since 1986, independent scientists have expressed concern about the

lack of research on rBGH milk.

Michael Colby, Executive Director of Food and Water

said, " Monsanto 's claims that rBGH is perfectly safe have been

proven dead wrong today .... Only Monsanto is benefiting from this

drug. It's time for dairy companies to side with consumers by

adopting a policy that they will not allow rBGH, under any

circumstances, to be used by their farmers. "

Epstein said: " The entire nation is currently being subjected to a

large-scale adulteration of an age-old dietary staple by a poorly

characterized and unlabeled biotechnology product which is very

different than natural milk. "

In 2007 - when Mark Nolt was first arrested for selling raw milk

(natural milk) - a citizens' petition to the FDA on rBGH milk showed

30 scientific journals indicating an up-to-7-fold increased risk of

breast cancer, and an increased risk of colon and prostate cancern.

3. PROMOTION

Raw milk is sold primarily through word of mouth.

Corporate milk is promoted through large, expensive ad campaigns.

The California Milk Processor Board is now targeting teens:

" Goodby, Silverstein and Partners created a page on MySpace to

promote White Gold and the Calcium Twins, a team of new fictitious

characters turned rock stars who spread their love of and devotion to

milk through music. TV spots, print ads and PR will also support the

promotion.

" The Milk Processor Education Program ... is funded by the nation's

milk processors ... committed to increasing fluid milk consumption. "

http://www.thinkaboutyourdrink.com.

4. LABELIING

Raw milk is just milk. Those who buy it know that and seek it out for

that reason.

On the corporate side, Monsanto continues pushing bans on labeling

rBGH-milk. Customers usually do not know they are consuming rBGH milk.

During its approval process,

" FDA scientist, Dr Richard Burroughs concluded ... Monsanto was

manipulating the [test] figures. In 1989 he was sacked after

complaining to Congress ... To deal with the ... controversy Monsanto

assembled ...PR companies ... of which [bURSON-MARSTELLER] was one. "

During the Clinton administration, Monsanto employees were appointed

to run the FDA. Monsanto's rBGH - the first genetically engineered

product ever, was approved.

" [in]1994, people at the FDA [wrote] an anonymous letter to ...

Congress, [fearing] retribution ... The basis of our concern is that

Dr. Margaret Miller ... wrote the FDA's opinion on why milk from

[rbGH]-treated cows should not be labeled. However, before coming to

the FDA, Dr. Margaret Miller was working for the Monsanto company as

a researcher on [rbGH]. "

In 1996, there was a press conference on rBGH's medical risks. " Given

the potential health impacts of consumption of milk and other dairy

products derived from rBGH treated cows, all such products at a

minimum be labeled so that consumers are aware of what they are

purchasing and consuming. More prudently the FDA approval of rBGH

should be withdrawn until the agency performs adequate long term

testing ... "

" ... Wisconsin, Minnesota, California and Vermont attempted to

enforce labelling of milk produced with, and containing, this

hormone. Their efforts were thwarted by Burson-Marsteller acting on

behalf of these companies. "

Burson-Marsteller has been a long-term (now campaign) advisor to

Hillary Clinton, through its CEO, Mark Penn. And Monsanto's effort to

ban labeling of the milk continues today.

Banning of labeling of rBGH milk in effect puts millions of Americans

into a human experiment with genetic engineering, exposing them to

greatly increased risk of cancers. The Nuremberg Code makes clear

that experimental subjects must give informed consent.

Mr. Stoltzfus added up losses for Mark Nolt: " Trepass on private

property, private personal merchandise stolen, being deprived of a

significant amount of hard work he and his family put together. He is

being deprived of the opportunity to market his product now, they are

throwing it away. It's a shame. "

Mr. Nolt did not have a permit. He has twice lost thousands of

dollars of work or material, and faces jail.

Monsanto sells rBGH-milk associated with cancers, Clinton hired

Monsanto employees which approved their own genetically engineered

product, Hillary Clinton has been silent up to today about the risk

rBGH poses to women, PR firms strongly push the milk on all ages.

None face jail or fines for altered facts, for PR campaigns

encouraging even children to drink rBGH-milk, or for banning labeling

of it, which has put the entire US population at medical risk for

years. Monsanto, the Clintons, Burson-Marsteller and Goodby,

Silverstein and Partners are all making millions.

Mr. Nolt, released after being taken off by state troopers, refused

to accept a ride from them. He started walking. Friends gave him a

lift home.

Linn Cohen-Cole can be reached at: lcohencole

[Guest guest]

My MD, who eats and advocates a mostly raw all vegan diet, tells me

ANY kind of milk is complete poison and cancer/disease fuel. Vegan

anti-milk guy Robert Cohen (see notmilk.com ) says much as he

dislikes corporate agriculture and Monsanto, that raw milk is even

more dangerous. The Weston Price people seem particularly deluded

(see

http://www.vegsource.com/articles2/fuhrman_facts_fiction.htm )

 

As a long time vegan, I have no dog in this fight. As a long time

libertarian I believe if you wish to purchase and consume any

properly labeled item that has been shown to shorten or risk your

life, then that is your business, not the state's. As long as you

are not risking the lives of others or infringing upon their freedom

of action and enjoyment of their own life, then you should be free to

weed yourself out of the gene pool as you see fit, in fact I STRONGLY

encourage it.

 

Where the state's interest comes into play, legitimately, is in

protecting children. Let's say you purchase raw dairy because you

are stupid and misinformed and feed it to your children and they die

as quite a few have recently, then one can say the state did have a

responsibility to regulate or restrict the sale of the " food " you

gave to your children. This is no different than the state being

able to arrest you for not having your kids in child seats. Children

are helpless and from what I observe, many adults are stupid