Dairy farmers rally against raw milk
CANADA - When Michael Schmidt appears in court some time in February, dairy farmers in Ontario will be following the proceedings keenly.Mr. Schmidt's farm in Durham, Ont., was raided by the Ministry of Natural Resources in November and he was charged with operating a milk-processing plant without a licence.
"It's an important health issue," said Bill Emmott, vice-chair of the board of Dairy Farmers of Ontario, which is holding its annual meeting in Toronto this week.
"Selling unpasteurized milk is not only against the law but is dangerous for health," he said yesterday.
Mr. Schmidt's efforts to sell raw milk has spurred a lively debate, with people who willingly paid a premium for "unadulterated" milk insisting their right to choose healthy food was at stake.
For licensed dairy farmers attending the annual meeting, there is no debate about the pros and cons of raw milk. "It's against the law. It's as simple as that," said Maryanne McDougall. "He needs to be stopped once and forever."
The sale of raw milk is illegal in Ontario, but Mr. Schmidt and about 300 "investors" are taking advantage of a loophole in the Milk Act that allows farmers to drink raw milk from their cattle. Investors can buy a share of one of Mr. Schmidt's cows, effectively making them part owners. Each one pays Mr. Schmidt $2 a litre for the milk.
Ms. McDougall, who runs a farm in the Niagara region with her husband, said she believed Mr. Schmidt had stopped providing unpasteurized milk in 1994 after a brush with health officials. "It's unfair -- our farms are regularly inspected, the quality of milk is regulated, and here you have this guy who breezes past the law."
Source: globeandmall.com