Shame on Senator Margaret Dayton, Utah District 15

Raw milk is under attack again. Utah's HB311

* It makes raw milk more available by allowing dairy operations to sell their raw milk in an outlet which is closer to consumers IF the dairy maintains total control of the milk under very regulated conditions and if the dairy owns at least 51% of the outlet.
* Wherever raw milk is sold, there must be an obvioius sign that the buyer is getting raw milk lest the consumer get confused that perhaps he is buying pasturized milk.
* It allows for raw milk to be sold ONLY in places where pasturized milk is not sold
* There are regulations and annual reports to the legislature required of dairys that sells direct to the consumer
* It eliminates the cow share program

Eliminates cow share programs! On her website the Senator says this about cow shares:

The Cow-Share Program operates this way: you want to buy raw milk and are told that you can only buy milk if you own a part of the cow. You agree to buy a part of the cow. You pay approx. $15 to buy a part of the cow. No designation of what part you own is necessary :) You can now buy raw milk - and you never have to meet your cow or her caretaker. This is the most unregulated part of the raw milk operation in Utah.

It is brazenly obvious that she has never known anyone in a cow share program. People who buy local foods know the farmer and know the animals. That's the reason to buy local.

So apparently, Rhett Roberts, President/CEO of Redmond Inc. (801) 361-9893 is behind this bill in consortium with Farm Bureau (oh, no, not them).

From an email exchange between him and Sally Fallon (Weston A. Price)

We have the full and genuine support of the department of agriculture - they have been very cooperative. Also the overwhelming support of the Farm Bureau - passing the annual meeting with a 95% + vote. We have the earned the trust and confidence of the top officials at each of these organizations - and of top legislators as well. There is a feeling of cooperation going forward rather than a "hope it fails" or "out to get you" attitude. And we have worked to get the Health Department and the Dairy Industry to a "no opposition" position as well.

So here we go again, Farm Bureau, Ag Dept, Health Dept, Dairy Industry. What's missing? Oh, yeah, those pesky small farmers who are trying like mad to earn a buck.

Because of this, I am boycotting Redmond Sea Salt, which I have used for years on all of my livestock animals. I encourgage you, dear reader, to do the same. Look above for Rhett's phone number and give him a call expressing your concerns, doubts and displeasure.

While you are at it, click through and read this North American Union - Raw Milk Action Alert so you can see how it all ties together.

Again, America it is time to WAKE UP!

Farm Food Voices 2007 Recap

A Very Brief Letter from Farm Food Voices DC 2007

Greetings dear wonderful activists,

It was great!!!

We will post a more full account of Farm Food Voices DC 2007 on the NICFA and VICFA websites when the aftermath flurry has settled a bit, but here is a 'note' for now. I imagine others who were there will post letters from the event--I know Sharon Zechenelli--who drove down from Vermont in the snow with Sally Beckwith--sent a "postcard" last night that Walter Jeffries has already posted (http://www.nonais.org), and Kathryn Russell, of VIrginia, has posted a brief write-up on several e-groups, including Americans_Against_NAIS@yahoogroups.com and sayno2nais@yahoogroups.com.

Our purpose for holding this event was for us, the local/sustainable/independent farmer/consumer world, to become real to the legislators in Washington, and we accomplished that. As Joel Salatin said in his inspiring talk, this marked the beginning of this "movement."

As best as we can figure, we had about 250-300 visit the reception. It was a somewhat mobile crowd, as is the nature of that type of reception, but it looked like about HALF of the people were legislative staff and congressmen. That's pretty amazing! A veteran DC lobbyist friend of mine who joined us said there were about 3 times as many people there as he had expected on a day like yesterday--in addition to the weather it was a very busy legislative day on the Hill (Capitol HIll). We suspect that probably five, or more, times as many of our people would have been there if the freak weather had not bound them in. Those who were able to come included folks from, Arkansas, Tennessee, Vermont, Pennsylvania, Michigan, West Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, New Jersey and Florida, that we know of. Sid Sargent from Arkansas took a 31 hour bus ride to come, and waited in the Cannon Office Building from 8:00 a.m. until she could in to the reception; Karen Sylvester from Tennessee arrived by bus in DC yesterday morning at 4:00, stayed in the bus station until she could get in to the Cannon Building, then had to get back on the bus at 1:00 p.m. for her return home. Both Sid and Karen walked the halls delivering copies of the Talking Points to all the legislators. Thank you Sid and Karen!! We are hugely grateful for all the efforts everyone made to participate in this in any way. Every effort, from every person, matters. Those who did so much in preparation, only to be thwarted by a rare ice storm, need to know their presence was felt, even if their bodies were not there.

The Congressmen we know attended included Ron Paul, of Texas, who spoke with eloquence and passion; Virgil Goode, of Virginia, who proudly wore a VICFA button; Bob Goodlatte of Virginia, who also spoke briefly--and who has been talking openly with us about this since last summer; a congressman from New Jersey; and Congressman Salazar of Colorado. We are pretty sure there were others, so if anyone who was there knows who they were, pls. let me know. As mentioned before, there were dozens of staff aides and legislative assistants, representing their respective Congressmen and Senators. We had a great talk w/Curtis Ellis, aide to Rep. Steve Kagan (D-WI, member of the Ag. Committee) who asked us about the Farm Bill, and he sent us a copy of a press release Kagan put out last night that included the following: "The solution to our health care crisis will come from our farms and our diet as well as our hospitals and research laboratories. We must help our small farmers maintain their way of life." I don't know for a fact that our event was an influence, but I'm inclined to believe it was. Pete Thomson, aide to Bob Goodlatte, will become famous when we post our picture of him drinking raw milk (I must confess, I handed him a cup and said, "Drink this while we take your picture," and he did, squawking a bit after when I told him what it was, but since he later ate raw milk maple ice cream--all provided by the Amish farmers who came, I didn't feel so bad...).



Many folks had made appointments with their state legislators, and we would like very much to hear back from those folks!!!

The food was awesome. Jon and Nina White came down from New Jersey w/their artisanal raw, aged cheeses and fresh breads, and we overflowed with superb offerings from Weston A. Price folks in the DC area and dishes others drove in with from Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland and perhaps elsewhere. A group of about ten Amish farmers from the Lancaster, PA, area came with their exquisite raw milk, cream, butter, yogurt and ice cream. They blessed by their presence, as well as their food.

There is much more to tell. Planning is already started for next year....

Deborah Stockton, Editor
VICFA Voice

Localvore Project - Even if you aren't in Vermont you can do it locally

Click here for the Eat Local Winter 2007 Survival Guide.

The Winter Challenge is Coming!

January 29 to February 4, 2007

After the great success of our September '06 challenge, the Mad River Valley Localvore Project is excited to announce a Winter Challenge. The Eat Local Challenge is an event where participants pledge to eat only locally grown and produced foods - this time in the middle of the winter - an even greater challenge!

For the winter challenge participants will have the option of choosing to pledge for a meal, a day, or the entire week. We've posted a special page of recipes which can be made from locally available foods in the winter, as well as a list of where to find local ingredients in the Mad River Valley.

Farm Food Voices, DC 2007

***ACTION ALERT***
Farm Food Voices, DC 2007
National Grassroots Small-farm Lobby Day, February 14th
[No experience needed!]

Joel Salatin, Speaker
Anti-NAIS, pro small/sustainable/independent agriculture

Under the banner of The National Independent Consumers and Farmers Advocates Fund
(NICFA Fund http://www.nicfa.net)

WHAT: Grassroots lobbying and legislative reception
WHERE: Washington, DC
WHEN: Wednesday, February 14th, 2007, 12:00 noon
WHY: So legislators can meet small, sustainable producers and the consumers who depend on them and hear their message.

Most federal legislators don’t know we exist, or take us seriously. We have to change that.

Jointly organized by the Virginia Independent Consumer Farmers Association (VICFA) and the Maryland Independent Consumers and Farmers Association (MICFA), Farm Food Voices, DC 2007 will bring America’s farmers and the consumers who depend on them from all over the country to DC to meet legislators, explain to them why NAIS would destroy sustainable agriculture, the economies and communities these small farms sustain, and the foods millions of consumers depend on.

We will provide Talking Points for grassroots lobbyists and information packets for legislators.

Weston A. Price Foundation members in the DC area will prepare a nourishing Traditional Luncheon style reception, with food sampling, for legislators and grassroots lobbyists.

(We’ll meet in one of the Congressional office buildings. See http://www.nicfa.net for room closer to date).

AGENDA: 12:00 – 12:50

Reception 1:00 -- 3:00 Individually lobby legislators from your state Meet at noon in reception room Joel Salatin will address grassroots lobbyists and legislators, followed by Q and A Mingle with and speak to legislators and staffers during reception

1:00—disperse to meet with representatives and senators of your state to tell them about small producers and that NAIS is another big government program that discriminates against small farmers.

We oppose any government funded or managed National Animal Identification System.

ACTIONS: Come to Washington DC February 14th. Call the U.S. Representative and Senators from your state NOW and make an appointment to speak with them OR THEIR STAFF MEMBERS February 14th. (Staffers are just as important!!!). When you call them for the appointment, invite them AND THEIR STAFFERS to the legislative reception at noon. (See http://www.nicfa.net for room closer to date).

Find your legislators (enter zip in top of left column)

Event information: http://www.nicfa.net
email: editor@vicfa.net
Phone: Richard Bean 434.263.8704

Comments from Let Andy try it

Four comments to one entry, that's a first.

Tony says:

this is the first time
I've seriously felt like
giving up meat. For some reason,
the idea of not knowing
whether the meat I'm eating is
cloned makes me more queasy
than any slaughter house
documentary or e-coli pandemic.
I see an immediate crash in
hamburger consumption

I say, Tony, don't give up meat. Better for you if you locate a local grass farmer and buy sustainable meat and produce that way. The meat from the grocery store, cloned meat aside, comes from Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) where the cows are fed corn which ruins the pH of their rumins. When the pH of the rumins is put out of balance the animal gets sick and needs to be given antibiotics and other drugs. The meat that comes from the grocery store is filled with the drugs they give the animals. It boggles my mind that the mainstream media who is always trying to help us get healthy never, ever advises that people should stop shopping at the grocery store. Check out SlowFoodUSA.

----------------------

These next two comments had the ip address and name server of the FDA

150.148.0.0 - 150.148.255.255

Anonymous said... i guess ignorance reigns on this blog; once it has been cloned, it's an animal, stupid, no different from any other. It's like saying you won't let your kids play with the neighbors kid created through IVF, because we still don't know, maybe they carry disease..

and, Grandma, virtually indistinguishable means just that, no conspiracy here; two hamburgers from cattle procreated by AI (cows and bulls don't have sex on farms BTW) are also virtually indistinguishable, they are not the "same" since they are two different hamburgers

I am ignorant because I have an immediate emotional reaction to the idea of cloning?
A public servant has called me ignorant and stupid right to my face. That is very rude. You shouldn't be rude to me, rather you should try to learn from me.

Comment number 2 from the FDA.

Anonymous said... can you read?!? try this again, when the hot flashes subside:To produce a clone, the nucleus of a donor egg is removed and replaced with the DNA of a cow, pig or other animal. [Wait a minute. What did FDA say cloning didn't involve? "Cloning is not the same as genetic engineering, which involves altering, adding or deleting DNA; cloning does not change the gene sequence." DNA is added or it isn't? ]

The DNA is moved into the nucleus, it is not altered and nothing is added or deleted

If you take the nucleus (contains DNA, right?) out of an egg, that is the same as deleting it, right? Then you replace the DNA with some other DNA, isn't that the same as adding it? So the egg is altered, right? See above.

Mr or Ms FDA Person, let me ask you...would YOU sit down to a nice beefy piece of cloned meat? Would you take the milk from a cloned cow straight or would you stir in some Ovaltine?

God is going to pay all you bureaucrats back for tinkering with nature.
---------------------------------


The next one isn't from the FDA.

Anonymous said... Why will they not label it! Then people can decide if they want to eat cloned or GMO.

Dear Anon,

Your food that you buy in the grocery store contains a high amount of GMO ingredients and they are not labeled. Some reports say that 60 - 70% of ingredients in prepared or canned foods are GMO. Here is a list from True Food Now that lists gmo and non-gmo products. You might want to read Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan. When you find out all tht GMO corn is made into you will be shocked.

We need to get the FDA to mandate truth in labeling.