By Liz Donnelly, the Family Fitness Guru
In April of 2009, I drove to Harrisburg, Ohio on a beautiful spring day to attend a conference all about raw milk. I am so fascinated by this topic and wanted to know why don’t I have access to it like most other things. Is it really as dangerous as “they” say? What makes it “illegal”?
I walked in after Gary Cox, Esq. (General Counsel to the Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund) began his presentation (oops - that’s what happens when you get lost on the back roads of Amish country). After listening to Gary explain the laws revolving around the Ohio dairy industry and how it isn’t illegal to sell milk, then I really became intrigued. Believe it or not, Ohio Revised Code (O.R.C.) 917.33 criminalizes the drinking of raw milk. It says that it is a misdemeanor of the fourth-degree to consume raw dairy. So if you cross state lines and have a glass of raw milk, then you can’t drink it? Huh? But it’s okay so smoke cigarettes? (Hey, I have a tub of coconut oil in my kitchen, when will it be illegal to consume that?)
I digress. Nonetheless, there are no criminal sanctions with regard to selling raw dairy. O.R.C. 917.05 refers to the federal regulation that all dairy has to be pasteurized (21 Code of Federal Regulation -C.F.R.). Ohio cannot legally enforce this because it is unconstitutional. (Remember, government’s job is to protect its people not tell us what we can eat/drink.)
If you want to look up more legalize go to: http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/917.
Incidentally, there is no code discussing any health problems associated with raw dairy products.
Why, I asked myself, can I not obtain this milk for my family at the local grocery store? Don’t I have a right to choose? Is this somebody’s idea of a practical joke? (I have to credit my brother Tim with that line, because this situation is as absurd as that.) I think the government leaders need an intense bootcamp training and be force-fed healthy foods so that they detox their evidently warped minds (and, no doubt, bodies) get back into reality. Anybody up for the task?
Anyway, I learned a lot. Sitting among Amish farmers, consumer advocates and co-op organizers, I also knew that I was in good company. These are real salt-of-the-earth people, who make a simple living but provide a powerful service: solid nutrition for our families.
Well, wouldn’t you know, I just so happened to pick a seat next to another speaker, Tim Wightman of Yore Farms. I didn’t know Tim. He didn’t know me. But when we had a break, I asked him what he does. He’s a dairy farmer! How cool is that?!
Tim is also the President of the Farmer-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund. I didn’t know that at the time and I had just become a member so that I could legally access the raw milk that I want. He didn’t know that about me either.
Tim agreed to be interviewed and shared some amazing insights about his business. If you haven’t already seen the posts, then I urge you to look for his video on my April 22 and May 3, 2009 posts.
One thing that really struck me was the following comment he made:
“Corporate industry knows that if they remove the comparison that small families can do a better job then they can at producing food and keeping people healthy, then no matter how many food borne illnesses you have per year, it won’t matter because it will seem normal.”
-Tim Wightman of Yore Farms, Arcana, Ohio
Stop and think about this quote and ask yourself if the food you’re consuming is truly promoting your health. You’ve heard about the numerous outbreaks of food-borne illnesses. Each year there are 76,000,000 cases in the U.S. Salad greens and chicken rank the highest in harmful pathogens. Raw milk is among the lowest, with 60 cases of SUSPECTED outbreaks each year. There are an estimated 500,000 raw milk drinkers in the U.S.
In part II of “Why is Raw Milk so Controversial?” I’ll discuss some specific health benefits of it.
For now, watch my interview with Tim Wightman and be sure to post your comments.
Liz Donnelly is a proud member of National Association of Professional Women, International Youth Fitness Association, Lakewood Early Childhood PTA and Junior Women’s Club of Lakewood and mother of three. She is the Owner, Fitness Trainer and IYCA-certified Youth Fitness Specialist for Training by Liz, LLC. She also runs a blog on family fitness at www.FamilyFitnessGuru.com. For comment or to request speaking engagements contact info@familyfitnessguru.com.
Copyright 2009 by Training By Liz, LLC. This article is not to be reprinted in any format without the express permission of Liz Donnelly or Training By Liz, LLC.
