Minnesota Officials Crack Down on Raw Milk Salesman

Earlier this year, Minnesota officials introduced a bill that would make things easier for farmers trying to sell raw milk.  Currently raw milk sales are legal in the state, but only if consumers drive to the farm to buy it. This new bill would allow farmers to sell at farmers' markets, buying clubs, and direct deliveries, making life simpler for both purveyors and consumers. Of course Big Dairy raised immediate objections, citing safety concerns, and sent a hoard of lobbyists to complain about the bill during the recent Dairy Day event with lawmakers.  But something tells me that the real objection is over losing the monopoly they have over the processing and distribution of the state's dairy production.

But away in the Minnesota Capitol is not the only place this battle is raging. The fight hit the streets, too. Minnesota officials are cracking down on the sale of raw milk — exactly the kind of direct sales that would be legal under the proposed bill — and organic farmer Alvin Schlangen is taking the hit.

On March 9, 2011, officials say they seized unpasteurized milk and uninspected meat that Schlangen was selling out of his van and a south Minneapolis natural foods warehouse. Schlangen counters that he was doing nothing illegal.  He runs a private food-buying club called the Freedom Farms Coop that provides local, organic, and grass-fed produce, meat, and dairy to 85 families in the Twin Cities metro area.  And yes, that includes raw dairy products. He is a farmer himself and also sells his organic, pasture-raised chicken and eggs. He says that because members contractually lease the animals from whence these products come, then they are raising them for their own private use and no inspections are necessary. Clearly state officials disagree.

Schlangen, however, is undaunted.  He claims that he will keep on selling his wholesome products even if it means going to jail. In a defiant statement, he said, "It is time for Minnesota consumers to stand up for their rights and stop settling for nutrient-deficient, subsidized commodity food that is the focus of our Department of Agriculture."

Schlangen is currently receiving help from the Farm to Consumer Legal Defense Fund, but we need to do our part to stand up for consumers' right to choose, too.  Sign our petition in support of Minnesota's raw milk bill. The state's Department of Agriculture should be focusing on improving access to quality food and supporting small farmers — not persecuting people like Schlangen.

Photo credit: gwire via Flickr