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Raw Milk Wars: Governments’ Attempt to Dictate What Foods We Can Consume

Raw Milk Wars: Governments’ Attempt to Dictate What Foods We Can Consume . Rutger’s University February 20, 2008 David G. Cox, Esq. What are the issues?. Is raw milk inherently dangerous? Is raw milk good for your health?

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Raw Milk Wars: Governments’ Attempt to Dictate What Foods We Can Consume

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  1. Raw Milk Wars: Governments’ Attempt to Dictate What Foods We Can Consume Rutger’s University February 20, 2008 David G. Cox, Esq.

  2. What are the issues? • Is raw milk inherently dangerous? • Is raw milk good for your health? • Do you have the right to produce and consume the foods of your choice? • What’s the public’s interest? • What is the role of government? Rutger's University Feb. 20, 2008 David G. Cox

  3. The position of the feds (FDA) • Intrastate sales are up to the States • Interstate shipments are illegal unless raw milk is sent to a processing facility to be pasteurized (21 C.F.R. 1240.61) • Yogurt, keifer, butter, and other dairy products (except cheese) must be pasteurized before consumed Rutger's University Feb. 20, 2008 David G. Cox

  4. The position of the various states • 28 states allow the sale of raw milk in one form or another, either: • At the farm • At retail outlets • Off the farm • Or some combination • 22 states prohibit it completely • “No person shall sell, offer for sale or otherwise make available raw milk for human consumption …” Rutger's University Feb. 20, 2008 David G. Cox

  5. Ohio Part 1 • Grade A producer • Herdshare operator • Grade A license revoked by the Ohio Department of Agriculture • ODA decision appealed to a court of law • There is nothing illegal about a herdshare operation, thus, unlawful to revoke permit • ODA had to pay attorneys’ fees Rutger's University Feb. 20, 2008 David G. Cox

  6. Ohio Part 2 • Raw milk sold as pet food • Regulated by ODA as commercial feed • “Stop sale” and “withdraw from distribution” order issued • Administrative hearing scheduled then withdrawn unilaterally by ODA • No basis for order • Case pending in state court Rutger's University Feb. 20, 2008 David G. Cox

  7. New York • Permits relinquished to the New York Department of Agriculture and Markets • LLC formed under NY law • LLC members contribute working capital and receive equity in the form of raw milk and raw dairy products • Escalated enforcement against the LLC • Case is pending in state court (now three actions) Rutger's University Feb. 20, 2008 David G. Cox

  8. California • New legislation enacted in California that limits coliforms to 10 in the bottle rather than in the bulk tank • No connection between presence of coliforms and presence of pathogens • No similar limit for producers of other foodstuffs • Bacteria limit for pasteurized milk is higher than limit for raw milk • Case pending in state court Rutger's University Feb. 20, 2008 David G. Cox

  9. Washington • Raw milk sales are legal in Washington • Raw milk sales are legal in Oregon • Farmer held liable for purchaser’s transport of raw milk across state lines • United States Attorney’s office charged farmer with criminal act • Case settled Rutger's University Feb. 20, 2008 David G. Cox

  10. Pennsylvania • Buyers club organized • Feds alleged the farmer was a “food establishment” • Feds requested registration of farm • Farmer refused • Issue unresolved Rutger's University Feb. 20, 2008 David G. Cox

  11. Nebraska • Farmer recognized by state as having cleanest operation in state • E. coli outbreak in two children • No evidence linking farm to outbreak • Children attended petting zoo, other extenuating circumstances • State refuses to produce public records Rutger's University Feb. 20, 2008 David G. Cox

  12. FDA/Centers for Disease Control • From 1998 to 2005, CDC documented over 10,000 outbreaks of foodborne illnesses for a total of 199,263 individual illnesses • Raw milk was associated with only 45 (0.45%) of these cases • From 1996 to 2005, FDA estimated: • Over 8,000 fresh produce E. coli O157:H7 infections • Over 6,500 egg infections • Over 1,500 sprout infections • Over 3,000 processed food infections • From June to December 2007, six people in MA died from consuming pasteurized milk (FDA never did shut down the facility) Rutger's University Feb. 20, 2008 David G. Cox

  13. Quotable quotes • Enforcing the law against the consumer “is not completely clear as to the legality. But if we enforce the seller aspects then this should stop the supply side.” (Ohio Milk Sanitation Board minutes, March 1, 2006) • Drinking raw milk is "like playing Russian roulette with your health." (John Sheehan, director of the Food and Drug Administration's Division of Dairy and Egg Safety, quoted in USA Today, 8/6/2006) • “Consuming raw milk may be harmful to health” and “raw milk, no matter how carefully produced, may be unsafe.” (FDA press release, 3/1/2007) Rutger's University Feb. 20, 2008 David G. Cox

  14. Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund • 501(c)(4) non-profit • Incorporated in Ohio • Consumer and farmer members • Lobbying, education and legal representation • Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, California, Michigan, Virginia, Nebraska, Utah, Kentucky . . . Rutger's University Feb. 20, 2008 David G. Cox

  15. Who decides? • David G. Cox • Lane, Alton & Horst LLC • Two Miranova Place • Suite 500 • Columbus, Ohio 43215-7052 • 614-228-6885 • dcox@lanealton.com Rutger's University Feb. 20, 2008 David G. Cox

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