Good News! The April 15th joint senate hearings on the safety of raw milk, were considered a great success for consumers, retailers and producers alike.

It feels like another positive step forward.

[The following summary, with comment, is based on a report just posted on the Organic Pastures website].

Fewer raw milk consumers showed up at the hearings than expected (still numbering several hundred though). Even with that, verbal testimonies were received very late into the evening. Proceedings concluded around midnight.

The Irony of the Fight

Of the testimonies mentioned in OPDC’s (Organic Pastures Dairy Company) report of the event, one in particular, caught a painful irony that is faced by raw milk supporters and natural health advocates alike.

Christine Chessen (Columbia MBA), mother of three, strongly supported raw milk due to the positive immune changes she had observed in her children. This is a great testament to preventative health care from the source.

During her testimony she held up a bag of FDA-approved, child’s cold medicines which carried warnings on the labels informing of death and brain injury (government-sanctioned symptom relief with its inherent, potential dangers spelled out).

Christine’s frustration (and maybe yours as well?) …. Having to fight to retain the right for easy access to quality, immune-boosting, whole foods, while the same regulatory authorities endorse potentially, life-threatening medications, which only address the end result of what could have been prevented to start with.

Why didn’t the CDFA Show Up At the Hearings?
Significant points of note included the fact that the CDFA (California Department of Food and Agriculture) was not represented (they refused to participate). Their absence was described by Senator Florez as “a disrespectful affront to legislative oversight.”

University Panel Member Shocks Hearing - A statement by Dr. Culler DVM, UC Davis from the University Panel revealed that Europe uses a less-than-100 coliform standard, measured from the bulk tank with no illnesses associated! Dr. Culler acknowledged that this appeared to be a good standard (compare this to the less-than-10 coliform limit currently on the books via AB 1735.)

This revelation shocked even the most informed at the hearings. McAfee, in his article, indicated that the European standard of less-than-100 coliform level was easily achieved.

Good Organization With Specialist Panels - In addition to testimony from consumers, a number of well-organized, specialist panels contributed as well. These included a University Panel, Raw Milk Experts, Producers and Retailers.

Raw milk for pasteurization
is NOT the same
as raw milk for drinking purposes.

This was a very important distinction brought to light by the panel of Raw Milk experts.  Raw milk for pasteurization is NOT the same as raw milk for drinking purposes. The former is never tested for pathogens. Heavy reliance on the pasteurization is the main safe-guard.

Raw milk destined for drinking purposes, on the other hand, has in place, a strict set of procedures, practices and testing to optimize and monitor product quality. (My understanding is that happy, healthy cows, attention to detail and following proven methods = happy customers).   

A Spirit of Co-operation Was Evident - It appeared that the hearings were held in a spirit a co-operation with a true desire to find a workable solution to the issues at hand. Mark McAfee extended praise to Senator Florez’s handling of the evening by referring to the Senator’s “leadership, grace, humanity and visions for a better future”

Call For A Workable Food Safety System - To achieve this “better future” one crucial ingredient is the implementation of a workable, science-based, guiding, food safety system. Senator Florez’s closing comments included mention of HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) as furnishing just such a system. 

OPDC’s position regarding HACCP is that rather than being one simply handed down by the CDFA, it needed to be one that had solid controls, established by producers (with solid scientific backing) and audited by a third party.

To his credit, in 1997, Mark McAfee (founder of OPDC) became the first farmer to be certified in HACCP program development (at Chapman University).

April 25th is the next Showdown:
Another hearing in Hollister Superior Court is scheduled for this date  (Remember, this was the same court in which Judge Harry J. Tobias granted a temporary restraining order against the enforcement of AB 1735.) See previous post March 31st.

NOTE: This post is based on an update posted on the OPDC website. CLICK HERE to read the full article.

In support of continued education
and freedom of choice for Healthy Living.
Sven

For further resources on raw milk: http://www.raw-milk-facts.com/