Will Raw Milk Soon Be Banned in California?

I am appalled at the current onslaught on natural and organic, healthy foods in various places. Are you Dr. Mercola, and is anyone else, familiar with Immunocal? This is a very basic, life-saving milk whey protein, very carefully produced to maintain the fragile milk protein. I know of many people, including myself, whose lives have been substantially affected and changed by using this marvelous product. The company, Immunotec Research, is actually Canadian, but produces also in Washington. Let's make sure Washington doesn't "catch" its neighbor, California's, concern about beneficial bateria in milk, or any other food. Immunotec has a website, visit it and learn more; they have many other health promoting products, and all are sold through network marketing -- no, not a pyramid based on numbers of salespeople, but network, based on real products. The company's products and production processes have just been approved by Canada's equivalent of the FDA and has the official seal of approval, which actually is a good thing in Canada. We all know the real reasoning behind such U.S. laws: let's get rid of all products that promote and maintain health so we can become even more obscenely rich making drugs to suppress (not cure, you notice) the deleterious effects of DENATURED and SYNTHETIC "food". Good Luck to us all in this battle. Gaye Leslie

re: Will Raw Milk Soon Be Banned in California?

itsrawcremedelamoo — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 22:55:36 GMT

My husband and I started bottling organic raw milk in Arizona first in March 2005, then again in October under the name Creme de la Moo until we sold the operation in June 2006. The parameters CA is now trying to enforce are federal mandates Arizona adopted and under which we had to comply. We tested every batch of milk we bottled and were able to meet requirements. While the operation we began continues under new ownership and a new name, Save Your Dairy; they too, have continued bottling and distributing raw milk uninterrupted since late June 2006.

Don't be deterred. Meeting requirements of under 10 PPB Coloform does require due diligence testing the milk, impeccable animal health, animal care, equipment cleanliness and a cold chain on the milk after it leaves the cow, but it can be done. We did it and got it going again in Arizona doing it when we lost two herdsmen lined up for the job and we weren't farmers at the time. We lost our vet thanks to the powerful hand of AZ's state dairy co-op and were not able to secure a professional on-site herdsman for 9 months. We sold out to move on to other projects, but are thrilled at what we were able to get going in Arizona. We encourage Mark McAfee and Claravale Dairy to buckle down and do what needs to be done to keep raw milk in the CA marketplace.

re: Will Raw Milk Soon Be Banned in California?

GR8GRMPA — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 23:17:09 GMT

I'm a 70yo GR8GRMPA and the first raw milk I had was as a baby on my Grandparents farm. Then as a youngun I worked on a dairy farm. I can remember, sanitary conditions were not the greatest. And we sure put away a lot of that ole' high coli milk. Currently, I consume 3 to 4 one half gallon jugs of RAW MILK a week from Organic Pastures. Yeah, 70yo, not on an MEDS, except my 8 or so Heineken's I drink every night to go with a few Indian cigarettes that I smoke and have enjoyed all my life..

HOGWASH....i'm very active and healthy, the organizer of the Palm Springs Ron Paul MeetUp Group. This AB 1735 is just a sneak attack thru the backdoor by the marionettes and puppets of the BigCorp. I fired off my emails to let them know what I think.

Yes....Ron Paul the only one of 535 on th Hill who stands apart.

The only 2008 Presidential Candidate either Dem or Rep, that has NOT been bought and paid for by the multinational global corporate cartel. Wake up "Sheeple"

re: Will Raw Milk Soon Be Banned in California?

cin_203 — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 19:16:50 GMT

Please circulate this article to EVERYONE you know to gain the support that is needed to stop this ban from happening. In my opinion it should have been the subject line for this edition of the Mercola newsletter.

The way Claravale Dairy was deceived is appalling and if anyone needs our immediate help it is the raw dairies of California. If this bill goes into effect it will be one giant step backwards for the future of real food.

www.organicpastures.com/ab1735_landing.html

thanks folks.....

re: Will Raw Milk Soon Be Banned in California?

LORENLSMITHHughes — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 18:10:44 GMT

Only in America can I get all the experts together on any issue...Your comments are a joy and we will overcome. Together we can keep government off our table and out of our bed. I'll let them play with

highways and government schools which are directly their failures.....except you people learned to read and think somewhere! Here in California at thecounty level they have passed a law to keep open space to protect from fire. You have to cut down the tree, but they will fine you if its an oak and double it if you are cutting just so you can build a house. I think we should run this past the state attorney general and let different levels of government fight each other. Namaedeska

re: Will Raw Milk Soon Be Banned in California?

Jimmy78 — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 05:32:31 GMT

The government has gone overboard . . . again! Think about it. People can LEGALLY take all sorts of drugs. They get them from their drug dealers, doctors/ practitioners of Western Medicine. People take prescribed drugs that lead to symptoms that will require taking more drugs. And the FDA loves it! Oh, but heaven forbid that we drink raw milk . . . something that's natural and healthy for us. People have been drinking raw milk for thousands of years, and now our Government has deemed raw milk unsafe??? What about all the countless people around the world who drank raw milk and never really had a problem with it? I don't know if the public knows it, but the FDA now stands for something different . . . Fostering Disease Around.

re: Will Raw Milk Soon Be Banned in California?

ebatycki — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 23:43:06 GMT

I don't understand why we're allowed to sell and buy alcohol and cigarretes but not raw milk. Whatever happened to "drink responsibly" being up to us?

re: Will Raw Milk Soon Be Banned in California?

BrownCows — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 23:22:23 GMT

We also have a Grade A raw milk dairy in Texas. (Grass fed Jerseys in the Panhandle) As a practicing dairy veterinarian specializing in milk quality, and a producer of raw milk, perhaps I can shed a little light on this for everyone.

The coli and SPC measurements the government is looking at are indicators of non-pathogenic milk quality issues. As mentioned in other posts, the pathogenic gram-negatives are tested individually, and for our raw permit, numbers must be zero. Simply put, the SPC count is used as an indicator of basic equipment and udder sanitation. Coli counts are useful indicators of sanitation, but more importantly are good indicators of proper cooling times/temperatures.

The 10 or less coli, 15K or less SPC counts are very achievable with machine milking, but SANITATION IS KEY!!!!!! I'm not trying to bag on Organic Pastures, nor defend the govmint. On our dairy, I perform these tests in the milk quality lab of my vet practice. I would perform these tests and aim for these counts whether they were mandated or not. These counts, along with Somatic Cell Counts, are like the instrument cluster on your car's dashboard, alerting you to developing problems.

As a personal example, our own SPC jumped from 12,000 to 580,000 in one tank of milk (4 milkings). We dumped the milk to calves and immediately dismantled our system for cleaning/troubleshooting. Turns out to be a faulty gasket not allowing a valve to clean properly. Next tank's counts were under 10,000.

While I am aware of the Public Health Department's bias against raw milk, I don't think this is an attempt to "shut raw milk down." We consistently achieve these numbers. If Organic Pastures cannot, then perhaps they need to upgrade their equipment or procedures, or return to conventional dairying.

Adam Jackanicz, DVM

Brown Cow Productions LLC

www.mybrowncow.com

re: Will Raw Milk Soon Be Banned in California?

Cara_Shelton — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 16:30:23 GMT

I would encourage everyone to contact every media outlet possible and get this as much in the public eye as possible. Design leaflets to be distributed at your local health food stores (with manager approval). Contacting your representatives and the Governor's office is only part of the strategy. The responses I'm receiving from my letter campaigns are not very promising. They simply "don't care!" The truth needs to be exposed. This destructive, self-serving agenda of our governing bodies must be exposed. Let's make a real impact in this!

re: Will Raw Milk Soon Be Banned in California?

Cara_Shelton — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 16:05:31 GMT

The 10 ml coliform count is "achieveable." But is it "healthier" and safer? That is the question that should be asked. Raw milk drinkers count on most of those probiotics being in their milk, some of which are composed of coliform bacteria species. By lowering the count allowable, you are reducing raw milk's powerful impact on health. It appears the CDFA really doesn't care whether the 10 coliform are the "good" bacteria or the "bad" ones. If they did, they would have left well enough alone. Pathogen testing is already a law.

re: Will Raw Milk Soon Be Banned in California?

cin_203 — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 03:55:30 GMT

Forget the Governor who was quoted as saying "Milk is for babies, adults should drink beer". Way to go, Gov.

Write your letters to Maria and she may be able to talk some sense into that thick skull of his.

Reach her at...

First Lady Maria Shriver

State Capitol Building

Sacramento, CA 95814

Phone: (916) 445-2841

Fax: (916) 445-4633

Learn the facts by reading a letter written by Claravale Farm owner Ron Garthwaite. It can be found in it's entirety at www.iheartfarms.com.

This bill is clearly a way to force Organic Pastures and Claravale Dairies out of business and for the FDA and Dept. of Ag. to gain complete control over our entire food supply until there is nothing left but pasteurized, fumigated, GMO crap.

Get on the phone folks. They need your help whether you drink raw milk or not. Those of us who do will be raising our milk glasses to you.

re: Will Raw Milk Soon Be Banned in California?

Fair Meadow Dairy — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 03:22:40 GMT

I must concur with Jekuthiel. We have a licensed grade A raw goat milk dairy in east Texas. We already have the 10 per ml coliform count standard here in Texas. We have no problem staying within the standards. We currently hand milk but we do have machines. I have noticed that when we use machines the counts can be elevated. More than likely due to the machine system haboring bacteria even though it is washed and sanitized. With hand milking the milk does not come in contact with as many surfaces as with the machine milking. Besides we hand milk because it is healthier for the animal. Our somatic cell counts come back excellent also because we hand milk.

re: Will Raw Milk Soon Be Banned in California?

Cáemgen — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 02:57:36 GMT

I'll be faxing Arnold" office in the morning to voice my angry, and everyone here needs to due the same. All the details on what to do are at the Organic Pastures website.

re: Will Raw Milk Soon Be Banned in California?

Real Chi — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 02:47:38 GMT

this makes me sad.