The 2012 Legislative Session will be starting soon in Frankfort and the Legislative Research Commission (LRC) has released their publication "Issues Confronting the 2012 Kentucky General Assembly." On page 3 the issue of Raw Milk is brought up, so far no legislation has been pre-filed but they definitely seem to be anticipating it.
I believe this is due to public awareness and education about the issue by the TEA Party and local organic and raw milk farmers with viewings of the film Farmageddon, in which there were panel discussions by experts. There was push back from raw milk and organic farming community to the governor's office and Health Department over the legality of a recent raid the government committed against a food club in Louisville that had cow shares. This got quite a bit of public attention on the radio airwaves. Then the Republican candidate and now Agricultural Commissioner elect Jamie Comer a farmer, businessman and legislator recognized this as a freedom issue that needed to be championed. He even attended one of the Farmageddon events and participated in the discussion. While he cannot directly deal with raw milk as it has conveniently been placed under the Health Department instead of Agriculture, he can do something about organic farming in this state and we look forward to the ideas that will come out of his office in support of these issues.
The flip side of the topic of raw milk or as some call it real milk being inserted in to this publication could be bad. Why? Kentucky has no laws regarding cow shares and it is illegal to sell raw milk in this state. Stated earlier the raids have been on those that have cow shares. So while publicly the issue has been going in one direction, quite often the government goes the other direction limiting freedoms, liberty, private property and capitalism and this may turn into an effort to make their raids legal under the law.
Now what we need is a legislator to champion this issue in the upcoming legislative session. This should not be that difficult of a bill to craft. For more information, news, and model legislation on this issue I suggest visiting the Farm-to-Consumer website
Below is a preview of the Farmageddon movie
5 comments:
We have to remember that anything that is not illegal is legal. Laws are put in place to limit our freedoms. Cowshares are legal.
I don't want the states blessing. As soon as they make cowshares "legal", then we've given them permission to regulate the practice.
Constitutionally, they may not legislate this. Keep the hell away from me. AND do your job and keep the FDA the hell away from me.
I feel better now, lol!
wow, it is great to see this getting coverage!
I would note that rather than focusing on real milk, we should focus on FOOD FREEDOM legislation. Under the KY constitution, we should have complete freedom to purchase food from whoever we want raised under whatever conditions we deem suitable.
If you want to read more about what the FDA has been doing, and what a national group of us have been doing about it, you can check out a few articles here,
http://www.foodclubsandcoops.com/fda-throws-raw-milk-freedom-riders-a-bone-but-what-we-really-want/51/
I talked to someone that was trying to get a bill through. From what I was told, David Williams told this person it would be voted on, then the next day, he set the bill aside so that it would not be voted on.
In order to get this bill going, I believe we will need to contact all legislators and get them to sign off on it. If we get enough, it has to be voted on.
I don't see Mr. Williams changing, so what are your thoughts?
I agree Sally cow-shares or herd shares are legal since there is no law against it. However, that has not stopped them from raiding and while the pressure is on them now, what happens in 10 years. We have the 10th Amendment but that did not stop them either. Sometimes we have to be explicit in the other direction and sometimes that requires a few steps forward in order to take a lot of steps back.
Then you have the problem of it going to different committees. They will never put raw milk or real milk in an Ag Committee where it might pass because it falls under the prevue of health and the Food Freedom would go to either an Ag Committee or maybe a Constitutional Committee so even if Food Freedom passes, they may not consider milk in that category because of it falling under health. Not saying it should but just recognizing reality of how thinks work as opposed to how it ought to work.
Excuse me I meant a few steps backward to take more steps forward.
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