Post by Mitra on Mar 11, 2015 20:22:31 GMT -5
Please please please!!!! Big hearing tomorrow in Augusta Maine.
I received this e-mail today:
From: Weston A Price Foundation <info@westonaprice.org>;
To: 'Weston A Price Foundation' <info@westonaprice.org>;
Subject: Maine: URGENT - Hearing tomorrow - Support Raw Milk in Maine - Attend Hearing & Contact Legislators!
Sent: Wed, Mar 11, 2015 8:01:00 PM
Restore Unlicensed, Unregulated On-Farm Sale of Raw Dairy in Maine
Attend Hearing Mar. 12 & Contact Legislators
Act Now!
Two raw milk bills are up for consideration in the Maine legislature. LD 229 and LD 312 would both allow for the unlicensed direct farm-to-consumer sale of raw milk and raw milk products in Maine.
Please help restore unlicensed, unregulated on-farm sale of raw dairy in Maine. Attend the hearing and contact committee members!
For more information, see “More Information” below.
Spread the word and pass on this alert!
Action #1 - Attend the Committee Hearing on March 12
WHEN: 1:00 p.m. Thursday, March 12
WHERE: Cross Building, Room 214
111 Sewell
Augusta, ME 04330 [directions]
WHAT: Hearing before the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry
WHY: Having people in the room makes an impact on the legislators!
Action #2 – Contact Committee Members
Whether or not you can come in person, please contact all of the members of the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to urge them to restore direct farm-to-consumer sale of raw milk and raw milk products without licensing and inspection requirements.
See below for “Talking Points” and contact info.
Action #3 - Contact Your Legislators
If you are able, please contact your legislators and politely urge them to restore direct farm-to-consumer sales of raw milk and raw milk products without licensing and inspection requirements.
Don't know who represents you? Find out here.
More Information
It is legal to sell raw milk at farmers' markets and retail outlets under state licensing and inspection. Before 2009, it was also legal to sell raw milk directly from a farm with no licensing or inspection so long as the farm didn't advertise. This policy changed in 2009 when Dairy Inspection Services moved from the Animal Health Division of the Department of Agriculture to the Quality Assurance and Regulation division. The policy change happened within the agency and did not undergo a process of legislative oversight or public input. In every legislative session since then, there have been bills proposed to correct this and restore legitimacy in state law to on-farm sales of raw milk and/or milk products.
LD 229 would exempt from licensing "a milk distributor who daily produces for sale less than 20 gallons of raw milk or daily processes less than 20 gallons of raw milk into cheese aged at least 60 days, yogurt, cream, butter or kefir or other dairy product." Labeling and signage would be required; but sales can be at the farm, a farmstand or farmers market in Maine.
LD 312 would exempt on-farm sales of raw dairy products from state licensing and inspection requirements if the sales are made directly to an "end consumer" and if the consumer is allowed to visually inspect the farm, the farm does not advertise in any way, the farmer completes a course in dairy sanitation every three years and displays the course certificate at the point of sale. The farmer must also post at the point of sale the results of a water test.
Talking Points
The Maine Department of Agriculture allowed the unlicensed on-farm sales of raw milk for about 30 years before ending that practice in 2009. This bill would be codifying something that worked well for many years in the state.
Maine's neighbor, New Hampshire, has allowed the unlicensed sale of raw dairy products for almost three years, and there haven't been any problems since their law went into effect.
These laws would help boost the rural economy.
These laws would give consumers more freedom of choice.
WAPF and FTCLDF are partners promoting nutrient-dense foods and protecting pasture-based farms.
---------------------
Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund, a 501(c)(4) nonprofit, defends the rights and broadens the freedoms of family farms and artisan food producers while protecting consumer access to raw milk and nutrient-dense foods. Learn more About FTCLDF, or check out the FTCLDF 2013 Summary.
Membership benefits include the possibility of representation in court; FTCLDF typically pays for all court costs. FTCLDF is not an insurance company and cannot guarantee representation on all legal matters. Your membership fees and donations help to keep local food sources available and preserve family farms facing unjust enforcement actions.
Subscribe to Food Rights News RSS Feed or Visit us on Facebook!
Donations to the Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund are always appreciated though not tax-deductible. Prefer to make a tax-deductible donation? Contact FTCLDF by email at info@farmtoconsumer.org, or call 703-208-FARM (3276).
I received this e-mail today:
From: Weston A Price Foundation <info@westonaprice.org>;
To: 'Weston A Price Foundation' <info@westonaprice.org>;
Subject: Maine: URGENT - Hearing tomorrow - Support Raw Milk in Maine - Attend Hearing & Contact Legislators!
Sent: Wed, Mar 11, 2015 8:01:00 PM
Restore Unlicensed, Unregulated On-Farm Sale of Raw Dairy in Maine
Attend Hearing Mar. 12 & Contact Legislators
Act Now!
Two raw milk bills are up for consideration in the Maine legislature. LD 229 and LD 312 would both allow for the unlicensed direct farm-to-consumer sale of raw milk and raw milk products in Maine.
Please help restore unlicensed, unregulated on-farm sale of raw dairy in Maine. Attend the hearing and contact committee members!
For more information, see “More Information” below.
Spread the word and pass on this alert!
Action #1 - Attend the Committee Hearing on March 12
WHEN: 1:00 p.m. Thursday, March 12
WHERE: Cross Building, Room 214
111 Sewell
Augusta, ME 04330 [directions]
WHAT: Hearing before the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry
WHY: Having people in the room makes an impact on the legislators!
Action #2 – Contact Committee Members
Whether or not you can come in person, please contact all of the members of the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to urge them to restore direct farm-to-consumer sale of raw milk and raw milk products without licensing and inspection requirements.
See below for “Talking Points” and contact info.
Action #3 - Contact Your Legislators
If you are able, please contact your legislators and politely urge them to restore direct farm-to-consumer sales of raw milk and raw milk products without licensing and inspection requirements.
Don't know who represents you? Find out here.
More Information
It is legal to sell raw milk at farmers' markets and retail outlets under state licensing and inspection. Before 2009, it was also legal to sell raw milk directly from a farm with no licensing or inspection so long as the farm didn't advertise. This policy changed in 2009 when Dairy Inspection Services moved from the Animal Health Division of the Department of Agriculture to the Quality Assurance and Regulation division. The policy change happened within the agency and did not undergo a process of legislative oversight or public input. In every legislative session since then, there have been bills proposed to correct this and restore legitimacy in state law to on-farm sales of raw milk and/or milk products.
LD 229 would exempt from licensing "a milk distributor who daily produces for sale less than 20 gallons of raw milk or daily processes less than 20 gallons of raw milk into cheese aged at least 60 days, yogurt, cream, butter or kefir or other dairy product." Labeling and signage would be required; but sales can be at the farm, a farmstand or farmers market in Maine.
LD 312 would exempt on-farm sales of raw dairy products from state licensing and inspection requirements if the sales are made directly to an "end consumer" and if the consumer is allowed to visually inspect the farm, the farm does not advertise in any way, the farmer completes a course in dairy sanitation every three years and displays the course certificate at the point of sale. The farmer must also post at the point of sale the results of a water test.
Talking Points
The Maine Department of Agriculture allowed the unlicensed on-farm sales of raw milk for about 30 years before ending that practice in 2009. This bill would be codifying something that worked well for many years in the state.
Maine's neighbor, New Hampshire, has allowed the unlicensed sale of raw dairy products for almost three years, and there haven't been any problems since their law went into effect.
These laws would help boost the rural economy.
These laws would give consumers more freedom of choice.
WAPF and FTCLDF are partners promoting nutrient-dense foods and protecting pasture-based farms.
---------------------
Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund, a 501(c)(4) nonprofit, defends the rights and broadens the freedoms of family farms and artisan food producers while protecting consumer access to raw milk and nutrient-dense foods. Learn more About FTCLDF, or check out the FTCLDF 2013 Summary.
Membership benefits include the possibility of representation in court; FTCLDF typically pays for all court costs. FTCLDF is not an insurance company and cannot guarantee representation on all legal matters. Your membership fees and donations help to keep local food sources available and preserve family farms facing unjust enforcement actions.
Subscribe to Food Rights News RSS Feed or Visit us on Facebook!
Donations to the Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund are always appreciated though not tax-deductible. Prefer to make a tax-deductible donation? Contact FTCLDF by email at info@farmtoconsumer.org, or call 703-208-FARM (3276).