There's Strength in Numbers, But the Numbers Aren't There Yet; Mystery Illness at WAPF Session; Going Green with Bad Food

I found myself wondering, as I was writing about Georgia dairy farmer Bob Hayles yesterday: Where is this all going?

Are the farmers like Greg Niewendorp, Mark Nolt, and now Bob Hayles tilting at windmills? Is Mark McAfee doomed to be run out of business? Or are they the vanguard of a movement that will cause legislators and regulators to re-examine their often-arbitrary imposition of restrictions on small farms and their products?

So long as an occasional individual farmer stands up here and there, the authorities can focus their energies to keep things in check…even if he gets as big as Mark McAfee’s Organic Pastures.

Mark so far seems to be getting one big yawn from California’s authorities in response to his effort to change the recently passed 10-coliforms-per-ml standard. In an email yesterday to a top official of the California Department of Food and Agriculture, he stated: “CDFA has promised cooperation to assist raw milk dairies to achieve the new standards. We have received absolutely no communications, notice or assistance even though we have requested it from CDFA. What are we supposed to deduce from this scenario?”

Unfortunately, the answer is pretty plain. No clout, no action. So then the question becomes: How do you get clout?

I’ve discussed this issue with Greg Niewendorp, who stood up to Michigan authorities by refusing to have his cattle tested for bovine tuberculosis. While he is convinced other farmers in his area will stand up and be counted next year by refusing the bovine TB test, as he did, he’s not just hanging around waiting for that to happen. He is helping organize the National Independent Consumers and Farmers Association, an umbrella group for nine local chapters.

It’s still in its infancy, but if consumers support it and set up their own additional chapters, it can become the basis of a movement. Its oldest chapter, the Virginia Independent Consumers and Farmers Association, sponsors an annual "Legislators on the Farm Day," and keeps close tabs on legislative developments; its web site is worth a look.

The epitome of such a movement is the National Rifle Association, with nearly four million members, and today National Public Radio had an interesting segment on how it operates and gains its clout. One of its key functions is deluging legislators with letters opposing nearly all efforts to control firearms—and for many years it’s worked. Imagine if even a fraction of such efforts could be uncorked on behalf of raw milk or in opposition to the National Animal Identification System.

I’m glad milkfarmer expressed his concern about consumers who look to farmers to emulate Bob Hayles’ civil disobedience. While I am confident that if enough farmers similarly stood up, the regulators would have more brush fires than they could handle, that’s not the whole answer. Legislators care most about being re-elected, and they’ll respond if they see a threat to that objective.

To get there, NICFA and its local chapters need your support. Its web site has information for following up.

***

Another organization working on the education side of raw milk and other nutrition topics is the Weston A. Price Foundation. This past weekend, it sponsored a major get-together at a Marriott Hotel in Chantilly, VA, and it turned out to be not the healthiest gathering ever—some 60 attendees became ill with stomach upset, and half a dozen were treated in hospitals. (Apparently, other guests and visitors to the hotel became sick as well.) Steve Bemis, a Michigan lawyer who advises farmers challenged by regulators and comments frequently on this blog, was one of the victims. Seems it wasn’t any food (whew!), but rather something possibly in the hotel’s water, or air circulation system. Health officials are investigating (as this local news item summarizes). Maybe WAPF needs to meet on out in the country next time.

***

I know it’s probably not P-C, but there’s something grating to me about recognizing the nation’s largest producer of snack foods (Frito-Lay) because it’s trying to reduce its energy consumption, as the New York Times did today on its front page. I suppose I should be grateful Frito-Lay does anything positive—it’s just the recognition that bothers me.

Comments

[Sylvia]

I think the sporatic farmer and sporatic consumer speaking out or thumbing thier nose at the "system" won't work. It'll take the majority from both to be successful. To have a "Tea Party" per say, would need to be done in a fashion that would make the public be swayed to "the cause", should it become violent or the media broadcast it as something other than the true intent, that could sink the whole ship.

Organizing entities such as the National Independent Consumers and Farmers Association, would be a big help. As pointed out the NRA, and AARP are very strong entities. Ralph Nader did a good thing when he started out...He informed the public on many wrongful things, exposed the slack govt, etc. If the NICFA exposed not only the factory dairies, but also the rest of the food industry, that would certainly open peoples eyes, and we all know that the majority of people love Robin Hood. Sticking up for or assisting the underdog is always a good thing.

As for Frito, I wonder if they are "going Green" becasue of the increase in the cost of oil,, you can only ask so much from consumers before they quit buying. If they are just now "going Green" I can only assume it is a money issue, and not to lower emissions. Chips are way overpriced. I'm not impressed by thier changes.

[Michael Richard]

There was a commentary on NPR a few weeks ago by former Secretary of Treasury Robert Reich. His take on companies going green is that no corporation does anything green, without there being a financial incentive to do so. Positive press for large corps turning green is only a side-effect/benefit of a purely monetary decision.

[Steve Bemis]

Public Citizen, which I think is Nader's creation, was the plaintiff which sued FDA in the middle-1980's in order to require that interstate shipments of milk be pasteurized. So, do-gooding can go too far, since the FDA lost that lawsuit and the current FDA regulation with which we struggle, is the result.

[Elizabeth McInerney]

Steve, What was their motivation for bringing that lawsuit against the FDA?

[Steve Bemis]

It appears to have been, plain old do-gooder mentality. California's Alta Dena dairy, which was eventually hounded out of business by the California regulators, and only a few others attempted to stand up for raw milk, and the judge was simply horrified about all the horribles that Public Citizen was able to dredge up. It was bad science, and a bad decision.

There was no Weston A. Price Foundation then, and there was no Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund, and there were far fewer people who valued their right to raw milk, so the FDA had little help (how ironic) in defending its case. FDA had actually resisted making such a rule for some 12 years before Public Citizen sued them. Once the judge said, make a rule regulating interstate SALES, the FDA elements who apparently had been in the back of the bus, rushed forward and grabbed the steering wheel, and the next thing we know, there was the very broad rule with which we struggle today, purporting to regulate much more than just interstate sales.

Moral of the story: I'd like to think, such a result would be much more difficult to come by today, since raw milk advocates are more vigilant, better organized and (getting) better funded. However, it ain't over until it's over, as we are seeing all over the country.

[Elizabeth McInerney]

Thanks Steve, How ironic that this particular problem of ours points back to Ralph Nader!

[Dave Milano]

With all due respect to Elizabeth McInerney and Ralph Nader, there is no irony at all in the fact that Nader was behind the promulgation of freedom-stealing regulations.

Steve Bemis hit this nail squarely: At fault was a do-gooder mentality--an attitude which can be fairly translated as "I know what's best for you." Given mankind's predilections for power mongering, there's only one place such benefaction is going--we'll get that goodness, and get it good.

Over-confidence about what is right and owning the power to do something about it are the building blocks of a huge and over-bearing government. (I would add that man's unholy desire to prove himself righteous ought to be on the list as well.)

As Daniel Webster said, "A strong conviction that something must be done is the parent of many bad measures."

[Niviongo]

Your link to the article that details you journey with the Prostate cancer in a Boston newspaper is no longer there.At least I could not find it.
The movements and groups wanting raw milk and no tags on the animals have enought persons and groups; all of them has their own agenda and the goal of their efforts suffers for lack of cohesiveness and hence little clout.
They need to put ego asides, recognize that they are pioneers and get together in one group.
After this is obtained then get chapters in each state and have the state chapter deal with their state legislative body to change the law as Kuccini, Paul and Welch are trying to do a the federal level.
If HR 4077 gets passed it does not mean that you can sell raw milk in your state; the state has to pass similar legislation.
So the work ahead is arduous and uphill but not impossible.