A bipartisan group of lawmakers have introduced an amendment to the House Farm Bill designed to make it easier for consumers to access raw milk.
As part of the ongoing debate of the so called “Farm Bill,” three representatives have introduced an amendment to prohibit the federal government from intervening in state laws which allow for the sale of raw milk. The House Rules Committee will debate a number of amendments on Tuesday and Wednesday before a potential floor vote later this week.
On Tuesday the panel held a discussion with House Agriculture Chairman K. Michael Conaway and ranking member Collin C. Peterson on the five-year farm bill, which deals with policy for nutrition, conservation, organic standards, crop insurance and other programs. The current version of the farm bill expires on September 30. Rollcall reports that the Rules Committee will be looking at more than 100 amendments on Wednesday.
One of those amendments pertains to the distribution of unpasteurized, or raw, milk across state lines. Reps. Thomas Massie (R-KY), Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), Jared Polis (D-CO) introduced an amendment which “prohibits federal interference with the interstate traffic of unpasteurized milk and milk products between States that allow the distribution of unpasteurized milk or milk products for direct human consumption.”
Thomas Massie warned that the federal government might put people in prison for transporting unpasteurized milk across state lines. “If it’s legal to sell raw milk in two different states, why would the federal government put you in prison for taking milk between those two states?!,” Massie tweeted. “I have an amendment to the farm bill to fix this injustice… #pasteurizationwithoutrepresentation”
If it’s legal to sell raw milk in two different states, why would the federal government put you in prison for taking milk between those two states?! I have an amendment to the farm bill to fix this injustice…#pasteurizationwithoutrepresentationhttps://t.co/BYeKCoyuSC
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) May 15, 2018
Massie has been fighting for the freedom to transport and sell raw milk since at least 2014. At that time Massie was one of 18 lawmakers participating in a bipartisan coalition who introduced two bills aimed at giving farmers the freedom to transport milk. They introduced legislation to improve consumer food choices and to protect local farmers from federal interference. “Our bills would make it easier for families to buy wholesome milk directly from farmers by reversing the criminalization of dairy farmers who offer raw milk,” Massie said in a statement. “The federal government should not punish farmers for providing customers the foods they want, and states should be free to set their own laws regulating food safety.”
The fight for raw milk is also being fought on the state level. In February, Natural Blaze reported, “Utah Senate committee passed a bill would expand raw milk sales in the state. Passage into law would take an important step toward rejecting a federal prohibition scheme in effect.” Utah Senate Bill 108 (SB108) would expand existing laws relating to raw milk sales from producer to consumer in the state. This would allow a milk producer to sell up to 120 gallons of raw milk per month to consumers. However, the milk bottle would have to include the warning “This raw milk has not been licensed or inspected by the state of Utah. Raw milk, no matter how carefully produced, may be unsafe.”
The idea of fighting for “food freedom” or “milk freedom” might sound silly but the issues bring to mind very important debates. Namely, are “we the people” willing to stand by and accept a federal government which believes it can put a free human being in prison for selling milk?
I am not asking if the action is legal according to the federal government, but is it moral? Is there a victim of this supposed crime? If the farmer has voluntarily sold the milk (or any product or craft) to interested customers – without force or coercion – there is no victim and thus there is no crime. Currently the federal government believes it has the right to compel all the people living in the American landmass to stop selling milk or face imprisonment.
They do this because they believe they own the people. The federal government operates under the belief that they have authority over the will of the people. Also, many of the people blindly accept this belief in authority and allow themselves to be led astray. At the end of the day, whether we are talking about selling raw milk, growing cannabis, dealing in alternative currencies, etc. people should be free to organize and exchange as they please as long as all relationships and agreements are voluntary and consensual. The government always works to prevent or limit these free and voluntary relationships. The answer to raw milk freedom, food freedom, and freedom, in general is to opt out of these governmental, authoritarian systems at every opportunity and support the creation of alternative and counter economic institutions. Opt out of the systems that are not in line with your values and support those which do align with your values.
Derrick Broze is an investigative journalist and liberty activist. He is the Lead Investigative Reporter for ActivistPost.com and the founder of the TheConsciousResistance.com. Follow him on Twitter. Derrick is the author of three books: The Conscious Resistance: Reflections on Anarchy and Spirituality and Finding Freedom in an Age of Confusion, Vol. 1, Finding Freedom in an Age of Confusion, Vol. 2 and Manifesto of the Free Humans.
Derrick is available for interviews. Please contact [email protected]
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The factory farm lobbyists do not want consumers to have healthy choices. We used to live in North Carolina, and saw how the State first made raw milk impossible to find, then illegal to drink. This from a tobacco producing state! For what it’s worth, our son recovered from “incurable” allergies by eating raw and organic produces such as raw milk. Check out Dr. Furhman’s ‘Eat to Live’ for practical advice on diet and health..
I would think cleaning up our food and water would be something everybody could get behind regardless of your partisan fancy.
I would think cleaning up our food and water would be something everybody could get behind regardless of your partisan fancy.
So, you don’t think much of the idea that we should treat people as adults who can make their own choices when it comes to risks and benefits? Is there any limit to the extent to which you believe that the government should run people’s lives?
I can’t find the authorization in the Constitution for the feds to control agriculture. It must be in there somewhere, right?
Exactly, it is NOT in there and they do NOT have the Lawful authority.
We could do this for almost every section of the fed govt. Sad.
If there were a dispute between two of our nation states,
then the federal government could try to reach an agreement, as in “regulate commerce”.
Other than that, no government has the authority to tell what to eat or drink or to block our choice.
The same for dope.
Notice how when the feds wanted to ban alcohol they needed an amendment, but now they don’t bother getting the citizens’ permission. They have no authority to ban anything.
It shouldn’t be possible for state governments to tell people what foods they may consume either. Ah, America, land of the slaves and home of the cowards!
No Earthly government has the authority to block an adult’s access to food or dope of their choosing.
Examples: real milk and marijuana.
.
No Earthly government has the authority to force dope on anyone.
Examples: fluoride, non-therapeutic vaccines, and psycho dope.