{"id":4344,"date":"2013-02-12T16:06:30","date_gmt":"2013-02-12T22:06:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/realfoodhouston.com\/?p=4344"},"modified":"2013-02-19T14:33:46","modified_gmt":"2013-02-19T20:33:46","slug":"no-food-freedom-in-texas-texas-raw-milk-farmers-license-suspended-for-delivering-milk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.realfoodhouston.com\/wp-files\/2013\/02\/12\/no-food-freedom-in-texas-texas-raw-milk-farmers-license-suspended-for-delivering-milk\/","title":{"rendered":"No food freedom in Texas! Texas raw milk farmer’s license suspended for delivering milk!"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Glass<\/a>[Update February 12, 2013:\u00a0 Wow! I’ve already got an update.\u00a0 I just found a video of the farmer being forced to dump 700 gallons of raw milk ($5,000), just because he was delivering.\u00a0 There was nothing wrong with the milk.\u00a0 Why was he required to waste good milk??\u00a0 The video is added below.]<\/p>\n

I’ve just learned that a Texas raw milk farmer had his license suspended last week for delivering raw milk<\/strong><\/em>!\u00a0 The suspension was prompted by a complaint, but the complaint had nothing to do with the safety or quality<\/em><\/strong> of the milk!\u00a0 The only problem was the delivery<\/strong><\/em>.\u00a0 To get his license reinstated, the farmer had to promise he would make no more deliveries.\u00a0 Yes, delivery is against current Texas regulations, but why<\/strong><\/em> is it wrong to deliver raw milk?\u00a0 Let’s look at how raw milk is handled in Texas and what we can do about it.<\/p>\n

Texas raw milk legislation<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Current Texas regulations require that raw milk sales must be at the farm and only directly to the consumer.\u00a0 The farmer must have a Grade A Raw for Retail Milk Permit.\u00a0 Texans can legally buy licensed, raw milk, but they must to drive to the farm \u2014 which is likely to be several hours away \u2014 to get it.\u00a0 Many people (most?) live in cities and suburbs, and urbanization has pushed farms farther out.\u00a0 As FARFA says, “The current law burdens consumers, and it penalizes family farmers who are unfairly prevented from marketing their milk.” (source<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Previous raw milk bill defeat<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Two years ago during the last Texas legislative session, a bill (HB 75) to allow delivery of raw milk was defeated<\/a> after pressure was applied to the Texas House committee by the Harris County Public Health Department, the Texas Medical Association, and the dairy industry. (source<\/a>)<\/p>\n

The Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance reported that the “Harris County Public Health Department has been one of the major barriers to any reform of the laws governing local foods.\u00a0 The Department hired lobbyists using Houstonians\u2019 tax dollars and opposed the raw milk bill, the farmers market bill, and the cottage foods bill. Harris County was reportedly responsible for killing HB 2084 (the local foods omnibus bill) in the Local & Consent Calendars Committee so that it was not voted on by the House.\u201d\u00a0 The Department used Harris county taxpayers’ money<\/strong><\/em> to defeat a bill that affected all Texans.\u00a0 The claims that apparently had the most influence on the committee were about safety; but, this is NOT a safety issue. (source<\/a>)<\/p>\n

A food freedom issue, not a food safety issue<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

As reported<\/a> by FARFA, “Texas raw milk farmers have an excellent safety record. CDC data from 1998-2010 show that there were only two<\/strong> reported illnesses attributed to raw milk in Texas during that time.”\u00a0 Milk delivered is not<\/strong><\/em> any less safe that milk picked up at the farm.\u00a0 In fact, the farmer would probably store and transport the milk in better condition than many consumers would.\u00a0 If the milk is delivered conveniently to the customer, there would be no hours-long drive to the farm to pick up milk.\u00a0 Both farmer and customer would benefit greatly from the passing of this bill.\u00a0 Who wouldn’t benefit?\u00a0 Here are some possibilities: Big dairy–more competition for their unhealthy, overprocessed CAFO milk!\u00a0 Physicians–healthier people needing less health care! I’m not sure how the Harris County Health Department would benefit, but it may be that the Department gets pressure from Big Dairy or the medical associations.\u00a0 It’s a sure thing, they shouldn’t be using our tax money to hire lobbyists to defeat the bill.\u00a0 For more information about raw milk in Texas, go to the Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance<\/a>, the Texas Alliance for Raw Milk (TX-ARM)<\/a>,\u00a0The Campaign for Real Milk<\/a>, or Texas Real Milk.<\/a><\/p>\n

Support Texas House Bill 46<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Texans can help ensure the passage of HB 46 by contacting their legislators. You can call your state representative.\u00a0 You can send them materials about raw milk.\u00a0 You can then call your state senator to ask for support when the bill reaches the Texas Senate.\u00a0 For more details and suggestions about what to do, see the alert<\/a> from the Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance.<\/p>\n

Local Foods Education Day, March 19. in Austin
\n<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

You can also join raw milk supporters for the Local Foods Education Day<\/a>, March 19, in Austin.<\/p>\n

Update, February 12, 2013: See the Miller Farms Dairy<\/a> raw milk poured down the drain<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n