Updates: Organic Pastures, California

Note on Organic Pastures of Kerman, California: According to Mark McAfee, managing partner of the 350-cow dairy, the herd is fully grass-fed on a rotational grazing program. McAfee uses a 20-cow portable milking parlor that he designed himself which can be moved from pasture to pasture. This system has resulted in excellent cow health and a fantastic average standard platelet cell count of 1,100. (Pasteurized milk is allowed a platelet count of 3,000.) The herd is mostly Holstein but Jersey cows are being added in.

This is the first time that we can say that RealMilk (unprocessed, full-fat and pasture-fed) is being sold commercially in the US. The milk is available in many stores and the dairy plans to add raw cream, raw butter, yoghurt and colostrum to the product line. If your local health food store does not yet carry Organic Pastures milk, contact Organic Pastures at (559) 846-9732 or to discuss the possibilities of providing it.

The enlightened situation in California, where raw milk has been commercially available off and on for many years, is our goal for all states. Any state government official who persists in the inane assertion that the public must be protected from this healthy product needs to be reminded of the California example.

Update, Spring 2011
On February 24 Federal Judge Sandra Snyder ordered that the motion of Organic Pastures Dairy Company (OPDC) to withdraw its guilty plea to two counts of “introduction and delivery for introduction into interstate commerce of misbranded food” (that is, selling for human consumption food labeled for animal consumption) be granted. In December 2008, OPDC had entered into a plea bargain with the United States where sentencing on the guilty plea was delayed for twenty-four months, with the dairy being allowed to withdraw its guilty plea if it committed no further violations during that time. [See Wise Traditions Summer and Fall 2008 issues for background on the case.]

The February 24 order also granted the motion of the United States to dismiss with prejudice the same charges against OPDC’s founder and president, Mark McAfee. McAfee had pled innocent to the charges in January 2009 with the U.S. government agreeing to defer prosecution for twenty-four months and to drop the charges if no violations were committed during that time.

In the meantime, McAfee has yet to hear from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on his petition to the agency to modify the federal regulation banning raw milk for human consumption in interstate commerce. The petition requests FDA issue a rule permitting the sale of raw milk from one state where the sale is legal to another state where the sale is also legal. The law requires that FDA respond to a petition no later than six months from the time of its filing; McAfee filed the petition in December 2008.

Update 24 JAN 2007
Organic Pastures Dairy Company (OPDC) raw milk products are back on the shelves following a recall in September. The recall occurred during the midst of the spinach contamination scare and seemed to be aimed at deflecting attention from the huge problems of E.coli O157:H7 contamination in produce. The state claimed that five raw milk-drinking children became ill, two of whom were hospitalized, given antibiotics and almost died. (The other three received no antibiotics and recovered quickly.) A team dressed in protective gear tested and retested the cows, the milk and the manure on the farm and found zero pathogens. On September 29th, more than 200 people from around the state showed up at OPDC to show their support for Organic Pastures products, and defend their right to choose what they eat. At the rally/press conference, Mark McAfee signed and victoriously displayed no less than nine CDFA documents releasing the company from quarantine and retracting the recent product recall. Lawsuits against several officials in the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CFDA) are in the works. All the publicity has lead to an increase in sales of about 12 percent.

Update 23 OCT 2006
Three critical objectives have been identified in order to permanently protect raw milk for
California ’s future.

Raw Milk laws must be updated. In order to protect consumers and raw milk producers old Certified Raw Milk laws controlled by physicians ( Food & Ag Code #35921-35928 ) that are already on the books must be updated. California ’s Raw Milk supply would then be supervised by a board of “doctors, veterinarians and consumers” and not the CDFA. This would permit all raw dairy products to be produced including cultured raw butter, crème cheese, and Raw Milk Kefir….and even fresh cheeses and ice-cream. Currently these laws are not accessible because of certification authorities. An updating change could be very rapid. Currently CDFA and the Grade A standards govern raw milk in California . These standards permit a very narrow range of raw dairy products. The bias shown by CDFA has jeopardized the availability of even these products. This updated Certified Raw Milk law would focus on food safety and not on political obstructions to raw milk. We have commitments from Dr. Paul Fleiss director of the AAMMC (president of the certified raw milk medical commission ) to get this done immediately. This does not require an act of congress but just a change in AAMMC Commission Bylaws.

Legal protection must be provided. In the last few weeks ( and the last several years as well ), OPDC has withstood a massively biased and unfounded attack on its business. Recently, you have felt this personally with the loss of your raw milk supply. During this period, OPDC was falsely accused of making four children ill. NO evidence has been produced (even though OPDC attorneys have requested it ) to show that in fact four children’s fecal samples tested positive for the same DNA of Ecoli 0157. Comprehensive testing pointed to other sources for the illnesses. From the CDFA and media reports it would appear that OPDC had critically injured four kids. This is not true at all. Only two children were hospitalized and they have fully recovered. These two children’s parents freely admit that other sources of food contamination were probably the source of illness including spinach and sushi. The truth was never told in the media or by CDFA. These government agencies have an agenda that goes far beyond food safety. They hate raw milk and want it gone from California . No one will ever know how close California citizens came to losing raw milk permanently. At one point CDFA threatened to shorten shelf life of raw dairy products to just three days. This single act would have eliminated raw milk in California from any source including Claravale. A media blitz and hundreds of calls from angry consumers to the state threatened a “tell all” media press release by Mark McAfee and OPDC. That threat lifted the siege. The CDFA brand assassins bullet hit very close…Harassment continues even after the recall was lifted. Inspectors arrived at Farmers Markets in LA and attempted to shut down sales of raw milk even though “all legal reinstatement papers” were presented. Directed legal action must start immediately to stop biased harassment and unfounded actions. OPDC lost more than $250,000 over the recall and will not be compensated for its losses. Even though CDFA attorney promised OPDC attorney that if OPDC cooperated, that all products would be back on shelves in five days and costs of the recall would be covered by CDFA. Neither of these promises ever happened. Suits must start immediately to recover losses and stop the harassment.

Freedom to Speak about Freedom to Eat. OPDC was fined $20,000 dollars by the CA Department of Health Services earlier this year because OPDC posted email testimonials received from its consumers about the wonderful life giving and healing properties of raw milk at its website. DHA argued that this is not protected by freedom of speech and that OPDC was making medical claims that had not been approved by the FDA. According to DHS only drugs cure disease. Under current laws consumers can not share their experiences with lactose intolerance or asthma or any other medical condition being resolved by the consumption of raw milk. To make sharing testimonials legal, OPDC has established relationships with other entities that will post consumer testimonials. This raw milk freedom BLOG will allow OPDC consumers to freely post their testimonials. A link to this BLOG will be established at the OPDC website. This is legal and will give raw milk consumers a Freedom to Speak about their Freedom to Eat. This will become a huge educational resource for new raw milk consumers to hear directly from established raw milk drinkers. A data base of all raw milk consumers email addresses will be kept to assure immediate reaction to any challenges should they arise.

We have carefully considered using a non profit organization, foundations, consumer advocacy groups and others to achieve these goals. In the final assessment, it was determined that OPDC should carry this ball directly with its consumers. No other organization would be as passionate, focused or as economically efficient in accomplishing these goals.

The time has come. Consumers need to understand that they must contribute dollars into this effort. If living, whole, bio-diverse, enzyme rich, healing raw milk is going to be continually available for all consumers… all consumers must contribute. This is not an option. OPDC barely survived an attempt on your raw milks life!! We must not sit back and drink our delicious raw milk and enjoy our day! This is just a lull in the raging battle. We must remember the near death experience and act now. The next round could be the last round for California Raw Milk if we do not act immediately.

My grandfather once described intelligence as the ability to foresee challenges in the future and doing something about these challenges in the present.

As the old saying goes…if we do not hang together… we will surely hang one by one.

To achieve these objectives OPDC has founded a new department at the dairy called:

People Powered by Raw Milk

PPRM is tasked to accomplish the goals stated above. To fund the activities PPRM will begin selling shirts for $150 dollars each ( or as much as you are able to contribute ). As a contributor you will receive your choice of OPDC shirts with various messages printed on them. We are able to take credit cards, checks and cash for the shirts. Our goal is to establish a People Powered Raw Milk War Chest of $500,000 dollars to immediately accomplish the goals and changes as described.

Your $150 secures the future of Raw Milk

This may seem to be a lot of money… and it is. Think of this as people moving a huge mountain. That is what CDFA and the pasteurized milk lobby is…a huge mountain of money and processed milk power. We can deal with this mountain if we are smart and just find a way around it. We prefer not to fight but rather maneuver. Kind of like energy and motion in Karate. By staying focused and moving quickly we can and will protect raw milk for California . A pathway has already been discovered. We must just find the courage to move right now. This is not cheap. If thousands of raw milk consumers sent in $150 dollars each, the goal would be quickly accomplished. Also, the shirts that would be worn across the state would demonstrate our resolve and further carry the message. $150 dollars is a very small amount to pay for our raw milk security.

You have asked the question and we have developed an answer. It is now up to you to act quickly so you do not suffer repeated interruptions of raw milk availability. A tally of the amount collected will be kept at www.organicpastures.com website. Updates on progress will also be given at the PPRM department at OPDC.

Please contact 1-877 RAW MILK and order your raw milk shirt. Several statements are available in different colors and sizes. Wendy is the manager of PPRM and is awaiting your call. Lets create a raw milk voice for change right now. OPDC can not and should not do this all by its self. After nearly three weeks of shut down OPDC is digging deep just to survive the losses inflicted unjustly by CDFA. PPRM is acting for all of you who enjoy and depend on raw milk. This is something that must come from consumers.

We are very serious and ask that you all take this opportunity to act and protect your raw milk source and choice. These changes and protections will also protect Claravale as well. All raw milk is subject to future biased and unfounded acts by CDFA.

Lets raise some real money and lead the smart fight for raw milk freedom and freedom to eat for ourselves and our families.

1-877 RAW MILK for credit transactions
Or make checks payable to:
OPDC c/o People Powered by Raw Milk
7221 So. Jameson, Fresno CA 93706

Update 18 NOV 04
Several years ago, the Los Angeles County Board of Health banned sales in the county. Consumer advocates fought back and won a victory when the County Board of Commissioners voted to overrule the Board of Health. One of California's two raw milk producers (Organic Pastures) is milking over 300 pasture-fed cows, and raw milk, butter, cream, cheese and colostrum are available in many natural foods stores throughout the state. The other, smaller farm, Claravale Dairy in Watsonville, provides raw milk and cream to San Francisco Bay area natural foods stores. Claravale's Jersey cows graze on many acres of green pastures—with an ocean view.

UPDATE 10 MAY 2003: Organic Pastures Dairy has been recently tested by CDFA and no pathogens were found anywhere (all products and over 32 points were swab-tested in the plant)—the cow manure was even tested. UC Davis researchers sampled cow manure and did not find any human pathogens. The researchers attribute the lack of pathogens to the stress-free green pastures and lack of antibiotics given to the cows.

Organic Pastures is perhaps the most tested dairy in the USA. They are inspected by the USDA, CCOF ( organic certifier ) CDFA, The Fresno County Department of Health and the California Department of Health Services. All lab test information is posted to the website at www.organicpastures.com

The fresh colostrum produced by Organic Pastures has recently been shipped to Beijing, China to assist in the fight against SARS. Fresh raw colostrum contains the antibodies for bovine coronovirus and many other antibodies that help build immunity. Bovine coronovirus has been found in the SARS complex. Organic Pastures colostrum is now going international in the effort to keep people healthy.

A Campaign for Real Milk is a project of The Weston A. Price Foundation
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