Dear Wisconsin Members,
Raw milk is under attack in Wisconsin. Please read carefully and take action! With your help, we can stop this latest threat to raw milk and real food!
Thank you!
Sally Fallon Morell, President
In November 2008, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) hired a new administrator, Steve Ingham, for the Division of Food Safety after the previous person retired. Prior to being hired, Ingham worked for the Extension Service.
Steve Ingham, along with DATCP attorney Cheryl Daniels, has decided to reinterpret the administrative regulation on the sale of raw milk that was issued by DATCP in 2008. When DATCP first proposed the rule, the agency announced the rule was to be consistent with administrative law decisions made in 2002 and 2004. The 2004 administrative law decision led to a February 2004 order issued by Wisconsin Secretary of Agriculture Rod Nilsestuen that allowed the sale of raw milk to those who invested in an entity that held a milk producer license. (NOTE: PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT ANYONE AT DATCP.) The order has enabled many Wisconsin consumers to purchase raw milk from farms in which they have invested.
Contrary to the 2004 order, DATCP’s current interpretation of the administrative regulation is to NOT allow ANYONE to obtain raw dairy products unless you are the farmer – period!
With the recent harassment of several Wisconsin farms by DATCP investigators and inspectors, we have heard that DATCP intends to have criminal charges brought against each farm for illegally selling raw dairy products. Their intention is to shut down all sales of raw milk. We know that there has been pressure from some of the large corporations (such as Organic Valley) to either regulate or put a stop to the sale of raw milk by shareholder dairies.
The farms involved are all members of the Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund. The Legal Defense Fund has agreed to represent the Wisconsin farms in a suit against DATCP, if a suit is necessary to protect their legal right to provide raw dairy products to shareholders. The suit would request that the administrative regulation issued in 2008 be interpreted consistently with Secretary Rod Nilsestuen’s 2004 order allowing the sale of milk to those investing in a corporate entity holding a milk producer license (for example, a farm).
This suit would only go forward IF the Legal Defense Fund determines that legal action by DATCP against any of the farms is imminent.
Wisconsin raw milk dairy farmers have found a lobbyist by the name of Jolene Plautz, who is willing to work for the Wisconsin consumers in introducing a Raw Milk Bill. The Raw Milk Bill being drafted would allow farms to sell milk and milk products directly from the farm. Jolene is charging $1,200 per month. This could take between two and six months. We’ll know more as time moves forward.
Here’s what you need to do . . .
Working together, you and the other real dairy consumers in Wisconsin will be heard! This is the beginning of future attempts at government restrictions regarding your freedom of choice. Even if you are not a raw dairy consumer, it’s time to speak up and become a food choice advocate!
Here are a few discussion topics you may want to include in your telephone call, letter, or email correspondence:
Now, who do you contact? Your Wisconsin State Senator and Wisconsin State Assembly Representative. To find out who they are, go to: www.legis.state.wi.us
In the middle of the page is the question: “Who Represents Me?” Click that and on the next page fill in your address. Your Senator’s and Representative’s pictures, names and contact information will pop up.
Once you have the names of your Senator and Representative, please pass them on to Janet Brunner, along with your name and address. The lobbyist has requested this information as soon as possible.
You can email them to: janet@midvalleyvu.com
Or mail them to:
Midvalleyvu
W8481 County Road Z
Arkansaw, WI 54721
Donations are needed to pay for the lobbyist; any monies in excess will be donated to the Legal Defense Fund. Dan and Paula Siegmann have set up a checking account to handle donations.
Checks should be made payable to: Dan Siegmann – Lobbyist Fund.
Mail checks to:
Dan & Paula Siegmann
W 1969 County Rd. N
Rubicon, WI 53078