“Rawsome” co-founder is in Baraboo for the Vernon Hershberger raw milk trial

Here’s the message Rawsome foods co-founder Aajonus Vonderplanitz sent out to people on his email list recently in connection with the Hershberger trial. Presumably, this represents his own views on the case, and the issues around it:

“Hi, healthy-food lovers,

I am in Baraboo, Wisconsin immersed in a real-life satirical trial, droning with irony. The trial is the persecution of our dedicated and brave farmer Vernon Hershberger. This jury trial is about food-safety but the judge ruled that food-safety cannot be discussed in the trial. The charges are about contaminated RAW MILK but the judge ruled that raw milk cannot be discussed in the trial.

Governments do not want a true and factual hearing on raw milk in this Hershberger-case because their raw-milk junk-science would not hold to rational jurors minds. Thankfully, we have four very good attorneys representing Vernon that are working diligently for him/us in the midst of outrageous and incoherent courtroom injustices. Of the first 2 days of trial, I estimate that the judge has illogically ruled 65% for the irrational requests of the State and 35% for rational requests of Vernon. Fair trial?

We need people here to support Vernon Hershberger, his wife, 10 children and our food freedom. Farmer Vernon is one of the few who have completely disrupted his life to fight with and for our right to grow and have the healthy food of our choice. We need as many supporters as possible in person. You do not have to listen to the boring trial. Come sit on the grass with us in the courtyard but show. If you cannot show, please call a friend who might be able to come Wednesday, Thursday and/or Friday.

Every time a government agency is allowed to charge and convict a farmer for growing and distributing healthy food, we come closer to losing our rights to choose healthy food. In favor of corporate agricultural and food-giants, governmental health agencies/departments have been driving family farmers out of business for about 100 years with regulations that are right for mass-production but not for family farms. We have to stop the governmental assaults on our farmers at every opportunity now. We must make opportunities wherever we can. This is one now.

LOCATION: Baraboo Court House, 515 Oak St, Baraboo, WI 53913

If you cannot show in person, call Wisconsin media:

Wisconsin State Journal, rschultz@madison.com, 608-252-6487

NPR Wisconsin, 800-747-7444, listener@wpr.org

and Wisconsin governor Scott Walker by calling 608-266-1212 or Faxing

608-267-8983 him, telling them:

“Governor Scott Walker is wasting time and valuable tax dollars on trying our farmer Vernon Hershberger. I, through my membership with Right To Choose Healthy Food, Charitable Trust, own the animals at Vernon Hershberger’s farm. We are co-farmers. I chose this private-farm arrangement because governmental health departments were forcing me to consume chemically contaminated corporate food in the name of food safety. I would much rather take my risks with bacteria in food than disease-causing contaminants made or added in food-processing. The Constitution articulates my God given right to pursue life, liberty and happiness. For me, there is nothing that provides more for life, liberty and happiness than the health that my fresh, direct-from-the-farm food gives me. Governments have to stop persecuting family farmers and go after corporate and government criminals who harm people now.”

GIST OF THE CASE SO FAR:

The two judges, Evenson and Guy Reynolds who have over-lorded this case, have proven to be extremely favorable to the State (which pays them, and for whom they work) and great prejudice against farmer Hershberger. The deck is so stacked in favor of the State that the State has better chances of winning the case than casino houses have of beating their customers.

After fighting the FDA, HHS, US Congress, states, counties and health departments for 45 years on the raw milk issue, I fear this is a government setup. With a win in this case, the corporate-owned governments will have legal precedence over private farms. Why do you think that government has spent millions on this case? Are we going to let them win? Are we going to sit, watch, do nothing and let them win and we lose our freedoms?

appreciatively and healthfully,

aajonus”

In case you missed it, the 2011 raid by government agents on the Rawsome private food club in California received massive publicity across America, making the New York Times and the Daily Show.

Here are a number of posts on The Bovine dealing with the Rawsome raid and its fallout.

Rawsome sourced a lot of its food through private contracts with farmers like Vernon Herschberger.