Raw Milk #1 health issue — Reuters

This Reuters news feature from Dec 2007 predicted that raw milk would be the number one health-news story of 2008. That’s ahead of other stories like “the end of cheap food”. For those who may not know, Reuters is a news agency — what in the old days would have been called a “wire service” — like Canadian Press, Associated Press and Agence France Press. So, without further ado, here’s an excerpt from Terri Coles’ predictions for the year that’ll be drawing to a close in a little over two months time:

“…If 2007 was the year of the toy recall and mental gymnastics over what we eat, then what will 2008 hold? Raw milk, melting fat, the end of cheap food… the crystal ball is still a little cloudy but here are some of the stories to watch.

1. Raw Milk

People will go to extreme lengths to get it, farmers will risk their businesses to sell it, and most state governments want nothing to do with legalizing it. Raw milk — milk that hasn’t been pasteurized or homogenized — was one of the most talked-about foods of the year.

Are “they” trying to “regulate” California raw dairies out of business?

Here’s an in-depth story on the California milk scene. The excerpts below ars from a story titled “Some Like it Raw” by John Schwenkler, from AFF Doublethink Online:

“We have always had to have “a good reason” for doing away with small operators, and in modern times the good reason has often been sanitation, for which there is apparently no small or cheap technology. Future historians will no doubt remark upon the inevitable association, with us, between sanitation and filthy lucre. —Wendell Berry, The Unsettling of America”

“….This legislation, which passed in October 2007 as AB 1735 but was shelved after a San Benito County Superior Court judge issued a temporary restraining order on its enforcement, provides a perfect window into the “milk wars” that are been being waged nationwide.

Moo Juice in the Buff

Here’s a fun little bit of commentary from Heidi of the Carolina Dreaz blog. She’s lucky enough to live in a state where raw milk is legal, sort of. Although, according to Heidi, in some of the states neighbouring hers, it’s easier to get marijuana than raw milk. This is from her post, also titled “Moo Juice in the Buff”. Great languaging, don’t you think?

South Carolina quarter

“Danielle, my cheese lady, and I were discussing Raw Milk and how we’d really like to be able to get it, here.

This led me to some internet research.

You can get raw milk in Charleston.

But, did you know that we are quite fortunate, in South Carolina, to even be able to buy or consume Real Milk.

Did you know that there are umbrellas to milk selling laws, in some states, similar to Private Umbrella Schools?

I didn’t know that we had a need to be so creative.

Does “big brother” read the bovine?

Are we starting to "bleed through" into the plot of one of Philip K Dick's novels? Picture of Mr. Dick from R. Crumb's comic, "The Religious Experience of Philip K Dick".

A funny thing happened between the time a comment was written and when it arrived on this blog. This was on the story last week about the NAU and raw chocolate. Winifred posted a comment and what we received at this end included the following text:

“…Beyond the questioning, I couldn’t imagine someone forcibly taking my baby away, especially when I had committed no crime. Are the authorities being held at all accountable when such a travesty occurs?  True         s happen, of varying magnitude, and         s need to be recognized as         s.  But if an         ….is there at least an acknowledgement of the travesty and a learning curve occurring?  I somehow have my doubts.”

So we posted it, in spite of the nonsensical part at the end. Then Winifred commented again to say: