HR875 — a solemn walk through legislation that threatens the end of food freedom in the United States

Here’s an excerpt from Linn Cohen-Cole’s “A Solemn walk through HR 875, via OpEd News“:

The Pennsylvania Sustainable Agriculture Association, PASA, sent out information about HR 875 which lists ‘facts’ to counter ‘myths’ and ‘rumors’ on the internet.  It gives no specifics to back up its ‘facts,’ so the following close up view of the bill and accompanying commentary offers readers a chance to decide for themselves what is myth and what is fact.  Neither of us are lawyers, but we both can read.  Sue Diederich heads the Illinois Independent Consumers and Farmers Association, an organization formed to protect the rights of farmers and consumers to deal directly with each other without government interference.

“Canadian Cheese” to be made from internationally-sourced milk solids instead of Canadian fluid milk?

We’ve heard a lot about this from former Ontario dairyman Bernie Bailey, but it’s great now to have information from another source on just how major Canadian cheese producers are seeking to replace local Canadian fluid milk suppliers — that’s dairy farmers — with internationally-sourced milk protein concentrates. And of course they’ll still call the product “Canadian” cheese. First, here’s an excerpt from a Dec. 13, 2008 story in the Vancouver Sun by Wendy Holm titled “Canadian cheese should be made from Canadian milk. Our cows are in danger of losing their jobs as foreign products move in“: 

Canadian cows like these could be "out of work" if Kraft, Parmalat and Saputo have their way. Photo from Vancouver Sun, by Ian Lindsay.

“Canadians love their cheese. And whether it’s cheddar, camembert, mozzarella or any one of the over 450 types made in Canada, we assume it’s made with Canadian milk from Canadian cows, right?

Think again. If Canada’s three multinational cheese makers — Saputo, Parmalat and Kraft Canada — have their way, imported milk protein concentrates from distant, low-cost, subsidized markets will soon replace Canadian milk in the manufacture of all but artisan brands, and cheese from our few remaining farmer-owned cooperatives such as Quebec’s Agropur.

Why do Canada’s cheese-makers want to put Canadian cows out of work? Globalization and profits.

Maryland considers allowing raw milk

Here’s an excerpt from a recent story (March 13, ’09) from Channel 8 News titled “Maryland Lawmakers Consider Lifting ‘Raw Milk’ Ban:

BOWIE, Md. – There is a small but growing number of Americans who want to turn back the clock to the days before Pasteurized milk.

They argue the process that health officials credit for making milk safe may actually do more harm then good, and now some lawmakers are listening. The Maryland legislature has scheduled hearings on legalizing the sale of raw milk for Tuesday.

Bowie resident Liz Reitzig goes to great lengths to get her four children what she calls “real” milk, driving more than two hours to a Pennsylvania dairy farm to buy gallons of raw milk.