Raw milk farmer Michael Schmidt to speak at the WAPF Wise Traditions conference in Chicago this month

Cowshare members at Glencolton Farms. Andrea Lemieux photo

Michael Schmidt will be a featured speaker on Sunday, November 15th, 2009 from 5:30 – 6:30 pm on “The Battle for Our Sacred Food” at Wise Traditions 2009, the 10th Annual Conference of the Weston A. Price Foundation.  The conference will be held at the Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel and Conference Center, 1551 North Thoreau Drive, Schaumburg, Illinois (just outside Chicago).  For more information, call (304) 724-3004 or visit www.westaprice.org/conferences/2009-conference/

The Battle for our Sacred Food

Mankind has been challenged many times to face the prospect of war, be it physically or spiritually. Today we are at the cross roads fighting for one of the most fundamental rights:

The right for food, which nourishes body, soul and spirit.

Today’s “intentional” destruction of our food turns the once sacred substance into a dangerous weapon, which threatens the future of mankind.

Dairyman Scott Trautman speaks of “the evil” in Wisconsin state food safety

This is excerpted from a Nov. 11 story by Wisconsin dairy farmer Scott Trautman, on the PPJ Gazette:

“….They understand what they do — and they, with purpose and malice misrepresent the Raw Milk situation — while it is in their professional responsibility to understand the situation and make sensible decisions — if it is for the benefit of the whole of Wisconsin, rather than whatever personal agenda they might have.

In this situation — and others like it — most especially as it relates to dairy farmers — it is about the application of unfettered — unobserved — power over good people in order to exterminate their will and desire to survive and grow. Why dairy farmers? Because they can. The bully bullies those they can — not those that can defend themselves.

Food Safety does not like me one tiny bit and has shown every indication that as I speak out and shine the light on them — they will find a way to silence me.

Just this last week: When I was apparent to them I wasn’t going to take their “deal” — it was brought up — how even should I desire to simply ship milk — that getting my Grade A license back was “going to be a problem” — that my parlor was unusual and “just so I knew” — would need to be reinspected and I ought to have a “heads up” that additional work might be needed. This even though the design was approved, my facility inspected now 4 additional times with no complaint.

Third anniversary of raw milk raid at Glencolton Farms — press conference at Queens Park, Toronto, Nov. 17, ’09

Cows at Glencolton Farms still give raw milk 3 years after the raid in 2006. Andrea Lemieux photo

November 21. 2009 marks the 3rd anniversary of the raid on raw milk farmer Michael Schmidt’s Glencolton Farm in southern Ontario, where 25 armed MNR officers tried to shut down a successful raw milk farm in operation since 1990.

Officers confiscated cheese-making equipment, seized all computers and records, and took dairy products valued at approximately $3,000 for destruction at the local dumpsite.

Michael Schmidt will appear at the Queen’s Park press room at 9:30 am on Tuesday, November 17th, 2009. He is returning to Queen’s Park for the 5th time to update the Premier and his Ministers on developments and consumer response to the ongoing controversy surrounding the right to choose either safe raw milk or pasteurized milk for personal consumption.