This brief report just in from Michael Schmidt in Edmonton (more material added June 10):
A happy Judith Johnson after her court file has been closed
Alberta raw milk case came to a close today. $1,000 dollar fine. Prosecutor asked for $4,000. Three out of four charges were dropped by the crown. Judith Johnson is very happy. Now we all will raise the funds to pay the fine and mooove to the next pasture. Thanks to Michael Schmidt for the photos and captions (June 10th).
Aleah the little girl who was in need of rawmilk because of her health and who thereby started unintentionally the raw Milk battle in Alberta
The court room was full. Here some of the supporters after the hearing. Edmonton Slow food in forefront stepped up their support
In Alberta -- Does the rural revolution for the right to real food starts here?????? Raw milk farmers meeting yesterday in Wildwood Alberta
The only shady appearance was Alberta Ag investigator Grady Owen. A lonely man in the halls of the courts. No contact, no discussion, no smile
Edmonton SlowFood always ready and willing to co-operate
The Bovine 
What no victory dance? Raise the money for the fine….. most car repairs are more than this. Finally justice. This has to be the shortest blog in the bovine’s history.
Well done, all! Wish they would direct all of the fines they are collecting into some meaningful study of this very officialdom-made problem!
Now what? They are barred from running a cow share? Can they reopen their doors? I’m very glad the fine was not along the lines of what the prosecutor wanted.
We need to get these laws changed federally so we don’t keep having all these provincial cases costing a lot of money to fight such stupid laws. being treated the same as drug dealers and and yet Tabacco and Alcahol kill way way more people and are legal. AAAARG.
I like the picture of Michael with the little girl. We have, in our possession, a picture of ‘our little girl’ standing next to a brood sow when she was just that very age, she had just given herself a haircut as well, found a play scissors and lopped on a few of her bangs.
Those were different, long ago and vastly better days, for this small farm.
Thanks though, Michael and thank you The Bovine for the work you do.
Maybe someday, families will be safe from bureaucracy and other forms of government and industry oppression. illegality and vicious, self-serving abuse.
That’ll be a day to smile.
nedlud
I want to add that the greatly decreased fine was due to Michael’s presence in the Court and his courteous, respectful, concise and appropriate words that he spoke to the judge prior to her setting the penalty. Thanks Michael.
I want to share what a real victory was won in this court case. The original fines were to be $4,000.00 for each charge, a total of $21,000.00. Judith pled guilty under duress to bring this case to a close, with the understanding that 3 charges would be dropped. Through Michael’s sharing Judith’s story to the judge, she dropped the fine to $1000.00. The judge was raised on a farm and agreed with our plight but she said we’re not in the right court room to change the laws about raw milk. Therefore, she gave Judith the lowest possible fine. Now it is our turn as a public to fight for the right to choose where our food comes from and to change legislation that gives us the right to do so. We have just begun the fight for our rights! Signing off, private man.
We should always have the right to put what we want in our own bodies!!! This is our natural born right! Some people choose hormones and GMO’s pesitcides and herbicides! I choose natural, organic food! Time to wake up people and quit listening to the propaganda the media and the government! Since when are government officials qualified nutritionists????