Need ideas for your letters to people in government? Here are some letters which Michael has received recently:

Regular folks, like you and me, share their views in the following letters to Michael.

Dear Michael,

I can’t believe any government wouldn’t allow you to own a cow or any other food substance that has been proven not to be harmful in the consumption of that substance.  Government is going to far in this case of telling people what they can or cannot eat and then make it a law, plus enforcing it.

The right to own or use property has been a fundamental of all mankind for centuries and the courts have no right to turn a blind eye to that fact when rendering verdicts.  In fact the founding fathers of the United States made that fact clear in the establishment of our own constitution.

Michael Schmidt to speak at screening tomorrow of “Milk War” documentary

From Corry Ouellette:

Flyer for the event

Tentative schedule for tomorrow’s screening (from Corry):

Global TV: Raw milk, Michael Schmidt

From Global TV:

Click image above to go to Global's website to watch the video on Michael Schmidt.

More than just raw milk is now at stake

Here are excerpts from two stories, both appearing within the last 24 hours and both by Luke Hendry of the Belleville Intelligencer: Story 1 | Story 2

Karen Selick visits Michael's farm this past summer, and below, Michael Schmidt speaks at an Owen Sound rally last week right next to the Grey Bruce health unit Photos via the Intelligencer.

“As the legal fight over raw milk continues, an Ontario farmer and his Belleville-area lawyer are maintaining it is the provincial government that is out of line.

Michael Schmidt, who farms near Durham, Ont., is in the midst of a long court battle over his selling and distribution of unpasteurized milk.

A judge last month overturned Schmidt’s earlier acquittal on charges related to producing and distributing raw milk. Thirteen of the 19 charges were upheld.

Write to Premier Dalton McGuinty and urge him to meet with Michael Schmidt

I know that many of you are writing letters to McGuinty at the moment, or already have done. Please take a few moments and send this message to McGuinty direct today via his website.

https://correspondence.premier.gov.on.ca/en/feedback/feedback.aspx

“Premier McGuinty. I respectfully ask you to meet with Michael Schmidt as soon as possible and engage a dialogue on the issues of the right of Canadian citizens to decide what food they eat. Michael is on the 19th day of his hunger strike today. This is a very urgent matter. I thank you for your consideration”

Michael Schmidt talks about raw milk hunger strike on Sun TV’s Prime Time

Go to Sun TV site to watch the video:

Click image to go to Sun TV to watch the video clip.

Now on day 19, farmer plans to keep up hunger strike over raw milk “to the end”

From Valerie Hauch in the Toronto Star:

Michael Schmidt has lost more than 30 pounds over the last 19 days. Photo via Toronto Star.

“Though weakened by a 19-day hunger strike, Durham dairy farmer Michael Schmidt has drawn his line in the sand — it’s milky, white and unpasteurized — and he intends to defend it to the death, even if it’s his own.

The 57-year-old farmer and advocate of organic raw milk held a news conference at Queen’s Park Tuesday and also read a letter he was delivering to Dalton McGuinty in which he stated that his hunger strike would continue, unless the premier agreed to meet with him in person as soon as possible to discuss the right of people to buy food directly from farmers.

Michael Schmidt is “willing to die if it’s necessary” for responsible food freedom

Michael Schmidt was planning to hand deliver this letter to Premier McGuinty's office. However, since he was prevented from doing so, he posted it under the watchful eye of television cameras, in the basement at Queen's Park, the province's legislative headquarters, after today's news conference.

That’s what raw milk farmer and activist Michael Schmidt said today at a Queen’s Park news conference in response to a question from a Toronto Star reporter.

Of course dying for the cause wouldn’t be his first choice. But it underlines that fact that he’s putting his life on the line in a very real sense to drive home his point that Premier McGuinty needs to sit down with him and start a dialog about how to transform the province’s raw milk underground into a system in which people will be able to buy openly from accredited dairy farmers, instead of through clandestine meetings in suburban parking lots.