We haven’t heard any news from Michael Schmidt in what seems like ages. But now, out of the blue, here’s a story in his hometown paper, giving updates on several of his pending court proceedings. From the Owen Sound Sun Times:
Raw milk Godfather Michael Schmidt at his farm. Photo via Owen Sound Sun Times.
DURHAM – Durham raw milk advocate Michael Schmidt will seek at the Court of Appeal for Ontario Feb. 5 to overturn convictions for distribution and sale of raw milk in 2006.
The appeal relates to Schmidt’s cow-share raw milk operation at the time in which shareholders received raw milk from his Glencolton Farms near Durham.
A justice of the peace dismissed 19 charges stemming from 2006, but on Crown appeal Schmidt was convicted on 13 of them related to the distribution and selling of raw milk. Schmidt was fined $9,150 and given one-year probation on Nov. 25, 2011.
Schmidt said Monday the appeal has taken more than two years in part because he sought and obtained permission to introduce new evidence about raw milk’s health benefits.
This appeal is one of several outstanding court matters involving Schmidt.
A Grey County public health inspector ordered him in 1994 not to produce raw milk at his Glencolton Farms near Durham.
The operation is called Agriculture Renewal Co-operative now, with roughly 150 members as before, he said. Schmidt wouldn’t say if he was bottling raw milk and delivering it for ARC. “It’s the co-operative which runs the farm,” he said, while calling himself ARC’s “raw milk godfather.”
The Bovine 