Michael Schmidt vows to take raw milk fight to the Supreme Court — CBC news

From The Canadian Press via CBC news:

Michael Schmidt talks to a reporter during a recess in his 2011 court appearance, in Newmarket Ontario following which his landmark 2010 acquittal was overturned by Justice Tetley, on appeal from the province of Ontario. Today’s ruling upholds Justice Tetley’s decsision on the legality of raw milk.

“A farmer who has spent two decades fighting for the right to sell unpasteurized milk to willing buyers pledged to take his case to the country’s highest court Tuesday after losing an appeal against his conviction for breaking public health laws.

Speaking minutes after the Ontario Court of Appeal ruling, an unbowed Michael Schmidt said he would continue with his milk operation and legal battle.

“Nothing really changes for me,” Schmidt told The Canadian Press.

“Our plan is to move right to the Supreme Court. That’s the bottom line. We’re not stopping here.”

In its ruling, the Ontario Court of Appeal upheld a 2011 conviction against Schmidt that saw him fined $9,150 under provincial health-protection laws.

Ontario does not ban the consumption of raw milk and farmers are allowed to drink the milk produced by their own cows. However, the sale of unprocessed milk is banned on the grounds that it poses a significant risk to public health.

Canada and European countries ban flu vaccine; what about the United States?

From the Canadian Press, via Huffington Post Canada:

TORONTO – Canada is following the lead of several European countries and suspending distribution of flu vaccine made by the pharmaceutical firm Novartis.

The decision relates to the discovery by the company of tiny clumps of virus particles in some batches of flu vaccines made at the Novartis production facility in Italy.

Health Canada, which announced the move, said Novartis has agreed to suspend distribution of its vaccines — sold in Canada as Fluad and Agriflu — while the department investigates the situation. All the Novartis vaccine Canada purchases is made at the Italian plant.

One of Canada’s “big three” dairies, Saputo, recalls milk due to possible contamination with cleaning solution

CFIA image of recalled product via CTV news. Click image to go to the CTV story.

CTV, Global News, Yahoo and Canadian Press are reporting that Saputo dairy has recalled a type of milk product sold in both Ontario and Quebec because it may have been contaminated with a cleaning agent. Apparently you can be too clean.

Yahoo reports that “Milk containing this cleaning solution may not look or smell spoiled, but drinking it may cause symptoms such as nausea, upset stomach or vomiting.”

Raw milk crusader ends hunger strike

From The Canadian Press, via metronews.ca:

Michael Schmidt reads his letter to McGuinty following a Queen's Park news conference last month.

TORONTO – Raw milk crusader Michael Schmidt abandoned a five-week hunger strike Friday after a brief, impromptu meeting with Premier Dalton McGuinty.

Schmidt, 57, began his hunger strike Sept. 29 after he was found guilty on 15 of 19 charges related to the sale and distribution of unpasteurized milk.

Schmidt agreed to end the protest, after having lost 50 pounds on a diet of only water and lemon juice, when McGuinty walked in on a meeting he was having with the premier’s chief of staff.

Ontario dairy farmer calls raw milk conviction “a temporary setback”

From the Canadian Press story, appearing in the Winnipeg Free Press:

Farmer Michael Schmidt at Tuesday's news conference

“NEWMARKET, Ont. – A southern Ontario dairy farmer said Wednesday he’ll appeal a decision finding him guilty on 15 of 19 charges related to the sale and distribution of raw milk.

Michael Schmidt had been acquitted of all charges by Justice of the Peace Paul Kowarsky in January 2010, but the Ontario government and the Grey Bruce Health Unit appealed that decision.

Lawyers for the provincial government had argued that Kowarsky made critical legal errors when he threw out 19 charges against Durham-based farmer.

Justice Peter Tetley agreed and overturned 15 of the acquittals in a 77-page ruling released Wednesday afternoon in Newmarket.

Texas doctor walks his talk on health

A Canadian Press story, via Google:

Toward self-sufficiency: Family fills backyard with chickens, vegetable garden

By Jamie Stengle (CP)

PROSPER, Texas — As the weather warms and the brown landscape turns green, Stephanie Weyenberg’s thoughts turn to planting for her family’s early spring garden.

Gardening is more than just a hobby: She and her husband, Matt, grow most of the fruit and vegetables they eat.

They also rely on a half-dozen chickens roaming their backyard, for eggs and to entertain their kids, ages 11, nine and six. The family gets beef, chicken and raw milk from farms.

Video of Premier Dalton McGuinty’s response to Michael Schmidt’s press conference statement on CTV news

Here’s a video clip of Dalton McGuinty’s response to Michael Schmidt’s news conference statement, as found on the CTV website:

Dalton McGuinty's response, captured on video. From CTV. Click image to go there.

Otherwise CTV is running the Canadian Press story we’ve seen elsewhere:

“The province is right to appeal a verdict in favour of raw milk crusader Michael Schmidt because of ongoing public health concerns, Premier Dalton McGuinty said Tuesday, while the farmer called the move another example of a government intent on interfering with personal freedoms.

Canadian Press begins report on raw milk news conference with a response quoted from Premier Dalton McGuinty

Here’s an excerpt from yesterday’s story from by Romina Maurino, of The Canadian Press titled “McGuinty defends appeal of raw milk verdict as farmer calls it persecution“:

Photographer capturing image of Michael Schmidt imbibing while Karen Selick presents at yesterday's news conference at Queen's Park, discussing the Province's decison to appeal the raw milk verdict.

“TORONTO – The province is right to appeal a verdict in favour of raw milk crusader Michael Schmidt because of ongoing public health concerns, Premier Dalton McGuinty said Tuesday, while the farmer called the move another example of a government intent on interfering with personal freedoms.

230 comments on CBCnews.ca story about the Province’s decision to appeal the Michael Schmidt raw milk verdict

CBC news is running the same Candian Press wire-service story that has appeared on lots of other news outlets across the nation. But, since that story first appeared on the CBC news site Saturday morning, more than 200 readers have weighed in with their comments.

Raw milk appeal story is still attracting lots of readers, even as the Olympics open in Vancouver!

Clearly this is a news story that’s just not going away. In fact it is attracting a growing level of public interest, even as it runs in the same “time slot” as the Vancouver Olympics. Now that says something! But before we get to some excerpts from the comments gallery, here are the first few paragraphs of that CBC news / Canadian Press story:

Canadian Press report Michael Schmidt “not guilty” verdict handed down today

Here’s an excerpt from the Canadian Press story, posted three hours ago:

Canadian Press photo of raw milk farmer Michael Schmidt beside his "blue bus" Photo from Summer of 2008.

“NEWMARKET, Ont. — An Ontario farmer raised a glass of milk in celebration outside court today after being found not guilty of 19 charges related to selling unpasteurized milk.

Michael Schmidt, who operates a raw milk co-op, defended himself last year against the charges for dispensing milk straight from the cow.

“I hope that we can move into a dialogue where even more people enjoy raw milk,” Schmidt said after the verdict, holding a glass of milk as his supporters cheered.