“Fraser Health wins round one in raw milk battle”, says Chilliwack Progress

From Robert Freeman, in the Chilliwack Progress:

“The Fraser Health Authority won the first round in its case against distribution of raw milk by a Chilliwack cowshare group in BC Supreme Court on Tuesday.

But Gordon Watson, cowshare spokesman, vowed to be his “prickly, cantankerous worst” when the courtroom battle resumes on April 2.

“The lawyer for Fraser Health got an order stating that its officers can go onto the farm property at any time, without a search warrant. But so what?” he said in an email to The Progress. “Under the Public Health Act they could have done that anyway, if and when they had good reason.”

Michael Schmidt’s B.C. raw milk farm “Our Cows” searched by health officials

From Robert Freeman in the Chilliwack Progress:

"Our Cows" members share a day on the farm. Photo from Hella D blog. Click to go there.

“A search warrant was executed by health officials last week at the Chilliwack dairy farm at the centre of the raw milk controversy in B.C.

Nothing was seized during the Aug. 25 search, but Fraser Health Authority spokesman Roy Thorpe-Dorward said photographs of the farm on Prairie Central Road are being reviewed to determine if a permanent court injunction issued last year against distribution of raw milk is being obeyed by the current farm owner. 

Media news of B.C. raw milk decision

First off, here’s what they’re saying about raw milk and the Alice Jongerden verdict on BC Local News.com, along with this dynamite photo from the Chilliwack Health Unit raw milk drink-in. By Jeff Nagel:

Photo Jenna Hauck / Chilliwack Progress

“The former operator of a Chilliwack-based cow-sharing co-op has been found in contempt of court for illegally distributing raw milk but isn’t expected to be punished.

“Dictatorship of Bureaucrats behind raw milk fight” says farmer Michael Schmidt

From the Burnaby News Leader/Chilliwack Progress story by Robert Freeman, published 2 pm yesterday:

Jon Los (right) drinks raw milk as Michael Schmidt and Alice Jongerden, both raw milk advocates, hold a demonstration outside the Fraser Health office on Menholm Road in Chilliwack on Tuesday morning. Photo Jenna Hauck/Chilliwack Progress

“Glasses of raw, unpasteurized milk were raised outside the Chilliwack health unit Tuesday in a “toast” to the Fraser Health Authority, which won a court order shutting down the co-op that produced the milk.