When the rubber hits the road with those new FDA food safety regulations

From David E. Gumpert on the Complete Patient blog:

“Nearly three years ago, I asked in a blog post on the then-proposed new national food safety regulations a question I thought sounded provocative, but was likely far-fetched: “How does the idea of consulting a ‘technician’ sound in connection with producing your own compost?”

That “technician” will likely be stopping by many farms much sooner than even I might have imagined.  The FDA in itssummary of the new rules (published yesterday) it plans for implementing the Food Safety Modernization Act for produce says one of five highlights is this, affecting “biological soil amendments” (bet you didn’t know the new name for compost is a “biological soil amendment”): “Biological soil amendments of animal origin, such as composted manure, may contain pathogens of public health concern. To address this, the rule proposes reasonable time intervals between the application of a biological soil amendment of animal original and crop harvest. The proposed rule also has provisions pertaining to the handling and storage of biological soil amendments of animal origin.”

Another court hearing for Alvin Schlangen in November

From David Unze at the SC Times:

A Nov. 2 court hearing has been scheduled in Stearns County District Court for a Freeport farmer who faces charges that allege, among other things, that he sold raw milk.

Alvin Schlangen was found not guilty last month by a Hennepin County jury of selling raw milk, operating without a food handler’s license and handling adulterated food.

In Stearns County, Schlangen faces those three charges and three other misdemeanors that accuse him of failing to maintain proper temperatures for eggs he was selling, selling meat that he shouldn’t have and removing or disposing of food that had been embargoed for disposal by food safety inspectors….”

FDA as a tool of the pharma industry

Here on the Bovine we don’t usually cover the supplements scene. But often, in the raw milk controversy, one does hear claims that the FDA is acting as a proxy for industrial interests that want to see raw milk stamped out because it’s competition for supermarket milk. And this story details a couple of example of the FDA being used by the pharma industry to remove natural products from the market to make way for future allopathic drugs. 

From Elizabeth Renter, on the Activist Post:

Vitamin B6, naturally present in a variety of foods, is necessary for proper nerve function, protein synthesis, regulating blood sugar, and producing antibodies and hemoglobin. In other words, it’s pretty important stuff. But, while many people get their B6 through supplements, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is looking to make things a lot more difficult—by slowly taking all forms of B6 supplements off the market so Big Pharma can make millions off of prescriptions instead.

According to the Alliance for Natural Health (ANH), the FDA has already begun their crusade. They removed Pyridoxamine (a natural form of B6) supplements from the market at the request of BioStratum, a pharmaceutical company.

Raw milk initiative in New Zealand

From Stuff.co.nz:

Picture via Three Wheeled Cheese

“A South Island company is setting a precedent by selling raw milk to consumers.

But plans to set up franchises around the country have stalled while other farmers await the outcome of a Ministry of Primary Industries review of raw milk regulations.

Village Milk is a Golden Bay business selling milk under the 1981 Food Act which allows farmers to sell up to five litres of milk daily to buyers who consume it themselves or provide it for their families.

Oregon blueberry farmers facing “extortion” from regulators?

From Eric Mortensen, The Oregonian:

“In late July, investigators with the U.S. Department of Labor visited three blueberry farms in Marion County and announced finding “widespread” record-keeping and minimum wage violations at each.

Farm labor law investigations are often contentious, especially involving fruit pickers working on a “piece rate” basis rather than an hourly wage. But these cases took an unusual turn as the labor department’s Wage and Hour Division staff in Portland dropped the hammer.

What do raw milk, junk food and tobacco all have in common?

From David E. Gumpert on the Complete Patient blog:

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“I was at a food safety conference a few years back that focused on raw milk, and one state public health official concluded his remarks by saying, to effect, “I personally don’t see why we spend all this time going after raw milk. If people are going to be stupid enough to drink it, then let them go ahead and kill themselves.”

Then, at a raw milk symposium a couple years after that, I heard a raw milk proponent give the other side of the same mind-set. “You know, things will change over the next few years, because the people who oppose us will die off from all the junk food they eat,” she said, referring to the public health regulators.

Institute for Justice takes case of paleo blogger charged over giving people advice on what to eat

From Modern Paleo blog:

Can the government throw you in jail for offering advice on the Internet about what people should buy at the grocery store?

That is exactly the claim made by the North Carolina Board of Dietetics/Nutrition. And that is why today diabetic blogger Steve Cooksey of Stanley, N.C. has teamed up with the Institute for Justice (IJ) to file a major First Amendment lawsuit against the State Board in federal court.

Hoosier state residents to get input on raw milk regulation change in Indiana

From Indiana Green Living.com

“An Indiana health agency is asking residents to comment on the banned sale of raw milk and dairy products made from unprocessed milk.

Raw milk has not gone through any process of pasteurization, homogenization or irradiation. It has not been altered with additives or chemicals in any way, and can still be tested for bacterial diseases. It comes directly from the animal and is said by many to contain larger amounts of nutrients than pasteurized milk. Many believe that drinking raw milk helps with digestion and other health problems.

Are debates about the merits of raw milk overrated? — Michael Schmidt

From Ontario raw milk farmer and advocate Michael Schmidt:

Michael Schmidt (right) at a recent raw milk rally in Minnesota.

As Sustain Ontario is organizing a much anticipated debate about the benefits and risks of raw milk, I begin to wonder why not a debate about how to provide quality raw milk in the current regulatory climate in Ontario or in Canada.

As I said before, we cannot and should not try to explore such a political issue in a debate where there is absolutely no interest to resolve the basic rights issue.

B.C. local governments take on GMOs

You’ve no doubt heard about those towns in Maine that have declared food sovereignty. Well, here’s something at least a little bit in the same direction happening right here in that second rate socialist country, Canada! (Believe it or not, that’s what our Prime Minister is reported to have called it.)

From Randy Shore in the Vancouver Sun:

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“The City of Richmond is poised to join a growing number of B.C. municipalities that oppose the cultivation of genetically modified crops and plants within their boundaries.

A resolution has been working its way through city hall since June 2010, when Arzeena Hamir of the Richmond Food Security Society and April Reeves of GE Free B.C. pitched councillors on proposed wording that would keep Richmond free of genetically engineered trees, plants and crops.