This Saturday I was blessed to be able to attend a rally in Fresno in support of raw milk and Organic Pastures. Mark McAfee hosted the event and spoke about a terrible back-door law that was slipped into some legislation recently.
AB1735 changes the law to allow only 10 coliforms (a type of beneficial bacteria) per millimeter of milk. All certified raw milk is strictly tested for pathogens (the bad bacteria which can cause illness, like Ecoli). There has never been a pathogen found in OP milk. Since they can't shut down the production of raw milk for safety reasons, they snuck these eight words into the regulation, without any debate or notification to the Governor, consumers or taxpayers. It effectively outlaws raw milk sales because raw milk is naturally rich in these BENEFICIAL bacteria.
Amazingly, the government is asking spinach farmers to add these good bacteria to the water they use to water their fields, as the coliforms help eliminate E-coli and other pathogens that may contaminate the produce. Yet they have the nerve to use coliforms against raw milk consumers!
This is a ridiculous, but dangerous turn of events. Please write, call, e-mail and fax the Governor and Secretary of Agriculture Kawamura right away asking that this requirement be removed. Here is the information on how to contact them. Remember that Arnold probably did not know this change was in the regulation. Don't blame him, but ask for his help in righting the wrong.
Let's join together and get this fixed before it affects our health and freedom!
Thank you so much for posting information about the Rally. I really wanted to attend but only had a day's notice and simple couldn't arrange it on such short notice.
I tried to call the Governor's office and what with their automated system and being put on hold, it wasn't easy to get through. You were correct, they had no clue what I was calling about.
I'm worried that it is too late but was thrilled to know that Raw Milk producers met these new "standards" 75% of the time, just last year. I do hope we can fix this broken law. I'm just wondering what is at stake here by closing down the dairy farmers are we fighting the Eugenics people, the big pharm people or who? This is just nuts.
~Annette M. Hall
http://ReliableAnswers.com/patriot/
Dear Mommaofmany,
I really enjoy your blog! I first found your homesteading blog via Katies homestead blog. (Ive had the Nourishing Traditions cook book for over a year and havent done a whole lot with it, her cook along is encouraging me to try some new recipes!)
I really like the sounds of your recipes and cant wait to try some of them too!
Then the other day, I accidentally found your homeschool page through another blog and I thought, hmm, Mommaofmany, that name sounds really familiar:0) Then I put 2 and 2 together.
Anyway, I just wanted to say hi. My family and I enjoy raw milk also. The beneficial bacteria is one of the things we love about raw milk! The Lord has blessed us with a great co-op that provides raw milk and cheese! (It's sad, we have to take turns driving to the next state to get our milk! Hopefully some day that will change.)
Margaret
I'm the blessed wife of My Honey of 14 years, and Momma to eight wonderful Lambies aged 13 and under. We live in Central CA, and use Ambleside Online for our curriculum. I'd love to meet you , so browse a while and feel free to leave a comment!
Posted by 
Posted by 
Oct. 30, 2007 - Raw Milk in Danger
I tried to call the Governor's office and what with their automated system and being put on hold, it wasn't easy to get through. You were correct, they had no clue what I was calling about.
I'm worried that it is too late but was thrilled to know that Raw Milk producers met these new "standards" 75% of the time, just last year. I do hope we can fix this broken law. I'm just wondering what is at stake here by closing down the dairy farmers are we fighting the Eugenics people, the big pharm people or who? This is just nuts.
~Annette M. Hall
http://ReliableAnswers.com/patriot/