Jury returns not guilty verdict on raw milk farmer Alvin Schlangen in MN

“A Hennepin County jury Thursday found a Stearns County farmer not guilty of violating the state’s food safety laws when he distributed raw milk from an Amish farm to Twin Cities customers.

Alvin Schlangen of Freeport was charged with three misdemeanor counts, including selling unpasteurized milk, operating without a food license and handling adulterated or misbranded food. After three days of trial, the jury began deliberating on Wednesday afternoon and resumed deliberations Thursday morning.

Schlangen, an organic egg farmer, doesn’t produce milk himself but operates a private club called Freedom Farms Co-op with roughly 130 members who buy various farm products, including raw milk. Schlangen picks up milk products from an Amish farm and delivers them to members who lease the cows….”


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MD Scientifically Proves Raw Milk Safer Than Most Other Foods

   

Those Pathogens, What You Should Know... 

By Ted Beals, MD 

Remarks delivered at the Third International Raw Milk Symposium, May 7, 2011, Bloomington, Minnesota.

'The government's battlefield is the concept of risk—raw milk is inherently risky, argue government officials, and should not be consumed by anyone, at any time, for any reason. 

(...)  

But everything has risk. The decision to consume any food involves estimating the risks of eating that food, as well as the benefits. Eating is not just an interesting thing we do, like riding in airplanes; rather, it is an absolute necessity. And many of us believe that our well being is a direct consequence of the food choices we make.

Today I will present the actual scientific facts stripped of the hysteria and devoid of unsubstantiated dogma. I will do so in a way that all of you will understand; what I am presenting is not my opinion; it is the actual scientific information.' (Emphasis added)

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The black market for raw milk keeps growing in Canada — CTV Edmonton

 

‘A dark shadow is being cast over the food that gives us life. CTV News has uncovered a growing underground of illegal, unpasteurized milk.

“What we’re providing is milk at its purest,” says one raw milk farmer, who only agreed to be interviewed if his identity is concealed.

According to a government document, a quarter of a million Canadians drink unpasteurized milk. The farmer interviewed by CTV News says the demand is high. Some customers travel more than 200 kilometres to buy his illegal milk.'


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Judge sides with activist in raw milk dispute

'A judge is moving to the appellate level a case brought against a Wisconsin man by government officials demanding he provide names of friends who may buy or sell raw milk.

The threat against raw-milk activist Max Kane had been the possibility of being ruled in contempt of court for his refusal to provide the information to authorities, according to a report from an advocacy organization.

The dispute over the sale of raw milk by farmers directly to consumers has erupted in several locations in recent months in the United States and Canada. Proponents argue raw milk is healthier, and since it usually is a direct producer-to-consumer transaction the government has no interest in those deals.

Governments argue they do.'


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