Bible_Belt
Master Don Juan
I was reading this article:
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/07/07/got-milk-you-dont-need-it/
July 7, 2012
Got Milk? You Don’t Need It
By MARK BITTMAN
and in particular the comments to the article. The milk industry in this country is incredibly corrupt against small farmers. Some farmers have tried to survive by turning their farms into co-ops and selling a share of what they produce. An Amish farmer was including raw milk in his produce, and two years ago he was raided by an FDA swat team. (follow up article: http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2...y-fda-raids-shuts-down-raw-milk-business?lite)
The Feds say that unpasteurized milk is deadly; it's like a dangerous illegal drug, and we must stop trade in that drug at all costs. And it is true that unpasteurized milk has killed a lot of people. But no one knew at the time that it was not the milk itself that was the problem - it was the facility handling the milk. As long as you keep it clean, unpasteurized milk is supposed to be much healthier and better-tasting.
Now, in efforts to help small farmers, states are trying to change their laws to allow for trade in raw milk. But state law has no bearing upon whether or not you and your cows get raided by the swat team. The situation reminds me of medicinal marijuana law. It's ok with the law of some states, and the states are happy to collect the tax money, but eventually the Feds come get you, all in the name of protecting public safety.
I am starting to think that pasteurization is one giant well-crafted lie, designed to keep small farmers from competing with giant corporations. There's been just one death from unpasteurized milk in the past ten years, and the cause of that death is disputed. It was not from a small farmer. By comparison, e coli and listeria outbreaks in produce and eggs frequently kill dozens of people in the US every year. The "egg tycoon" guy whose own facility killed a dozen people did not even get a fine (it was e coli from rat turds in his chicken feed storage bin). There's no swat teams with machine guns going after anyone involved in the food that actually does kill people. But yet we treat an Amish farmer like he's Bin Laden.
Has anyone tried raw milk? Much of the world survives off of it, especially if you count the milk of other animals, such as goats. I think I want to get a dairy cow. My family has cattle already, but they are beef cattle for eating and not the milking kind.
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/07/07/got-milk-you-dont-need-it/
July 7, 2012
Got Milk? You Don’t Need It
By MARK BITTMAN
and in particular the comments to the article. The milk industry in this country is incredibly corrupt against small farmers. Some farmers have tried to survive by turning their farms into co-ops and selling a share of what they produce. An Amish farmer was including raw milk in his produce, and two years ago he was raided by an FDA swat team. (follow up article: http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2...y-fda-raids-shuts-down-raw-milk-business?lite)
The Feds say that unpasteurized milk is deadly; it's like a dangerous illegal drug, and we must stop trade in that drug at all costs. And it is true that unpasteurized milk has killed a lot of people. But no one knew at the time that it was not the milk itself that was the problem - it was the facility handling the milk. As long as you keep it clean, unpasteurized milk is supposed to be much healthier and better-tasting.
Now, in efforts to help small farmers, states are trying to change their laws to allow for trade in raw milk. But state law has no bearing upon whether or not you and your cows get raided by the swat team. The situation reminds me of medicinal marijuana law. It's ok with the law of some states, and the states are happy to collect the tax money, but eventually the Feds come get you, all in the name of protecting public safety.
I am starting to think that pasteurization is one giant well-crafted lie, designed to keep small farmers from competing with giant corporations. There's been just one death from unpasteurized milk in the past ten years, and the cause of that death is disputed. It was not from a small farmer. By comparison, e coli and listeria outbreaks in produce and eggs frequently kill dozens of people in the US every year. The "egg tycoon" guy whose own facility killed a dozen people did not even get a fine (it was e coli from rat turds in his chicken feed storage bin). There's no swat teams with machine guns going after anyone involved in the food that actually does kill people. But yet we treat an Amish farmer like he's Bin Laden.
Has anyone tried raw milk? Much of the world survives off of it, especially if you count the milk of other animals, such as goats. I think I want to get a dairy cow. My family has cattle already, but they are beef cattle for eating and not the milking kind.
