Raw milk martyr
Much has been written this year about the government crackdowns on raw milk, but the US isn’t the only country denying people to drink what they choose. Canada bans the sale of raw milk entirely. Owen Sound farmer Michael Schmidt is boldly standing up for the rights of himself and his customers:
Last month Schmidt went on trial after the Region of York filed a contempt charge against him for failing to obey a May 2007 court order not to distribute raw milk within its borders.
Schmidt runs a co-operative venture near Owen Sound with about 150 cow-share members. He said he does not sell or distribute, but simply provides the raw milk to the cows’ owners, who pay to board the 300 cows at his farm…
Justice R. Cary Boswell found Schmidt in contempt, but reserved sentencing for a later date.
In his decision, Boswell said his ruling was not on whether people have the right to consume raw milk, but whether Schmidt intentionally defied the court order to stop selling it.
Dan Kuzmyk, lawyer for the region, suggested a $5,000 fine and payment of the region’s $53,000 legal bill.
“I think that Mr. Schmidt should be given the opportunity to purge his contempt,” said Kuzmyk.
“We asked specifically that the court consider incarcerating him for four to six months. (But) in the meantime, give him a chance to comply to the order, get legal counsel …”
The fight over raw milk is an esoteric conflict, but I have nothing but respect for men like Schmidt who are willing to put their freedom on the line for a cause they believe in — and nothing but contempt for people like Kuzmyk who would put him in jail.
I wrote about the raw milk controversy in a May Reason article and documented my own delightful visit to a raw milk dairy here.
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