The continuing saga of the raw milk wars

It was bound to happen.  The St. Joe Department of Health stopped at my booth at the Farmers Market and asked if I was selling raw milk.  I told her I was not.  She said she heard I was.  I told her we had an association that owned the cows.  She said, "Oh, you are one of THOSE!"

I said we most certainly were NOT one of those, that it wasn't just a sham to go through a loophole in the law, that we were wholly owned and operated by the shareholders.  I explained that I did not hold title to the cows, but was just a shareholder like everyone else.  I asked her if the person who complained about me had been forced to drink raw milk.  She said, "No."  I asked, "Then shouldn't she have just minded her own business?"  What was she trying to save me and the other shareholders from?  Good health, perhaps?

Then she said that I couldn't distribute it at the market anymore.  I asked why.  She said there was a law against distributing raw milk.  I asked her what that law was.  She couldn't give me any information about it.  I asked her for a copy of the law.  That was two or three weeks ago.  I am still waiting.  Our lawyer has checked on this.  There is no such law.  This is nothing more than intimidation.

When talking to this official at my booth, I recited my mantra.

Since 1992:

Deaths from raw milk  - 2
Deaths from radish sprouts - 3
Deaths from spinach - 5
Deaths from pasteurized milk - 620

At that point, I asked her why she wasn't at the local supermarkets trying to stop them from distributing those other "deadly" foods.  No answer of course.

Then I pointed out that since 1992, approximately 7,225,000 people have died from cigarette smoke.  I asked her why she was bothering me - seemed there were a lot bigger health issues out there.

I will give her credit for this - she said, "I guess I need to do some research."  Yes, she certainly does.

It will be interesting to see where this goes.