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Hmm... I wonder if an argument could be made that the FDA (Federal) just stepped on the toes of the PA DoA (State) authorities? PA knows about these communities, deals with them every day... I would say they know quite a lot more about them than anyone from Washington possibly could... hence them taking care of PA's dairy stuff... to have ignorant folks come in and harass them... not good... I assume that PA has state laws pertaining to this... I wasn't aware that there was a Federal law about it... I doubt it since so many have mentioned having raw in their area... so, why is a Federal DoA trying to enforce STATE DoA laws?
The argument being used against Arizona's new law is that it's State trying to enforce Federal laws, and that that's a no no. So, why are the Feds allowed to enforce State's Laws? Sounds like a valid question, but I'm no lawyer and only working on one cuppa joe so feel free to ignore.
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I still shake the milk jug - cannot pour much less drink milk without shaking it.
what does this tell you about human nature?
I've never had raw milk (that I know of) yet I was brought up to shake the jug before you pour. Never understood why, just something mom did. Now I understand she was brought up to do that, to mix the milk and cream that rises. I always shake the jug because that's what I was brought up doing. But I only buy store milk.
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Raw milk absorbs all on its own, unlike pasturized, which rots in the gut first.
Most, not all, but most people that have health issues with milk, can drink raw milk with out any problem.
In most states, raw milk is sold by selling cow or goat shares.
You purchase a portion of the cow, according to how much milk you would buy, and then you pay a barding fee each month.
For us, this means we bought 3 shares at $15 each when we signed the contract.
Then at the beginning of the month, we pay $60 to the farmer, which comes out to $5 per gallon of milk, and $5 per quart of super thick cream.
DH and I run one of the milk co-ops for the farm, which means we actualy make back $1 per share that is sold through us each month.
Our original co-op had me filling about 45 gallons of milk out at the farm each week, and leaving it at 3 drop points.
Last fall, I split it up, and had another person take over 2/3s of it, and now we all take a turn in the driving.
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You need to find out if they have a co-op that helps with the driving.
Real food costs more, because the gov. mandates that farmers are only paid a few pennies per gallon of milk.
In states that allow the sale of raw milk, the farmers are finally able to make a decent wage.
So, ask the farm about how to make it work for you.
Maybe you can get raw milk once per month.
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You need to find out if they have a co-op that helps with the driving.
Real food costs more, because the gov. mandates that farmers are only paid a few pennies per gallon of milk.
In states that allow the sale of raw milk, the farmers are finally able to make a decent wage.
So, ask the farm about how to make it work for you.
Maybe you can get raw milk once per month.
you can only buy the raw milk on the farm so I am not sure about a co-op but I understand the making a decent wage but all the farms are at least and hour or more away and with gas prices at 3 bucks a gallon plus the $6 a gallon price for the milk it is just out of range for us. we have a tight enough budget for food that it would be hard to afford, I will just wait until I can get a farm and grow and raise my own animals until then I am stuck with store milk or organic when it is marked down.
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Do you have any stats to show for the rates of Listeria in these communities?
I was something I learned when I was trained for specializing in nursing in a Neonatal ICU. That was years ago and I really don't have the literature anymore. I'll check at work and see if I can find some, and ask the neonatologist
I am certainly not against raw milk. I would certainly love access to it. I would imagine the majority of raw milk sellers are meticulous about their cleanliness. However, laws and permits that have to be attained by the testing of raw milk for cleanliness and bacterial count are to protect us against sellers that do not have meticulous practices. Which means all have to succumb to testing for a permit. As with anything in life, all upstanding producers are affected by the actions needed to weed out the few careless producers.
I question whether or not it's necessary to sell real, raw milk at such a high premium. The farm I go to charges $3 a gallon - bring your own container. If they really wanted to expand business they wouldn't scare people off with high prices - that just keeps it out of the hands of people who really need it, families with small children, lower income people (they're the ones who eat the worst, for the most part). I'm always disappointed when I hear someone has to pay $6 or $7 a gallon for raw milk.