It’s Big-Lie-Time On Raw Milk; A Downer for Ag Secretary?; Contest Concludes

We used to have a saying when I was a reporter at The Wall Street Journal a number of years back. One incident is curious, two is interesting, and three is a trend.

I think it’s safe to say we are witnessing a trend, or shall we say an assault, by the science-medical establishment, on raw milk. In just the last few weeks, there have been warnings/criticisms of raw milk consumption from Harvard Medical School, the American Academy of Pediatricians (per my previous post), and now, Clinical Infectious Diseases.

You might argue that these are random occurrences, except that they use very similar language in arguing that raw milk is dangerous (“a serious health hazard”) and that there is no evidence of health benefits (“no scientific evidence supports...”). The new wrinkles in this one: that an increase to five-plus incidents of illness annually is big news, as Don Neeper points out following my previous post, and “that those who are opposed to pasteurization have found ways to circumvent the law and obtain raw milk...” So raw milk drinkers aren’t just reckless, they are sleazy criminals.

Steve Bemis suggests there may be holes in the data, and he's probably right. But I don't think the people who are publishing this stuff really worry about the sanctity of their data. They are part of a propaganda campaign based on the notion that if you repeat a lie often enough, the public will eventually believe it, and you also turn your opponents into scapegoats. It's especially sad when so-called scientists allow themselves to be used, though as Dave Milano suggests, they use the rationalization of control-group studies to try to discredit whomever might disagree with their ideology.

The authors of this latest study indicate they are disturbed about raw milk's growing popularity, and that's probably what's behind this "trend." People are voting with their feet and their pocketbooks, and raw milk and other nutritionally-dense foods are winning, and the authorities are gnashing their teeth, and turning up their propaganda machines.

While you can ignore propaganda, it’s tougher to ignore regulators who beat down the doors of co-ops, custom livestock processing facilities, and raw dairies. An Ohio chapter of the Weston A. Price Foundation has the right idea—it just issued “an alert” (via an email sent to the media) warning Ohio food producers of possible harassment. “With the Family Farm SWAT Team Raids occurring and more to come, it is time to get serious and get organized and prepared in every way.”

***

Looks like they’ll have to take down that “Pollan for Secretary of Agriculture” web site.

The latest word is that former Iowa governor Thomas Vilsack will be named secretary of agriculture by the president-elect, Barack Obama. I suspect this is going to be another big disappointment for proponents of sustainable agriculture and food freedom.

If you look at what he’s written, Vilsack is a proponent of ethanol and bio-fuels as the next big thing. He makes an allusion to family farms, but it sounds like a throwaway, not a primary concern.

Obama’s choice of Vilsack, together with his 2007 statement on raw milk, together with his other appointments, don't inspire a lot of confidence about the "change" he so often preached about.

***

Well, at least the Haphazard Gourmet Girls have wrapped up their raw milk slogan contest.

Considering their adoration of food poison lawyer Bill Marler, their kind words for Mark McAfee and his anti-FDA stance are noteworthy. Maybe they will join Mark for a weekend at the raw dairy.

Comments

[An Observer]

Hot off the press on the Hap Girls' site:

Bill Marler: The Best Hope For Rapid Change in The Obama Foodorama

http://haphazardgourmet.blogspot.com/2008/12/bill-marler-best-hope-for-rapid-change.html

[Augie]

As far as a new Agricultural Secretary, you would think he would know better that ethanol from corn is a boondoggle, wasteful of energy, hurtful to the environment and the economy. Someone calculated the real cost to be as high as $9 a gallon-- due to all the corn subsidies, tax exemptions and government aid. It stands to reason some are going bankrupt-- China has shut down many ethanol plants for the same reasons. Ethanol from corn is a big loser. If ethanol was such a good fuel, its producers would use it in their plant processes; rather they use natural gas and even coal!

[Steve Smith]

even Science is working to suppress ethanol.

http://news-service.stanford.edu/news/2009/january7/power-010709.html

[Don Neeper]

The Buckeye Institute's 1851 Center for Constitutional Law and our own hero Gary Cox have today filed a complaint for declaratory and injective relief, a motion for preliminary injuction and a writ of mandamus against Director Robert Boggs of the Ohio Department of Agriculture, the Lorain County General Health District and the Ohio Attorney General on behalf of the Stowers and Manna Storehouse.

A copy of the complaint can be viewed here: http://www.buckeyeinstitute.org/stowers.pdf

[Don Neeper]

You can watch and listen to the Stowers tell their story by following the link below. The Buckeye Institute (http://www.buckeyeinstitute.org) also has the link on their web site, if the URL below doesn't go through.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdLxMKuxyr4&eurl=http://www.buckeyeinstitute.org/&feature=player_embedded

[john d]

This is off topic but I thought you'd all want to know:

The Stowers, of Manna Storehouse fame, have released a video statement and their case is being taken by the Buckeye Institute for Public Policy Solutions. The Institute has also put up a document on their website outlining theirposition on the case. Sounds like there's hope for justice to be done. I'm sure David will have more to add in due course.

http://thebovine.wordpress.com/2008/12/17/manna-storehouse-7-the-stowers-tell-their-story/

John

[john d]

Now that I read the other recent comments I see I was not as off-topic as I thought. Redundant might be more like it.

John

[Blair McMorran]

David,
There's a few more trends developing, and they are occurring more frequently than TPTB statements denying that raw milk is beneficial.

One major trend is the positive news coverage about raw milk (and lots of very articulate thought-provoking blog entries, Yahoo groups, YouTube videos, and alternative healthcare sites (Mercola, HealthNews, etc) and N.D.'s, nutritionists & Chiropractors endorsing raw milk. Another is the increased consumer demand for raw milk. (Did I read that heart disease decreased last year, and organic food purchases saw the largest increase in the food sector?)

Last but not least, an increase in legal challenges to government pressure on small farms, thanks to FTCLDF. 5 stars and 3 Attaboys for the Manna Injunction!!! (Thanks Don, for those links!)

There is probably small hope that a ban on interstate sales of raw milk will be lifted, or that the PMO will disappear soon. But I think amazing progress has made in the past year or two. WAPF's rebuttal to the FDA's and Marler's "scientific" data (or so he has the HAP HAZ Girls thinking), stand tall and proud.

The FDA's credibility is about as tall as an ant's tush. So anyone that endorses the FDA's position does not look *merely* ridiculous - they unwittingly just joined the ranks of soon-to-be-defunct organizations.

The cat's out of the bag, and it ain't going back in.

-Blair

[Mark McAfee]

Kind words from the HAP HAZ Gals....I would love to have them up for a weekend at the dairy....the invitation is open.

A dissection of the CDC and FDA raw milk illnesses is being done.

Many of the illnesses are not raw milk at all...they are raw cheese that had been heated and untested raw milk from underground sources. The CDC even inlcuded pasteurizer failures in its raw milk category....what a farce.

Al Rocca's Food Network will aire a special on foods that heal January 3rd 2009.

This fight will only get hotter and hotter. The emperor has no clothes and the lie can no longer hide.


Mark