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« CA Raw Milk Hearing: Another Dead End or Cracks in the Foundation? More Speculation About Illness | Main | Confessions of a Raw-Milk Undercover Agent, Part 2: Sowing Distrust on the Farm »
Friday
11Apr

An Exasperated CA Senator Asks: “What Does CDFA Have to Hide?”; CDPH Comes Around

DateFriday, April 11, 2008 at 03:17PM

California Sen. Dean Florez is beginning to sound like some of us here at this blog. Except he has a little more clout, and right now, it's running into a brick wall known as the California Department of Food and Agriculture.

In a scathing letter to A.G. Kawamura, secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture, Sen. Florez, who chairs the Senate Select Committee on Food-borne Illness, calls the agency to task for continuing to refuse to send a representative to the hearing scheduled for next Tuesday about raw milk safety.

He labels the CDFA’s refusal a “disrespectful affront to the oversight function of the Senate.” And he asks, “What does CDFA have to hide?”

In all, this issue of CDFA testimony in a public forum together with people of other views is turning into a nasty little power struggle. 

Almost overlooked in the Senator’s wrath is the fact that the California Department of Public Health has acceded to his request of last week that the two agencies send representatives to testify. Both CDFA and CDPH had initially refused to testify, citing a pending suit initiated by Organic Pastures Dairy Co. and Claravale Farm over AB 1735 and its coliform standard of 10 coliforms per milliliter for raw milk.

“Pending litigation should not impact the testimony of any CDFA official provided that they provide the same testimony before the Committees as they intend to provide in a court of law," writes Sen. Florez. "In both instances, CDFA merely has to tell the truth.” Sounds pretty straightforward, but could be a problem for CDFA.

Scheduled to appear at the hearing are food safety scientists, retailers, producers and consumers on the raw milk industry as a whole.

It seems like Sen. Florez is getting a taste of the medicine many farmers have been tasting for a long time, and not just those in California. It's called unbridled arrogance.

 

AuthorThe Complete Patient | Comment12 Comments |
in ,

Reader Comments (12)

Regulation without representation is tyranny.
April 11, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterSteve Bemis
It will be interesting to see how this plays out. If they don't show it will reflect badly on their willingness to work within the ramifications of the governmental structure and it will also put them outside any decision making on the part of the legislature and make the case for a new law stronger (I don't think the legislature will have as much trouble voting for a change in the standards when the CDFA snubbed their power). However, the CDFA, I am sure will go along and operate the same with the same harrassment and underhanded tactics. If they do show, it may be good for the case in that they can't contradict themselves and not get caught in a very public forum and in a court room!

Thanks for keeping us all informed on how this plays out. This is better than a soap opera!!
April 11, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterLisa Imerman
David you are to kind. "Its unbridled arrogance". They are out to destroy a natural product thus our health, a far more serious crime shall we say.
Recently here in Pa. there was a failed fishing expedition, the alert fish rejected the bait. The undercover agent didnot earn his pay that day our tax dollars were waisted...
Have we reached the point in our "FREE NATION" that raw dairy farmers need to have all new customers sign an oath that they are not GMEN?
Don

April 12, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterDon
Don, I belong to a coop that brings raw milk into my state (not legal) from another state where it is legal. Members joining the coop must, in fact, sign a statement saying something to the effect that they are not undercover agents gathering information to use against the coop. I wonder if something like this would hold up in court.
April 12, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterEileen Coale
don and eileen

the farm-to-consumer legal defense fund requires a similar statement as a condition of membership.
April 12, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterGary Cox
Gary, is a signed statement or contract such as this legally binding? If a government agent obtained information after signing such an agreement, would they be allowed to use that information against the farmer or whomever they're investigating?
April 12, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterEileen Coale
I did not mention in my prior post that I had signed a document stating I am no G-man and since I am also member of FCLDF guess I had signed 2 documents stating that. This is what we have to do in FREE America to buy milk. This is mind NUMBING. How could any judge consider hearing a case against a farmer for selling MILK? We have reached the point were it can be said GOVERNMENT OF THE CORPORATION BY THE CORPORATION FOR THE CORPORATION PERIOD.
Germany many years ago degenerated from a democracy to FASCISM are we not on that same road to oblivion? The similarity is eerie terrorist strikes monetary collaspe loss of freedom.
There is yet hope even from a politico. Ron Paul yesterday in his Gettysburg Address stated to a cheering crowd of 800 that we shoud have should the freedom to buy raw milk and the farmer should be free too sell raw milk if he choose. Good news.
Bad news there has been talk about them bringing back the draft, only this time Ron Paul that stated young women will be drafted not just our young men. Guess they are planning on more wars.You dont hear that on MSM.
Don

April 12, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterDon
Don - do you have a link to Ron Paul's Gettysburg comments? This is indeed good news, since Congressman Paul introduced HR4077 several months ago to loosen the FDA hold on interstate raw milk shipments, and we need to support him.
April 13, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterSteve Bemis
No Steve I dont have a link but you may find something on the stations web site they do have some on line broadcasts. Google Adams County TV or actv.org phone 717 334 3000 We were very excited Ron Pauls speechs have become much stronger. We also saw part of a speech he gave at PSU he didnt hold much back on all the problems we face and who is causing them. Don
April 13, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterDon
Steve and everyone else go to youtube type in ron paul gettysburg address clink on search and watch. None of the other puppets running for office address these issues.
April 13, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterDon
There are 5 short videos there worth watching but not the part about raw milk or the draft of young women.
It good to know we have a real milk man for us.
He stated he grew up on a small dairy farm in western Pa they pasturized the milk. But he wanted us to have the freedom to choose raw milk and that coming from an allopathic MD is a powerful statement.
April 13, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterDon
here's the link to part 2 or ron pauls talk:

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1238938/ron_paul_gettysburg_college_4_11_2008_p2_of_2/

part 1 is at the same url just change the p2 to p1

well worth listening to for much more then his comments on raw milk.
April 13, 2008 | Unregistered Commenterhugh betcha
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