In May, three representatives, Thomas Massie (R-KY), Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), Jared Polis (D-CO), introduced an amendment to the “Farm Bill” that would prohibit the federal government from intervening in state laws which allow for the sale of raw milk. Specifically, the language “prohibits federal interference with the interstate traffic of unpasteurized milk and milk products between States that allow the distribution of unpasteurized milk or milk products for direct human consumption.”1
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The current version of the farm bill expires September 30th.
Thomas Massie tweeted:
If it’s legal to sell raw milk in two different states, why would the federal government put you in prison for taking milk between those two states?! I have an amendment to the farm bill to fix this injustice…#pasteurizationwithoutrepresentationhttps://t.co/BYeKCoyuSC
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) May 15, 2018
Since 2014, Massie has been fighting for the freedom to transport and sell raw milk. Back then, Massie was one of 18 lawmakers working on a bipartisan coalition who introduced two bills which would have given farmers the freedom to transport milk. Back then he said, “The federal government should not punish farmers for providing customers the foods they want, and states should be free to set their own laws regulating food safety.”2
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And in February the Utah Senate committee passed a bill expanding raw milk sales in the state. Utah Senate Bill 108 (SB108) would “expand existing laws relating to raw milk sales from producer to consumer in the state. This would allow a milk producer to sell up to 120 gallons of raw milk per month to consumers.” (The milk bottle would be required to include the warning “This raw milk has not been licensed or inspected by the state of Utah. Raw milk, no matter how carefully produced, may be unsafe.”3)
While the federal government couches these types of laws in “protection” speech, it’s really nothing more than them acting as if they know what’s best for us and that they have ultimate (and almost unchecked) authority over the will of the people. So often they seem to forget that it is WE THE PEOPLE who elect them.
“At the end of the day, whether we are talking about selling raw milk, growing cannabis, dealing in alternative currencies, etc. people should be free to organize and exchange as they please as long as all relationships and agreements are voluntary and consensual.”4
We couldn’t agree more.
We will update you as we have more information.
