A message from Tilth Producers of Washington:

The following is from the Washington State Raw Milk Micro-Dairy Taskforce:

Recently, deliberations in the Washington State legislature have occurred
over a series of proposed bills to change the state’s dairy law to ensure
the safety of raw milk. The legislation comes in response to an outbreak
of E. coli 0157 H:7 late last year that was traced to a Shareholder Dairy
in Woodland, WA and seriously sickened several children. These
deliberations have shone a spotlight on some underlying issues about raw
milk safety and the difficulties facing family farmers when they attempt
to obtain licenses to legally sell milk. Unfortunately, the bills being
considered did not originally provide solutions to these underlying
issues. They attempted to ensure public safety by imposing punitive
measures without improving the safety of raw milk or helping farmers
become licensed dairies. Some progress has been made in amending the
proposed bills to address these shortcomings.

Current dairy licensing standards require considerable infrastructural
investment. This is a profound barrier to many potential producers. If
licensing standards were more size-appropriate, many more “Micro-dairies”
would seek to become licensed and succeed. Families who produce more milk
from their family dairy animals than they can consume can realize a small
supplemental income from the legal sale of their excess milk.
Micro-dairying can be a viable “cottage industry” or home-based business.
Small farms could diversify to include Micro-dairying. Many small farms
rely on a diversity of revenue streams to maintain economic viability or
regard farm diversity as a hedge against pests and disease and as a way to
maintain soil fertility. Some small farms that have diversified product
mixes would benefit from adding Micro-dairy to their product mix. If not
amended to address the needs of farmers who wish to produce milk on a
Micro scale, the proposed bills threaten the diversity and economic
viability of small farms. The infrastructural investment associated with
current licensing regulations virtually requires that “dairying” become
the main farm operation. It forces farmers to choose between becoming
specialized in dairy or not doing dairy at all.

Very recently, Micro-Dairy stakeholders from around the state and around
the country, have joined together to form the Washington State Raw Milk
Micro Dairy Taskforce. The Taskforce includes raw milk dairy farmers who
have worked with their own state milk inspection agencies to set up
criteria for the production and handling of safe raw milk and have
successfully supplied safe raw milk for a number of years without
incident. The Taskforce is taking a leadership role in rising to the
challenge the proposed dairy bills present to the family farm community
and the raw milk consuming public and is working on developing specific
proposals for Micro-dairy best management practices. This effort promises
to make Washington State’s raw milk laws among the country’s best–
ensuring consumer safety while enhancing the economic opportunities of
Washington’s family farmers.

It is the wish of the Taskforce that members and supporters of Tilth
Producers will read our Action Alert and find common ground with the stand
the Taskforce is taking with respect to the dairy legislation making its
way through the legislature in Olympia. We also hope you will contact your
legislators about these important issues.

To read the proposed bills, follow these links:

SB6377
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=6377&year=2006

HB3010
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=3010&year=2006

The Washington State Raw Milk Micro-Dairy Task Force

Emmy (Emmalyn) McAllister, Coordinator of the Washington State Raw Milk
Micro-Dairy Task Force. Research facilitator and published author for the
health care industry; trained in mediation by the Snohomish County
Volunteer Mediator Program; A Weston A. Price Foundation Chapter Leader
from Snohomish, WA.  (425) 334-9644 www.healthsolutionsnow@earthlink.net

Chrys Ostrander, Board member of the Washington Association of Shareholder
Dairy Owners, (WASDO), and organizer of the Future Is Organic Raw Dairy
Choice Campaign.  chrys@thefutureisorganic.net   509-725-0610

Mother Therese, Prioress, Our Lady of the Rock, a Benedictine nunnery on
Shaw Island. Mother Therese has operated a micro dairy of 2-3 cows since
1977. The dairy was licensed 1981. There has never been an outbreak or any
illness reported in almost 30 years. (360) 468 2321 rm_prioress@yahoo.com


Henning Semsdorf, Ph.D., Adjunct Professor for Washington State University
Center for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources.  Co-Founder of S
& S Homestead Farm, Lopez Island, WA since 1970, and SSCSA (registered
non-profit S&S Center for Sustainable Agriculture) offering a curriculum
based internship program, on-farm research, and farm consulting services
with his wife, Elizabeth Simpson.  (360) 468-3335
sshomestead@rockisland.com

Elizabeth Simpson, Ph.D., Co-Founder of S & S Homestead Farms, Lopez
Island, WA.  Farmer and educator linking Lopez Island Schools with SSCSA
in the study of agricultural science and ecological food production.
Creates farm tours, workshops, and demonstrations, with her husband,
Henning. (360) 468-3335 sshomestead@rockisland.com

Melody Barone, Weston A. Price Foundation chapter leader from Mt. Vernon,
WA.  Training, production, and promotions director in the fields of
healthcare and tourism.  Four-year volunteer , Food Safety Advisor and
Master Food Preserver for WSU Skagit County Extension Service.  Raw milk
advocate.  mbwapfmvwa@yahoo.com (360) 941- 4390

Lynn Parr, R.N., a Weston A. Price Chapter Leader and concerned consumer,
from Mukilteo, WA   206-571-3165   jpforyou@comcast.net

Frances Robinson, works with her sister Jo Robinson, author of Why
Grassfed Is Best and Pasture Perfect. Tacoma, WA 253-759-2318
fro@eatwild.com

George Calvert, owner of Calvert’s Castle, a diversified farm with a
micro-dairy near Spokane. Board member of the Washington Association of
Shareholder Dairy Owners, (WASDO)  Cell: 509-981-5338  Land: 509-244-3884.

Kelsey & Linda Kozak, Micro-dairy owners, Vashon Island, WA 206-463-1317
bantams@the-kozaks.com

Lonnie Trask, owner of “The Lord’s Blessing”, a Micro-dairy in Skamokawa,
WA. Raw milk from grass-fed milking Shorthorn cattle. Board member of the
Washington Association of Shareholder Dairy Owners, (WASDO) (360) 795-0823
herdsman173rd@earthlink.net

Nia Wellman and Katrinka Hibler.  Katrinka is the owner of Giggling Goat
Gardens, located on a 40 acre family farm in Mason County, home to a small
herd of dairy goats.  katrinkabadinka@lycos.com  360.427.9349, Cell:
360.701.4780, 360.426.2901  niakix@yahoo.com

Barbara Greene, Belfair, WA 360-275-9041  Barbara@familygreene.org

Dave & Pauline Krauss, Micro-dairy owners from Elma, WA  360-482-3180  No
e-mail address.

Chuck Oliver, from the Detroit area. Raw milk dairy farmer for four years,
producing 800-900 gallons of raw milk per week. No outbreaks or incidents
of illness. (810) 793 7289.   chuck@oliverfarms.com

David Lynch, owner/operator of Guidestone Farm in Loveland, CO. Raw milk
dairy farmer for 34 years without an incident. Owns 20 cows. Worked with
his state’s officials to create a successful raw milk dairy model, Raw
Milk Association of Colorado, (RMAC). (970) 461 0271 farmerlynch@msn.com

Deb Apple, Apple Family Farm, from Indiana. Weston A. Price chapter
leader, and owner of a shareholder dairy. She worked with the state
officials to set it up. (317) 335-3067 debbie@applefamilyfarm.com

David Wetzel, Green Pastures Products, Page, Nebraska. (402) 338 5552
www.greenpasture.org. Dairy farm activist. Encourages dairy industry
development from the base. Dave is working with an extension educator from
the University of Nebraska commissioned by the university to write a guide
on the proper farming and handling techniques for the production of raw
milk. gpp@threeriverwb.net

Kelly Bruns, Bloomfield, NB, owner/operator of a Grade A raw milk dairy.
Kelly has been a dairyman his whole life, and has specialized in raw milk
for just the last 5-6 years. He operates an on-farm store that sells his
raw milk. Kelly’s expertise is in raw milk marketing. He’s also a
political activist. (402) 373 4906

Mark McAfee, Organic Pastures, Fresno, CA. a specialized dairy authorized
to produce retail, organic, raw dairy products in CA. serving over 300
retail outlets. After 24 million servings and 1,100 pathogen and other
bacteria tests in the last five years, not one illness has been reported
to the state and not one pathogen has even been detected in his products.
1- 877-729-6455 mark@organicpastures.com  Creator of a set of standards
for organic raw milk production, www.rawusa.org .

Pete Kennedy, An attorney in Sarasota, Florida. Pete compiled a list of
all state laws regarding raw milk for www.realmilk.com. (941) 349 4984
glfcstmnrs@earthlink.net .

Sally Fallon, President, and Co-Founder of the Weston A. Price Foundation,
and A Campaign for Real Milk. (202) 363-4394, safallon@aol.com

Bill Sanda, Executive Director, the Weston A. Price Foundation. (202)
363-4394, bsanda@westonaprice.org.


==========
To respond to this message, don't hit reply. Instead, contact:

Tilth Producers of Washington
P.O. Box 85056
Seattle WA 98145
206-442-7620
Nancy Allen, Administrative Director
Email:  <mailto:nancy@tilthproducers.org>

Visit the Tilth Producers website: http://www.tilthproducers.org

To contact the list manager or to be removed from this list, hit REPLY or
send to <mailto:webweaver@tilthproducers.org>
 

UPDATED INFO Feb 7 2006

As it stands, both the House bill and the Senate bill require anyone pulling milk out of an animal for others to have a Grade A dairy permit.  Both bills also include rather stern enforcement provisions as well.
See the following link for a copy of the bill - you may have to copy and paste it into your web browser address window:

http://www.leg.wa.gov/pub/billinfo/2005-06/Pdf/Bills/House%20Bills/3010-S.pdf

--------------------------------------------------------------

January 16, 2006
Action Alert from the Washington Association of Shareholder Dairy Owners
http://www.shareholderdairies.org
 
“Cow Share” Bill Threatens Basic Human Rights
 
Please visit, call, write or email your State legislators.
 
A bill has been introduced into the Washington State Legislature that is intended to force private owners of dairy animals to comply with Grade A dairy production regulations or face felony criminal charges. It also contains provisions that would seriously erode the rights of Washingtonians to be secure in their private homes and be free from unreasonable search and seizure.
 
The Washington Association of Shareholder Dairy Owners urges you to oppose this bill in order to:
 

Immediate action on your part is necessary as legislators need to hear from constituents THIS WEEK. If you can’t respond this week, don’t worry, deliberations over these proposed bills will be on-going. Take action anyway, please. More information on how to do this is below.
 
Two versions of the bill have been introduced into the Washington State Senate and House of Representatives, respectively.
 
The full text of the bills can be obtained at the following websites:
Senate_Bill_Website
and
House_Bill_Website
 
Attend the Public Hearing
The first public hearing on the proposed legislation is scheduled to take place before the Senate Agriculture & Rural Economic Development Committee on Thursday, January 19, 2006 at 8:30am in Senate Hearing Rm 3, J.A. Cherberg Building, Olympia, WA.
 
Please plan on attending this hearing and testifying to preserve the rights of Washingtonians to make our own food choices and provide for our own sustenance.
 
If you can’t attend the hearing, please visit, call, write or email your State legislators.
 
More Information about the Bills
As written, the proposed legislation intends to require anyone owning a dairy animal for milk production to comply with state dairy regulations and obtain licenses or else face civil and felony criminal charges. Thousands of Washington families who keep their own dairy animals for their own personal enjoyment and hundreds of dairy shareholders who have joined into groups in order to privately co-own dairy animals for their own personal enjoyment will be negatively affected by this misguided and dangerous law.
 
If passed, owning your own milk cow, goat or sheep will become a fond, fast-fading memory of a bygone era. Instead, powerful industrial dairy interests and over zealous government agencies will have finally succeeded in ushering in a Brave New World where citizens are prohibited from providing for their own sustenance through their own private food production.
 
The proposed bill would also convey totalitarian police powers to Washington State dairy inspectors allowing them to enter anyone’s home and search your premises on the basis of hearsay– all it would require is someone reporting that milking is happening at your home. Currently, dairy inspectors only have the authority to enter and inspect dairies that are licensed to sell milk to the general public, as it should be. The U.S. and Washington State Constitutions protect us in our private homes from such intrusions. It’s an affront to everything American that State legislators would even propose such far-reaching, police-state provisions.
 
Below is a list of the bills’ sponsors as well as those legislators who sit on the House and Senate committees that will be reviewing the proposed legislation. Please see if you find any legislators from your district on the list. These people need to hear from you. If you don’t find your legislators on this list, contact your Senator and Representatives anyway. You can find your legislators at:
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/DistrictFinder/Default.aspx
 
Attend the public hearings if you can.
 
Another very effective way to be heard is to call your legislator’s office (either in Olympia or the legislator’s district office) and ask to make an appointment to see her or him in person to discuss the issue. If meeting with your representative is impossible, make an appointment to meet with a staff person in your legislator’s office.
 
Writing a letter (on paper) is also a very good way for your input to your legislator to be taken seriously. Their addresses are provided below.
 
E-mail is a convenient way to let your legislator know your position on this issue. Below are provided links to the legislators Internet web pages from which email messages to them may be sent.
 
Please Take Action NOW!
 
The Washington Association of Shareholder Dairy Owners invites you to join the association so we can continue our work to develop standards and legal documents for use by Shareholder Dairies in Washington State. We also invite your donations of funds to support our work in defeating these bills as well as defending Washington State Shareholder Dairies. You may join and donate on line at:
http://www.shareholderdairies.org
 
Thank you!
 
SENATE SPONSORS
* indicates a member of the Senate Agriculture & Rural Economic Development Committee
 
Senator Mark Doumit
(D)  19th LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT
Olympia Office:
104 Modular Building 1
PO Box 40419
Olympia, WA 98504-0419
(360) 786-7636
Fax: (360) 786-1999
email
 
Senator Marilyn Rasmussen*
(D)  2nd LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT
Olympia Office:
409 Legislative Building
PO Box 40402
Olympia, WA 98504-0402
(360) 786-7602
Fax: (360) 786-1999
email
 
Senator Mark Schoesler*
Republican Whip
(R)  9th LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT
Olympia Office:
106A Irv Newhouse Building
PO Box 40409
Olympia, WA 98504-0409
(360) 786-7620
Fax: (360) 786-1999
email
 
Senator Dan Swecker
(R)  20th LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT
Olympia Office:
103 Irv Newhouse Building
PO Box 40420
Olympia, WA 98504-0420
(360) 786-7638
Fax: (360) 786-1999
email
 
Senator Bob Morton*
(R)  7th LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT
Olympia Office:
115D Irv Newhouse Building
PO Box 40407
Olympia, WA 98504-0407
(360) 786-7612
Fax: (360) 786-1999
email
 
Senator Joseph Zarelli
(R)  18th LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT
Olympia Office:
205 Irv Newhouse Building
PO Box 40418
Olympia, WA 98504-0418
(360) 786-7634
Fax: (360) 786-1999
email
 
Senator Paull Shin*
Vice President Pro Tempore
(D)  21st LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT
Olympia Office:
405 Legislative Building
PO Box 40421
Olympia, WA 98504-0421
(360) 786-7640
Fax: (360) 786-1999
email
 
Senator Cheryl Pflug
Republican Deputy Floor Leader
(R)  5th LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT
Olympia Office:
102 Irv Newhouse Building
PO Box 40405
Olympia, WA 98504-0405
(360) 786-7608
Fax: (360) 786-1999
email
 
Other Senators on the Agriculture & Rural Economic Development Committee:

Senator Jerome Delvin
(R)  8th LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT
Olympia Office:
201 Irv Newhouse Building
PO Box 40408
Olympia, WA 98504-0408
(360) 786-7614
Fax: (360) 786-1999
email
 
Senator Ken Jacobsen
(D)  46th LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT
Olympia Office:
102 Modular Building 1
PO Box 40446
Olympia, WA 98504-0446
(360) 786-7690
Fax: (360) 786-1999
email
 
Senator Tim Sheldon
(D)  35th LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT
Olympia Office:
412 Legislative Building
PO Box 40435
Olympia, WA 98504-0435
(360) 786-7668
Fax: (360) 786-1999
email
 
HOUSE SPONSORS
* indicates a member of the House Economic Development, Agriculture and Trade Committee

Rep. Jim Moeller
(D)  49th LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT
Olympia Office:
422 John L. O'Brien Building
PO Box 40600
Olympia, WA 98504-0600
(360) 786-7872
email
 
Rep. Daniel Newhouse*
Assistant Minority Floor Leader
(R)  15th LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT
Olympia Office:
324 John L. O'Brien Building
PO Box 40600
Olympia, WA 98504-0600
(360) 786-7874
email
 
Rep. Tami Green
Assistant Majority Whip
(D)  28th LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT
Olympia Office:
327 John L. O'Brien Building
PO Box 40600
Olympia, WA 98504-0600
(360) 786-7958
email
 
Rep. Shay Schual-Berke
(D)  33rd LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT
Olympia Office:
331 John L. O'Brien Building
PO Box 40600
Olympia, WA 98504-0600
(360) 786-7834
email
 
Rep. Richard DeBolt
Minority Leader
(R)  20th LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT
Olympia Office:
335C Legislative Building
PO Box 40600
Olympia, WA 98504-0600
(360) 786-7896
email
 

Rep. John Lovick
Speaker Pro Tempore
(D)  44th LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT
Olympia Office:
430 Legislative Building
PO Box 40600
Olympia, WA 98504-0600
(360) 786-7892
email
 
 
Rep. Sherry Appleton
Assistant Majority Whip
(D)  23rd LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT
Olympia Office:
424 John L. O'Brien Building
PO Box 40600
Olympia, WA 98504-0600
(360) 786-7934
email
 
Rep. Ed Murray
(D)  43rd LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT
Olympia Office:
203 John L. O'Brien Building
PO Box 40600
Olympia, WA 98504-0600
(360) 786-7826
email
 
Rep. Mary Helen Roberts
(D)  21st LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT
Olympia Office:
341 John L. O'Brien Building
PO Box 40600
Olympia, WA 98504-0600
(360) 786-7950
email
 
Other Representatives on the House Economic Development, Agriculture and Trade Committee
 
Rep. Kelli Linville
(D)  42nd LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT
Olympia Office:
429 Legislative Building
PO Box 40600
Olympia, WA 98504-0600
(360) 786-7854
email
 
Rep. Eric Pettigrew
(D)  37th LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT
Olympia Office:
122E Legislative Building
PO Box 40600
Olympia, WA 98504-0600
(360) 786-7838
email
 
Rep. Dan Kristiansen
(R)  39th LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT
Olympia Office:
404 John L. O'Brien Building
PO Box 40600
Olympia, WA 98504-0600
(360) 786-7967
email
 
Rep. Mary Skinner
Minority Caucus Vice Chair
(R)  14th LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT
Olympia Office:
434 John L. O'Brien Building
PO Box 40600
Olympia, WA 98504-0600
(360) 786-7810
email
 
Rep. Sherry Appleton
Assistant Majority Whip
(D)  23rd LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT
Olympia Office:
424 John L. O'Brien Building
PO Box 40600
Olympia, WA 98504-0600
(360) 786-7934
email
 
Rep. Barbara Bailey
(R)  10th LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT
Olympia Office:
405 John L. O'Brien Building
PO Box 40600
Olympia, WA 98504-0600
(360) 786-7914
email
 
Rep. Brian Blake
(D)  19th LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT
Olympia Office:
339 John L. O'Brien Building
PO Box 40600
Olympia, WA 98504-0600
(360) 786-7870
email
 
Rep. David Buri
Assistant Minority Whip
(R)  9th LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT
Olympia Office:
318 John L. O'Brien Building
PO Box 40600
Olympia, WA 98504-0600
(360) 786-7844
email
 
Rep. Maralyn Chase
(D)  32nd LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT
Olympia Office:
433 John L. O'Brien Building
PO Box 40600
Olympia, WA 98504-0600
(360) 786-7880
email
 
Rep. Judy Clibborn
(D)  41st LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT
Olympia Office:
315 John L. O'Brien Building
PO Box 40600
Olympia, WA 98504-0600
(360) 786-7926
email
 
Rep. Jim Dunn
(R)  17th LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT
Olympia Office:
322 John L. O'Brien Building
PO Box 40600
Olympia, WA 98504-0600
(360) 786-7994
email
 
Rep. Bill Grant
Majority Caucus Chair
(D)  16th LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT
Olympia Office:
434B Legislative Building
PO Box 40600
Olympia, WA 98504-0600
(360) 786-7828
email
 
Rep. Larry Haler
(R)  8th LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT
Olympia Office:
403 John L. O'Brien Building
PO Box 40600
Olympia, WA 98504-0600
(360) 786-7986
email
 
Rep. Janéa Holmquist
(R)  13th LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT
Olympia Office:
436 John L. O'Brien Building
PO Box 40600
Olympia, WA 98504-0600
(360) 786-7932
email
 
Rep. Derek Kilmer
(D)  26th LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT
Olympia Office:
430 John L. O'Brien Building
PO Box 40600
Olympia, WA 98504-0600
(360) 786-7802
email
 
Rep. Joel Kretz
(R)  7th LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT
Olympia Office:
439 John L. O'Brien Building
PO Box 40600
Olympia, WA 98504-0600
(360) 786-7988
email
 
Rep. John McCoy
(D)  38th LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT
Olympia Office:
338 John L. O'Brien Building
PO Box 40600
Olympia, WA 98504-0600
(360) 786-7864
email
 
 
Rep. Dawn Morrell
(D)  25th LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT
Olympia Office:
342 John L. O'Brien Building
PO Box 40600
Olympia, WA 98504-0600
(360) 786-7968
email
 
 
Rep. Dave Quall
(D)  40th LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT
Olympia Office:
301 John L. O'Brien Building
PO Box 40600
Olympia, WA 98504-0600
(360) 786-7800
email
 
Rep. Chris Strow
(R)  10th LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT
Olympia Office:
323 John L. O'Brien Building
PO Box 40600
Olympia, WA 98504-0600
(360) 786-7884
email

Rep. Pat Sullivan
(D)  47th LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT
Olympia Office:
122G Legislative Building
PO Box 40600
Olympia, WA 98504-0600
(360) 786-7858
email
 
Rep. Deb Wallace
(D)  17th LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT
Olympia Office:
340 John L. O'Brien Building
PO Box 40600
Olympia, WA 98504-0600
(360) 786-7976
email

This message originated from or was forwarded by:
Chrys Ostrander
Chrysalis Farm @ Tolstoy
Organic Micro-permaculture
33495 Mill Canyon Rd.
Davenport, WA 99122
509-725-0610
chrys@thefutureisorganic.net
http://www.thefutureisorganic.net

"From each according to their ability to each according to their need"
Karl Marx - "Critique of the Gotha Program" 1875

"The purpose of agriculture is not the production of food, but the perfection of human beings"
Masanobu Fukuoka - "One Straw Revolution" 1978

Please join a growing community of Washingtonians working for official recognition of the private, self-regulated shareholder micro-dairy.
To find out more and get involved, JOIN the Washington Association of Shareholder Dairy Owners
http://www.shareholderdairies.org

Defend the Rights of Washingtonians to Readily Obtain Raw Milk and Raw Dairy Products
Support the Raw Dairy Choice Campaign
http://www.thefutureisorganic.net/dairy/RawDairyChoice.htm