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ATTENTION:  Raw Milk / Food Freedom Advocates milkpitcherGlass  
Deadline for submitting letters extended to June 17 

 

If you already submitted this letter, thank you very much!

If not, please consider doing so and make extra copies for your friends and family to submit.

 

The South Dakota Department of Agriculture (SDDA) held a hearing on June 6th in Pierre to introduce a set of new rules specifically for raw milk. Seventeen producers and concerned individuals attended the hearing, many voicing their opposition to the proposed regulations.

 

SDDA's stated plan was to "clear up" all the confusion surrounding current raw milk rules. Instead, they are even more confusing, and have added more rules that are burdensome and inconsistent with current law.   

  

The new proposed rules create an economic barrier and encroach on personal freedoms. You can see how this will eliminate any small farmer from selling raw milk - which also eliminates the freedom to purchase and consume the milk of choice.   

  

Originally these letters were due on June 5th. The department has extended the deadline to June 17, 2013.  

I
TAKE ACTION 
Write Comments to SDDA by June 17, 2013  

 

It is important to get as many people as possible to write comments to the SDDA by

June 17th.     

 

If you care about maintaining the freedom of choice on this matter PLEASE RESPOND BY MAILING THE  FORM LETTER TO: 


South Dakota Department of Agriculture

Ag Services

523 E. Capitol Ave.

Pierre, SD 57501  

 

In order to keep freedom of food choice, your letter needs to arrive by June 17th at the SD Department of Agriculture (even if it is after June 17th please send your letter).  

 

Feel free to copy your letter to the Governor and your elected officials.


Gov. Dennis Daugaard - www.sd.gov/governor/contact.aspx

Who are my Legislators? (enter county & city) - www.legis.state.sd.us/who/index.aspx 

   

II
OUR VOICES CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
They did in 2009 when SDDA received 266 letters from raw milk supporters!
    
Your participation WILL make a difference!

 

Below is a list of key issues to address and a form letter which you can either sign and send, or re-write in your own words.

 

Please send your letter to the SDDA.

 

Thank you!

III
KEY ISSUES:

MAINTAINING FREEDOMS

The language "offer or provide" in the proposed rules is inappropriate and inconsistent with statute which only refers to the selling of raw milk.  (This is KEY because it would make even providing raw milk to your family and friends illegal unless you have a permit.)

 

UNREALISTIC RULES - FINANCIALLY BURDENSOME

They are imposing additional tests and more stringent testing limits which are unattainable with raw milk because it contains naturally occurring beneficial bacteria.

 

The bottom line is that the impact of these rules will be financially detrimental to the producer, and literally could put them out of business which in turn eliminates the choice of the consumer.  The impact of these rules to the consumer will keep us from providing raw milk to family and friends.

 

FOR THE LATEST UPDATES:

 

www.blackhillsgoatdairy.com 

  

www.facebook.com/BlackHillsGoatDairy 

   

IV

South Dakota Department of Agriculture (SDDA)

Dairy & Egg Office

523 E. Capitol Ave.

Pierre, SD 57501

 

RE: Proposed Raw Milk Rules

 

Dear SDDA Personnel:

 

As a South Dakota citizen and consumer of raw milk, I am concerned about the proposed raw milk rules putting small farmers out of business, and consumers losing access to raw milk. The new proposed rules create an economic barrier and encroach on personal freedoms. These rules will eliminate any small farmer from selling raw milk - which also eliminates the freedom to purchase and consume the milk of one's choice. The following are my specific concerns and requests for changes:

 

1) SDCL 39-6-9   At the April 15, 2013 meeting with the SDDA in Rapid City, raw milk consumers and producers asked SDDA representatives Darwin Kurtenbach and Courtney De La Rosa if the SDDA has statutory authority to promulgate rules for raw milk under 39-6-9 and they said no; 39-6-9 only refers to pasteurized milk and it would be removed from the draft raw milk rules presented at that meeting. Pursuant to that discussion, please remove all references to 39-6-9 in these proposed raw milk rules in Chapter12:81.

 

2) 12:81   Change the wording in the proposed rules of "bottled raw milk for human consumption" so that it refers only to the SALE of raw milk for human consumption. In any section where the words of "offer and provide" occur, they should be omitted /changed to "sell" or be clearly stated as pertaining only to the sale of raw milk.

 

3) 12:81:03:01   Delete "There shall be no direct openings between the milk packaging area and milking operations" because this will cost producers extra money, cause major inconvenience, and does not contribute to public health.

 

4) 12:81:02:02, 12:81:03:04   Delete pathogen testing requirements - Utah just eliminated pathogen testing of raw milk in April 2013.

 

5) 12:81:03:03   Delete the coliform count testing requirement. Raw milk contains naturally occurring, beneficial bacteria which come out of the animal higher than the limit of 10.

 

6) 12:81:03:04   Delete all of 12:81:03:04.

 

7) 12:81:03:05   Delete the warning label requirement because it is impossible for the producers to attach such a label to their current bottles and it would be prohibitively expensive to buy new bottles causing a significant financial impact.

 

8) 12:81:03:06   Delete 12:81:03:06 as, according to the South Dakota Animal Industry Board, South Dakota is a brucellosis- and tuberculosis-free state and current regulations are sufficient.

 

9) 12:81:04   Delete this entire Section because it relies on the existing confusing pasteurized milk rules, and also because these have process-related changes (e.g. physical facility requirements). These provisions need to be rejected and the proposed changes need to be removed.

 

Thank you for making these changes.


Sincerely,

 

 

Name __________________________________________________

 

Address ________________________________________________

 

________________________________________________________

 
 
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Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund, a 501(c)(4) nonprofit, defends the rights and broadens the freedoms of family farms and artisan food producers while protecting consumer access to raw milk and nutrient-dense foods. Learn more About Us or check out the FTCLDF 2013 Summary.

Membership benefits include the possibility of representation in court; the Fund typically pays for all court costs. The Fund is not an insurance company and cannot guarantee representation on all legal matters. Your membership fees and donations help to keep local food sources available and preserve family farms facing unjust enforcement actions.


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Please forward this alert to others who are concerned about protecting locally-sourced nutrient dense foods and preserving sustainable small family farms and artisan food producers as well as defending the rights to sell and to access the foods of one's choice from the source of one's choice.