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On November 22, PDA submitted a revised version of the disapproved regulations to the IRRC. Although mechanical
bottling and capping would not be required for milk sold on the farm, this would still be required for raw milk sold in
retail stores. The revised regs still require that the washing of returnable bottles occur in a room separate from the milk
room. Another provision that requires the raw milk producer be responsible for the costs of all pathogen testing (cur-
rently the testing is paid for by PDA) remains in the latest version of the regs. IRRC was scheduled to meet on December
16 to vote on whether to approve the revised regulations.

CANADA
On November 8, raw milk farmer Michael Schmidt issued the “Edmonton Declaration” on the steps of the Alberta
Legislature. The declaration is a call to arms for the raw milk movement in Canada. It states, “I [Schmidt] am here to
mark this day as a turning point. A turning point because we the farmers, we the consumers, we as concerned people of
Canada, are officially rejecting those who pass regulations without respecting our fundamental rights, our fundamental
freedom to be and act as responsible individuals. We openly challenge and reject those who blindly enforce unjust laws
. . . We reject the assault on small farmers under the pretense of food safety threats. We reject Government protection
in regards to our individual food choices and our individual health treatment choices. We reject the criminalization of
those who make informed decisions. . . I am calling on farmers and consumers alike to join in to openly challenge our
bureaucrats and put our elected officials to task.”

In the declaration, Schmidt mentioned Cow Share Canada, an organization founded by him with a mission to develop
raw milk standards, train and accredit raw milk farmers and protect those farmers from government attacks. Schmidt
vowed that if any Province “engages in new court actions or physical attacks against cow share operators without any
respect for the individuals’ choice of food and due legal process, I will once again enter into a hungerstrike to activate
and encourage more and more people to openly join this battle for our fundamental rights and freedom to choose our
food and our health.”

Schmidt went to the province of Alberta to support the cow share program, Beulah Novelty Food Coop. On October
26, Judith Johnson, the operator of Beulah, had been assaulted in an Edmonton church parking lot by an inspector
from the Alberta Department of Agriculture and Rural Development who physically tried to force his way into Johnson’s
van. The inspector was unsuccessful but Johnson subsequently let him and other government officials search the van
after being told by them, “We will break your windows or seize your vehicle if you do not open the door.” The officials
found and seized raw milk intended for Beulah’s shareholders, with the inspector telling Johnson that she would be
getting nothing back and that they would be going out to her farm to charge her with violating the law. The night of the
incident, Johnson was hospitalized.

Shortly after the raid, Alberta Health Operations ordered Johnson and her business partner, Henry Pudlow, to cease
operations, claiming the milk seized had high bacteria counts and was unsafe for human consumption. Schmidt initially
supported Beulah but withdrew his support on November 10 after visiting to inspect the cow share program and finding
violations of standards set by Cow Share Canada. Johnson and Pudlow said they plan to restructure their operation to
comply with the organization’s standards.

Earlier in the year, Schmidt on behalf of Cow Share Canada had taken over management of the Home on the Range cow
share program in British Columbia after the herd manager, Alice Jongwarden, had been found in contempt of a court
order prohibiting the distribution of raw milk for human consumption. After the order, Jongwarden had continued to
distribute raw milk to the shareholders, with each jar of milk carrying a sticker with the words, “Not for Human Con-
sumption.” On December 2, the Supreme Court of British Columbia upheld the contempt ruling but did not penalize
Jongwarden, finding that since she had stopped her production and distribution of raw milk products (Schmidt had
taken over management), she had “purged her contempt” and a penalty was not necessary. The Home on the Range
cow share program is still continuing under Schmidt’s management.

For the latest developments on raw milk issues, go to www.farmtoconsumer.org

Those who have not joined the Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund are encouraged to do so. Membership applica-
tions are available online at www.farmtoconsumer.org or by calling (703) 208-FARM (3276); the mailing address is 8116
Arlington Blvd, Suite 263, Falls Church, VA 22042.

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