IA Action Alert – Senate Committee Vote on Raw Milk Sales SSB 1107

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Tell Committee Members to Vote YES for SSB 1107

Support Legal Raw Milk Sales in Iowa

Senate Study Bill 1107 (SSB 1107) has passed out of the Senate State Government Subcommittee and is now before the full committee. SSB 1107 would allow the sale of raw milk and raw milk products produced by the farm, if it has not more than 10 very animals actively producing milk at any one time, direct to consumers on the farm or through delivery. There are licensing and testing requirements, and those purchasing raw milk and raw milk products may not resell those foods. Farmers operating under the bill are exempt from regulation by the Iowa Department of Land Stewardship including any licensing, permitting or inspection requirements.

There are currently 45 states that allow the sale or distribution of raw milk; 38 states allow the sale or distribution for human consumption with another seven states allowing the sale for animal consumption. Iowa is clearly an outlier; state law currently prohibits any sale or distribution of raw milk. All states bordering Iowa allow the sale of raw milk.

Your support for SSB 1107 is critical. Lobbyists for the dairy industry and the health sector testified against the bill in the subcommittee hearing. Please do what you can to end raw milk prohibition in Iowa.

ACTION TO TAKE

Call and/or email members of the Senate State Government Committee asking them to vote YES on SSB 1107. Calls are best. It is especially important to do this if you are a constituent of a committee member. Consider including in your message any of the Talking Points below.

In your emails please put “Please Support SSB 1107“ in the subject line. Also cc your own senator (if not on the committee) and representative so they know you are seeking their support.

To find your legislators, enter your address in the search field at https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislators/find

You may copy/paste this block of email addresses for the full committee:

jason.schultz@legis.iowa.gov; tony.bisignano@legis.iowa.gov; cherielynn.westrich@legis.iowa.gov; chris.cournoyer@legis.iowa.gov; nate.boulton@legis.iowa.gov; mike.bousselot@legis.iowa.gov; waylon.brown@legis.iowa.gov; claire.celsi@legis.iowa.gov; dan.dawson@legis.iowa.gov; dawn.driscoll@legis.iowa.gov; eric.giddens@legis.iowa.gov; pam.jochum@legis.iowa.gov; carrie.koelker@legis.iowa.gov; tim.kraayenbrink@legis.iowa.gov; charlie.mcclintock@legis.iowa.gov; sandy.salmon@legis.iowa.gov; scott.webster@legis.iowa.gov; janice.weiner@legis.iowa.gov 

TALKING POINTS

1. Tell the committee members your story on how raw milk has benefited your health or the health of your family.

2. Raw milk has a good track record for safety. According to at least one study, the number of illnesses attributed to raw milk consumption has declined as demand for the product has increased.

3. Passage of SSB 1107 will keep more of the food dollar in the state economy. With the sale of raw milk being legal in all of Iowa’s bordering states, there are lost revenues.

4. Passage of SSB 1107 would enable family farmers to make a better living. Raw milk in other states is often the product that first draws the consumer to set foot on the farm leading to sales of other foods such as meat, poultry, eggs, and produce.

5. The bill supports consumer choice. The consumption of all raw milk products is legal in Iowa. Instead of having to cross state lines to exercise their legal right, shouldn’t Iowans have access to those products from Iowa farmers?

WAPF will be sending out further alerts on SSB 1107 as events warrant.

BILL STATUS LINK – SSB 1107

https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook?ga=90&ba=ssb1107

COMMITTEE CONTACTS

Senators on the Senate State Government Committee are listed below. The Capitol phone number 515-281-3371 is shown on the website for every committee member whose profile links are at https://www.legis.iowa.gov/committees/committee?ga=90&groupID=702

jason.schultz@legis.iowa.gov (R-6)

tony.bisignano@legis.iowa.gov (D-15)

cherielynn.westrich@legis.iowa.gov (R-13)

chris.cournoyer@legis.iowa.gov (R-35)

nate.boulton@legis.iowa.gov (D-20)

mike.bousselot@legis.iowa.gov (R-21)

waylon.brown@legis.iowa.gov (R-30)

claire.celsi@legis.iowa.gov (D-16)

dan.dawson@legis.iowa.gov (R-10)

dawn.driscoll@legis.iowa.gov (R-46)

eric.giddens@legis.iowa.gov (D-38)

pam.jochum@legis.iowa.gov (D-36)

carrie.koelker@legis.iowa.gov (R-33)

tim.kraayenbrink@legis.iowa.gov (R-4)

charlie.mcclintock@legis.iowa.gov (R-42)

sandy.salmon@legis.iowa.gov (R-29)

scott.webster@legis.iowa.gov (R-47)

janice.weiner@legis.iowa.gov (D-45)

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