I love this country. I love the Constitution and the safeguard it provides (or was intended to provide) against the infringement of our unalienable rights. What makes those in this country free? Well, that is becoming less and less clear. Take, for instance, what happened to Pennsylvanian Amish farmer, Dan Allgyer, on April 20th. Armed federal agents acting on behalf of the FDA raided his business to prevent him from selling his unpasteurized milk to willing, fully-informed customers in Maryland. After a year-long undercover sting operation, the federal government shut down Allgyer’s business because federal government did not approve of the completely voluntary transactions. As Ron Paul points our, “He was not tricking people into buying it, he was not forcing people to purchase it, and there had been no complaints about his product.” I quite agree that these types of police state raids on peaceful businessmen have no place in a free society. The interstate commerce clause has been missaplied and narrowly interpreted once again. The effect is an unconstitutional abuse of the government’s regulatory powers.
The raw vs. pasteurized debate pits the health benefits of consuming raw, unpasteurized milk against potential health concerns. In Europe, all raw milk products are legal and considered safe for human consumption, and can be sold without any price, variety or quantity restrictions. In France, raw milk and especially raw milk cheeses are considered the standard for high quality dairy products. In fact, many French traditionalists consider pasteurized cheeses almost a sacrilege.
Last week, Ron Paul introduced HR 1830, a bill to allow the shipment and distribution of unpasteurized milk and milk products for human consumption across state lines. This legislation removes the unconstitutional restraint on farmers who wish to sell or otherwise distribute, and people who wish to consume, unpasteurized milk and milk products.
You can listen HERE to the story of the Pennsylvania farmer or read more about it HERE. Also, find the text of HR1830 below:
112th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1830
To authorize the interstate traffic of unpasteurized milk and milk products that are packaged for direct human consumption.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 11, 2011
Mr. PAUL introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce
A BILL
To authorize the interstate traffic of unpasteurized milk and milk products that are packaged for direct human consumption.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. INTERSTATE TRAFFIC OF UNPASTEURIZED MILK AND MILK PRODUCTS.
(a) Sale Allowed- Notwithstanding the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 301 et seq.), section 361 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 264), and any regulations or other guidance issued under such Act or section, a Federal department, agency, or court may not take any action (such as administrative, civil, criminal, or other actions) that would prohibit, interfere with, regulate, or otherwise restrict the interstate traffic of milk, or a milk product, that is unpasteurized and packaged for direct human consumption, if such restriction is based on the determination that, solely because such milk or milk product is unpasteurized, such milk or milk product is adulterated, misbranded, or otherwise in violation of Federal law.
(b) Definitions- In this section, the following definitions apply:
(1) The terms `interstate traffic’, `milk’, and `milk product’ have the meanings given those terms in section 1240.3 of title 21, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on the date of enactment of this Act).
(2) The term `packaged for direct human consumption’ means milk and milk products that are packaged for the final consumer and intended for human consumption. Such term does not include milk and milk products that are packaged for additional processing, including pasteurization, before being consumed by humans.
(3) The term `pasteurized’ means the process of heating milk and milk products to the applicable temperature specified in the tables contained in section 1240.61 of title 21, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulations), and held continuously at or above that temperature for at least the corresponding specified time in such tables.
