In Which the Government Is a Whore
*WARNING* Rant Ahead. Proceed with caution, and perhaps a little fire in your bones, if you dare.
I don’t always get so riled up about political issues. Actually, this should not even be a political issue at all. I don’t believe the government should be telling me which food products I can and cannot consume. Not when they turn around and stuff their pockets with tax dollars form the sale of tobacco products which are proven to be cancer-causing.
This article recently in the Globe & Mail describes the persecution of Michael Schmidt, a dairy farmer in Ontario who has been found guilty of 15 out of 19 charges related to distributing raw milk. His cow share operation makes it possible for people to obtain raw milk by purchasing a small “share” in a cow, and getting the percentage of milk that is due them from their share. This is not the first time Mr. Schmidt has been involved with the law. His farm has also been raided several times by police, and last year he was acquitted of all charges, and his cow share program was declared legal. Now, however, the charges are back, and a provincial court has overthrown last year’s decision. The future does not look promising for raw milk fans in Ontario.
Another well-written article begins by stating that “Queen Elizabeth drinks her milk raw. She reportedly thinks so highly of unpasteurized milk that, when her grandsons Princes William and Harry were students at Eton, she instructed herdsman Adrian Tomlinson to bottle up raw milk from her Windsor herd and deliver it to them at school. Canadians, however, are not permitted to emulate their head of state.”
The rest of the world is miles ahead of Canada on this issue: “The United Kingdom, France, Germany and many U.S. states have programs that allow public-health authorities to certify a dairy’s output as safe for raw consumption. In France and Italy, there are vending machines dispensing raw milk to eager consumers.” And yet it is illegal here. According to that same article, 88.7 percent of dairy farmers who sell the milk to be pasteurized and sold consume it raw for themselves and/or their family. They would, however, be prosecuted for selling it to me.
The question is just begging to be asked: why!?
In a country where it is legal to buy and smoke cigarettes – cigarettes, people! – how can it possibly make sense that the government would throw so many of its legal resources into shutting down Mr. Schmidt’s operation, and others like it? So what if people want to drink raw milk? The documented health benefits of raw milk are incredible, and the risks are completely overblown. Yes, it can make people sick if proper procedures are not in place, but so can spinach… remember the E.Coli outbreaks in bagged raw spinach? Or in meat? Or in… pretty much any other food you can find at the grocery store? Recalls, bacteria outbreaks, etc. – these are a way of life for the modern food processing system (which is another rant for another day!).
That’s not even taking into account the quality of the “food” to begin with… the government seems not to be concerned that margarine, dye and sugar-laden children’s snacks, and soybean-oil based products line the shelves. Margarine is full of trans-fats, dyes and sugars have been proven to have negative behavioural/health effects, and soy has been throughly discredited as anything remotely healthy. It is a hormone disrupter, and has been linked to early onset puberty in children, and a host of other grave health concerns.
I haven’t heard about any government raids on margarine packaging factories as of late. Nor on any of the soybean farmers…
So what gives?
Here’s the issue. The government is influenced by wealthy corporations (such as the dairy association, which would stand to lose a ton of money if people stopped buying their neutered nutritionally-void “milk” and bought the real stuff from their local farmer instead). The wealthy companies buy their way into a spot at the decision-making table, and suddenly the government that is supposed to be functioning for the people is no longer thinking of the people’s best interests. The government has whored itself out to The Big Money, and we are the jilted spouse.
This makes me angry.
I want the right to decide what to eat and drink – and I certainly do not want the government’s unhelpful opinion on what that is. They’ve done enough damage already with their dreadful food guide/pyramid. Obesity, diabetes, heart disease, etc. are on the rise, thanks to the massive amounts of processed grains, low-fat crap, and sugar being stuffed down the throats of naive citizens everywhere.
I deserve the right to choose the nutritional philosophy best suited for my family, and I’d thank the government to back off and get the hell out of my kitchen.
(linked up with Nourishing Gourmet’s Pennywise Platter, GNOWFLGINS’ Simple Lives Thursdays, and Food Renegade’s Fight Back Fridays)
Wow I know in India there are cows everywhere and the people would bring you raw milk and it lasts about 2 days, you have to drink it because its not pasteurized or anything but its sooo delicious. I loved it. This really angers me as well, it’s so stupid. Also can you do/do you have a post with foods you can eat that are actually good for you and healthy. Like its so hard to figure out what to eat because you can basically eat nothing in a regular store. No soy, milk, grains (ehh I still eat bread but try to limit it), I’m trying to eat very less sugar, and trying to reduce saturated fats although I agree we need it but I eat so much of it daily. Also I’m trying to eat more proteins and such because we don’t get much protein in since we eat only chicken, seafood and eggs. I heard tuna is really good for you but extremely high in mercury. Can you still eat it? And where do you get most of this food? We don’t have a whole foods store and its hard to get good wholesome foods where I live. Thanks so much!! Love your blog!!
Google Sally Fallon and watch her 3 part lecture and you will never look at a persons face or teeth the same way! It’s towards the end when she talks about the benefits of raw milk and good fats for children. I wish I knew about all of this before I had my children! Thank you for your blog! Keep up the conversation! We must educate the uneducated. These laws are outdated!
I have a feeling I know what the lecture will be about (love Sally Fallon!), and I will probably wholeheartedly agree. I wish we had access to raw milk here.
man, I SO agree with this! Arg!
This is a great post and a fine example of why 10% make the decisions for the remaining 90% and make a smashing profit doing so. This is why people are protesting in the US and are going to be protesting in Canada and worldwide. Thank you for having the courage to say it like it is, which is ridiculous and scary.
Beth,
Great rant! Remember, this same government says you have the “right” to kill your unborn child, just so long as you don’t feed your born children raw milk. It is naive to think they really care about women having choice. The nanny state just doesn’t know when to quit, so if people like you don’t complain they will continue to expand their control of our lives.
Thanks Dad. I agree – they don’t really care about us having a choice. I guess speaking up really can have an impact – it just seems like such an insurmountable task most of the time.
I totally agree! A few years back I learned about the benefits of raw milk…and was *shocked* when I discovered it was illegal in most of Ontario. I just don’t understand why the governement seeks to control people on these issues. Everywhere we go, the rhetoric of “choice” is bandied about…’the government of Canada is great because it supports free choice’ is what you’ll hear folks saying. But the sad reality is that your choice is only protected in Canada if it agrees with the government’s perspectives. Very sad and troubling, to say the least!
Yeah, not much of a choice when it’s illegal, is it?
Yes! Go Beth! These are the reasons my husband dreams of having a family farm in the back woods…so we can do whatever the hell we please and stick it to the man! Have you read any of Joel Salatins books? I think you would love them! Especially the one called “Everything I want to do is Illegal.”
A farm would be amazing. I have a couple of friends going the homesteading route (Hi Lola & Missy!) and I remind myself daily not to be envious! I have heard of Joel Salatin – awesome guy – but have never read his books. That one sounds so amazing.
Hear, Hear!! Maybe we should all grab a soap box…think it would make a difference?? I get so worked up just thinking about this stuff. The governement here decided to allow a search for shale gas, which basically means they can blast through water tables to look for this stuff and most likely ruin the water supply for any village/town nearby, then implement a city water system to cover it up and make you pay for water treated with poisinous flouride!! Makes me sick to my stomach!
Ya know, if we *all* grabbed a soapbox… perhaps. But can I say I’m cynical about change like that? I just am. Sad but true.
That’s so annoying about your water! Have you heard of a Berkey Filter? I want to get one.
Hasn’t happened to our water, but just the thought of the possibility has me fuming. Lord willing hopefully we will not have to go through that. I’ll have to check out that filter though. I’ve only ever heard of brita.
Exactly! I get so upset that all the healthy raw organic food is illegal or nearly impossible to get due to high costs, while so many other bad for us things are perfectly ok’d by the gov’t. Just a little frustrating when the gov’t can decided what is going to be ok what we consume.
I guess it’s too much to ask for the government to be rational about such things. *sigh*
This drives me nuts. In March I remember hearing of a couple who ran a bed and breakfast in Canada. Part of the breakfast they served was free range eggs from their own chickens until Department of Health decided they couldn’t anymore. Now they have decided to shut down their bed and breakfast. So sad.
Yeah, I had heard about that but forgotten. How ridiculous!!
Right on, sister. (I like when you get rant-y.)
I kinda like it too…
I so agree! It is just really so frustrating and sad!
It is sad… especially for those who could really benefit from the health benefits in raw milk.
I have to say, I LOVE this post. I haven’t ever read anything on the benefits/risks of raw milk (just haven’t had the time nor the inclination, I suppose), but a) your passion for it (not raw milk, but the government’s “unhelpful opinion” on what is right to eat or drink) is contagious, and b) your last line makes me laugh – not at you, but because it is so entirely and appropriately indignant. Keep writing. Rants, and everything else. You make me think.
Thanks Crystal
I’m glad you liked my last line – I was nervous about it, lol. I’ve heard it said that the best posts are the ones for which you’re scared to hit publish…
I just read about the decision yesterday and was so ticked. So annoying and ridiculous but I was too tired to rant…now you have basically said what I wanted to say so I will just link to you to express for me. Seriously…argh.
I know – it really is ridiculous. It’s frustrating that we’re so powerless in these things.