We are happy to announce another victory in the fight to save our raw milk supply in California.
On Wednesday, March 19th, the Hollister Superior Court blocked the CDFA's controversial raw milk standards set forth in AB 1735.
Judge Tobias of the Hollister Superior Court granted Claravale Dairy Inc. and Organic Pastures Dairy Company LLC a “Temporary Restraining Order” (TRO) enjoining and barring CDFA from using coliform counts as a measure in raw milk production as permitted by AB 1735.
The Judge ruled that he could find no evidence that coliforms at any level placed the consumers of raw milk at risk. He found that the AB 1735 standards did, however, place the producers of raw milk at substantial and immediate business risk, thus jeopardizing availability of product for California's raw milk consumers.
TRO is issued when a judge finds that there is a substantial and reasonable chance (and compelling supportive evidence) that a Permanent Restraining Order will be issued at a later hearing after additional testimony can be heard.
What we need right now (not later): Your declarations/testimonials for submission to Judge Tobias. There is something called a content rule for the declaration. In order for it to be received as evidence by the court, it must state facts and not opinions. It must include your name, anything factual about your occupation etc, that you have been a customer for so many months or years, that you are an educated consumer, fully familiar with the risks associated with drinking raw vs. pasteurized milk. Expain how, if the legislation of AB1735 is enforced, you and your family will be deprived an essential part of your diet and that you are in support of restraining the State's enforcement of AB1735.
Many of you have already submitted testimonials. These can now be adapted for this use.
Declaration: (DOC)
Please download, and type in your submission in indicated space. Your declaration must also include your signature.
When complete, print out and mail to:
Claravale Farm
33320 Panoche Rd
Paicines, CA 95043
If you have access to a scanner, you can scan the document, and send as an attachment to info@claravaledairy.com.
After you have filled in the blanks with your personal information, write your testimonial regarding our milk. Include why it would cause irreparable harm to you if we were to go out of business. Included in this would be how you would be affected in your health, in your finances and otherwise. It is pertinent to the Judge's decision as to how others, besides Claravale Farm and Organic Pastures, would be harmed by the enforcement of AB1735.
That hearing is coming. Here's what you need to know.
When: April 25th - time TBA
Where: Hollister Superior Court, Judge Tobias proceeding.
What to Expect: Attorney Gary Cox of the Farm to Consumer Legal Defense Fund will be arguing for a Permanent Restraining Order against further coliform testing of raw milk products in CA.
Why Attend:
1. Your attendance sends a message that raw milk matters.
2. Support Gary Cox by packing the courtroom with quiet but passionate cheerleaders.
It is now official. Senator Dean Florez and Senator Abel Maldonado will hold joint hearings on raw milk in California.
Representing the CDFA and the FDA will be the chief of FDA dairy safety, John Sheehan, along with eight other university food safety experts.
Protecting our right to drink raw milk will be a very special Raw Milk Dream Team. These experts include Sally Fallon, Jordan Rubin, Ted Beals, MD., Cat Berge DVM PhD, and more to come in the next two weeks. Also joining us are powerful advocates like Walter Robb, president of Wholefoods. Together, we will argue that the raw milk industry in California has a long history of safety; that raw milk provides superior nutrition; and consuming raw milk is a matter of personal choice.
We expect a history-making showdown that will significantly impact the destiny of our food choices. These hearings will send a message to our government that living and whole, unprocessed foods are a boon to health, and are an important consumer choice.
All Raw Milk lovers should plan to attend this landmark hearing! Please bear in mind that this is an official hearing, and every participant is entitled to deliver his/her testimony in a respectful fashion.
So let's pack the hearing room with respectful yet passionate raw milk fans.
Date: Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Time: 3 PM - 9 PM or until everyone has spoken
Location: Sacramento CA - State Capitol Building
John L. Burton Hearing Room (Room 4203)
Subject: Fresh Farm Milk-Assuring Safety and Consumer Choice
Joint Hearing of: Senate Agriculture Committee and the Select Committee on Food-Borne Illness
Chairs: Senators Maldonado and Florez
We want to again thank all our customers for their continual support in the fight to save raw milk. We could not do it without you.