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Nebraska Raw Milk Legislation
Call to Immediate Action
January 23 to January 25, 2006
WESTON A. PRICE FOUNDATION
ACTION ALERT
January 22, 2006
It has come to our attention that the bill we have all worked so hard
on for the past three years may not make it to the legislative floor
this year. If the LB132 does not make it to the floor it will be scraped
and the process will have to be repeated from its inception in 2007.
LB 132 passed out of the Agriculture Committee un-opposed in 2005 and
was scheduled to be debated by the full legislature in 2006. The
legislative flow is uncharacteristically bogged down and as a result
it
appears, without immediate and decisive action, our efforts will go
without
reward this year.
For the bill to have any chance of hitting the floor this year the
speaker, committee or a senator must list this bill as a priority. Each
senator can select one bill as a priority, each committee can select
2
bills as priority and the speaker of the legislator can select 25 bills
as priority. A priority selection does not guarantee the bill will hit
the floor but it increases the odds significantly.
For this bill to have a chance of being selected as a priority we need
100% support and contribution by the people. The support and
contribution needs to be in a variety of forms. We encourage all to
make their
voice heard by calling, faxing, emailing and writing each Ag committee
member and the Speaker of the Legislature. We encourage contacting by
more than one medium and to each individual to ensure your voice is
heard.
Please make your contact short, precise, courteous and
non-confrontational. The Ag committee has been very supportive of our
efforts and the
situation that has developed has nothing to do with their lack of
effort.
What we are asking for is the LB132 to be made a priority bill so it
has a chance to be brought to the floor for full debate and voting this
year.
Please read the attached notes on the bill so you have a firm
understanding of the bill prior to making the contact. This contact
is to be
made on Monday 01/23 through Wednesday 01/25 only. This will ensure
maximum effect but yet not over burden the good senators.
Direct contact below. Snail mail contact is: Senators name, State
Capitol Po Box, 94604, Lincoln NE 68509
Speaker of the legislature:
Kermit Brashear
402-471- 0934
F402-479-2621
kbrashear@unicam.state.ne.us
Ag. Committee Chairperson
Bob Kremer
402-471-2630
F402-479-0904
bkremer@unicam.state.ne.us
Ag committee Vice-Chairperson
Philip Erdman
402-471-2616
F402-479-0947
perdman@unicam.state.ne.us
Ag committee:
Roger Wehrbein
402-471-2613
F402-479-0902
rwehrbein@unicam.state.ne.us
Donald Preister
402-471-2710
F402-479-0905
dpreister@unicam.state.ne.us
Ernie Chambers
402-471-2612
F402-479-0911
Mr. Carroll Burling
402-471-2712
F402-479-0933
cburling@unicam.state.ne.us
Doug Cunningham
402-471-2801
F402-479-0940
dcunningham@unicam.state.ne.us
Deb Fischer
402-471-2628
F402-479-0943
dfischer@unicam.state.ne.us
Legislative Bill 132
What are the benefits of the bill?
- It gives the consumer availability and right to buy milk and cream
from the farmer of their choice.
- It gives the farmer the right to produce, advertise and deliver
their milk or cream to the consumer.
- It provides an opportunity for beginning and family farmers to
enter the marketplace within a state regulated system.
- The regulations will be appropriate to "fit the risk"
when
manufacturing milk products.
Why support the milk bill (LB 132)?
LB 132 will provide more accountability, increased safety and state
oversight of direct to the consumer sales of raw milk and cream. The
bill will require:
- Grade A inspection
- Record keeping
- Warning label
- Pasteurization guidelines
- Procedures for transportation
LB 132 also gives the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, Division
of Dairies and Foods, the option to provide variances for approved processing
procedures. This will encourage dairy processing development in the
state without threatening the public health.
Points to note:
- It is already legal to sell raw milk directly to the consumer.
This bill would provide the same opportunities to the consumer that
other commodities already have, with the added protection of state
regulations.
- This bill would not allow raw milk to be sold in stores or at farmers
markets.
- Many raw food type products are already produced with suggested
handling and cooking instructions provided. This bill will give milk
the same opportunity that other foods have. It will provide a product
that is safe and available to the consumer.
- Any questions or suggestions on this bill can be directed toward
Senator Doug Cunningham (402-471-2801) and/or a member of the Dairy
Group (David Wetzel, Page, NE 402-338-5552; Krista Dittman, Raymond,
NE 402-783-2124; and Kelly Bruns, Bloomfield, NE 402-373-4906).
Organizations supporting this bill:
Center for Rural Affairs, Nebraska Farm Bureau Federation, Nebraska
Farmers Union, and Nebraska Sustainable Agriculture Society.
LB 132 Summary and Opinion
LB 132 is a bill being put forward after three years of study and
debate within our group of dairy farmers and consumers on the issue
of raw milk sales.
The following are the highlights and the thought process on the
different components of the bill.
1. LB132 recognizes increased consumer demand for raw milk by allowing
the farmer to deliver milk and cream direct to the customer, not at
farmers markets, retail stores, etc.
A. LB 132 recognizes it is in Nebraska's best interest to encourage
the farmer, who chooses to meet the demand for non-pasteurized milk,
to be a Grade A licensed dairy and be regularly inspected, tested,
and licensed by the state. This will help minimize the threat of
unregulated black markets and other corporate protected structures
such as 'cow shares'.
B. LB 132 recognizes safety concerns by requiring raw milk and
cream to carry pasteurization instructions just as other raw agricultural
products carry cooking instructions.
C. LB 132 requires a similar warning label as California requires
on raw milk.
2. LB 132 recognizes the right to freely advertise raw milk as a
legal product.
3. LB 132 recognizes the safety concern regarding the ability to
trace sales with the bill's requirement that all direct sales under
this exemption must be recorded for 1 year from date of sale.
4. LB 132 recognizes the importance of the dairy economy to this
state by encouraging the entrepreneurial development of this industry
starting from the farm. It encourages farmers to create a profitable
enterprise and develop direct markets.
5. LB 132 does have an undercurrent economic benefit to the state
as profitable dairy farmers spend the money they earn in their local
communities. There is real tax revenue both from a profitable farm
and from the monies kept in the local communities.
At the LB 132 hearing, Senator Preister brought up the point of "relative
risk." This concept is correct. It is not safe to drive, fly, cross
the street, drink a beer, eat raw oysters, take pain medication, eat
foods with MSG, walk in fields that are fertilized, eat beef, eat fish,
eat soy products, smoke, have a baby, cook with Teflon utensils, drink
pasteurized milk, drink raw milk etc....There is a risk to living, eating
and breathing.
As consumers we do have choices and we will make these choices based
on
the information available to us. We weigh our risks and benefits
individually and for our families. We support passing LB 132.
Nebraska Dairy Group 2006
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