Page 75 - Winter2009

A Campaign for Real Milk

WHY WE MUST SEEK TO UNDERSTAND
THOSE WHO OPPOSE RAW MILK
by David Gumpert

David Gumpert, author of the Raw Milk Revolu- The regulator’s response was, “Why don’t par-
tion—the Emerging Battle over America’s Food ents just buy medication for the child, why does
Rights, delivered the keynote address at the it have to be raw milk?”
recent Wise Traditions 2009 Conference, held in I originally assumed that regulators did their
Schaumburg, Illinois. Creator of The Complete “crack downs” out of a sense of duty. But I found
Patient blog, Gumpert is an award-winning au- that they truly believe in what they are doing. In
thor on business subjects who writes for Business 2006, Lewis Jones, of the Ohio Department of
Week and major daily newspapers. Agriculture, was going after a number of small
dairies. Consumer affidavits showed the depart-
In following the raw milk story and writ- ment officials were not even sure that people were
ing my book Raw Milk Revolution, it seemed sickened by raw milk. When confronted with this
to me as though I was in two different worlds. revelation Jones said, “Raw milk drinkers will
First, there is “this world,” that is, people who never admit they got sick on raw milk.”
welcome and respect nutrient-dense foods. Then This same regulator said he would never
A Campaign there is the “other world,” those who disparage take the risk of giving his son raw milk to help
for Real Milk nutrient-dense foods. The only problem is, that with his autism. If medical science couldn’t help
is a project of other world consists of medical, public health and his son, there was nothing else that could be
the Weston A. government health and agricultural regulators, done—that was the impression the conversation
Price who are very powerful people. left me with.
Regulators are arrogant about their beliefs.
Foundation. KNOW YOUR ENEMY At the American Veterinary Association meet-
To obtain It is essential to know the mind of your en- ing last July, I was one of two people who came
some of our emy, to get inside their mind, gain insights into and presented the pro-raw milk side. I pointed
informative what is really going on. Learn their attitudes and out that raw milk did not present a public health
Real Milk approaches, to find out what they thinking. crisis, using statistics showing a very small
Many regulators grew up drinking raw milk. number of people have actually been sickened.
brochures, Bill Chirdon [a Pennsylvania dairy regulator] and But raw milk farmers are scofflaws and
contact the even Bill Marler [trial attorney specializing in criminals, according to the mindset of the regu-
Foundation at food-borne illness cases] grew up on raw milk. lators. The fact that a federal judge practically
(202) If raw milk was good enough for them, why don’t threw out the settlement of a federal criminal
363-4394. they think it is good enough for us? case involving illnesses at Dee Creek dairy in
The gulf between these two sides was evi-
Check out our dent in my extended conversation with a public Washington state meant nothing to them.
Regulators are angry, they don’t like raw
website, health official. Regulators are private, they like to milk advocates like the Weston A. Price Founda-
www. do their work out of the public view—kind of like tion and what we stand for.
RealMilk.com the police, they want to be out of public view so I attended the International Industry for
for additional they can be as strict or lax as they want. He talked Food Protection meeting where John Sheehan,
information about the pros and cons of raw milk with me and FDA Dairy Food Safety regulator, was scheduled
and sources finally said, “It might be all right for adults, but to be the speaker. He canceled when he found out
that I, Sally Fallon Morell, and Michael Schmidt
our real concern is about the children.”
of Real Milk I told him of the studies showing that raw were attending. When I later met John Sheehan
products. milk helps with asthma, allergies, even autism. at another event, he refused to speak to me.

WINTER 2009 Wise Traditions 73