Okay this is an issue that needs action! Kansas Senate Bill 300 repeals the ability for dairy farmers to sell RAW MILK off the farm. This bill is in place to set up Senate Bill 308 which requires all raw milk that is sold, to be labelled. In other words, you would now be able to sell raw milk off the farm as long as it has a label that states the following: “This product contains ungraded raw milk that is not pasteurized and, as a result, may contain organisms that cause food-borne illness, especially in infants, young children, older adults, pregnant women and people with weak immune systems.”
For years, I have, and other friends have bought raw milk from dairies. We usually take our own containers and fill them up at the dairy. We have known the risks and we accept those risks, WHY do we have to have that milk labelled? Will we have to resort to having our dairy farmer put a label on our container each time we fill up at the farm? How silly is this?
People who buy raw milk and raw milk products from our local dairy farmer know the risks and dangers of consuming raw milk. We aren’t stupid, in fact, we are probably more educated than most on the risks. Is it necessary to put our dairy farmer up to spending more money to have labels printed off to put on milk containers?
Don’t be surprised when you find out who actually requested this legislation; Kansas Dairy Association!!! I am sure they had their reasons as SB 308 allows dairy farmers to advertise, where they haven’t been able to advertise with the current legislation. However, somethings aren’t always simple. There are people in the Kansas Dairy Association (KDA) who are also on the board of the DFA (Dairy Farmers of America cooperative) which is where most Kansas dairies sell their raw milk. The DFA has paid Kansas farmers low milk prices and as a result, some farmers are selling raw milk and making more money selling direct to consumers. Could it be that those KDA members that are on the board at DFA be introducing this legislation to stop the little guy from selling raw milk off the farm to the customer? Makes you wonder.
I have a friend who is a dairy farmer. The farmer and makes about $21 for ever 100 pounds of milk (milk is sold by pound not by gallon due to the butter fat content) and in addition, has started making some exotic cheeses and raw milk yogurt (Yummy!). By selling the products they make, they are getting $178 per 100 pounds of milk, which really helps out the farm and could be very profitable. Let’s just say that the raw milk products are helping keep the farm solvent. The dairy is working on products right now, to figure out what will sell best. They know that they will have to have a nutritional label for the products and will have to pay for testing, so they can get the nutritional information. To add the warning to each product would require a huge label and will cost much more for the label. So where is the common sense in all of this?
ONE: The raw milk customer knows the risks of drinking raw milk and also know the benefits.
TWO: Requiring labels on raw milk would mean customers would no longer be able to bring their own containers. Which means the dairy has to buy containers (more expense)
THREE: Most dairy farms don’t have to advertise their raw milk as their milk is sought out by those who want raw milk and they are aware of dangers of drinking it.
Four: The Right to Farm is being limited.
Five: Big Corporate intrusion on limiting farmers sale of product.
The hearing in Topeka Kansas on SB 300 will be February 12th. The hearing on SB 308 will be on February 13th. IF you want to voice your opinion on this, you must sign up to testify and provide the Committee Assistant with your written testimony at least one day prior to hearing and you need to have TWENTY copies of your testimony to share with those in the hearing. To get on the agenda, you must contact Judy Marks at 785-296-7353 to get the time and room number of the hearing. I probably will be going. Want to join me?
Educated Cowpuncher 