Ont. farmer to develop volunteer guidelines for raw-milk production

An Ontario raw-milk farmer, acquitted of all charges in a 16-year legal battle for running a cow-share program last month, will help establish voluntary guidelines for other farmers interested in the controversial industry.

Michael Schmidt said Tuesday he has started Cow Share Canada, which will help establish production, testing and inspection guidelines based on standards at his organic farm, Glencolton Farms in Durham, Ont.

"This raw milk debate is about basic food rights," he said, drinking a glass of his milk at a news conference. "We are forced against our will to eat sterilized, pasteurized, radiated, pesticide and herbicide laced and genetic manipulated government inspected foods, because we have been given no choice."

So far, he has about 50 Ontario farmers who have been interested in the voluntary program.

Schmidt, was acquitted of 19 charges related to the distribution of raw milk and cheeses in a Newmarket, Ont., courtroom in late January.

The judge had ruled consumers are still able to choose if they want to consume unpasteurized milk, but only through Schmidt’s self-regulated cow-share program.

Ontario’s Health Protection and Promotion Act makes it illegal to "sell, offer for sale, deliver or distribute milk or cream that has not been pasteurized or sterilized." Consumption is legal, however.

Nearly 200 people have purchased a membership in the cow-share co-operative, paying a membership fee of $300 for partial ownership in one of the 30 or so cows kept at Schmidt’s operation.

The provincial government filed their notice of appeal last week citing a number of legal errors were made in the ruling.

Schmidt said he will establish Cow Share College in the spring to help spread information about safe raw milk production.

The farmer, has been fighting the Ontario government since his organic farm was raided in 1994 by provincial food inspectors. Since the ruling, Schmidt said he has been bombarded with requests for more information from farmers and consumers about raw milk, which is legal in some U.S. states and in Europe.

He vowed that he will continue to fight this new appeal.

Karen Selick, of the Canadian Constitution Foundation, said it will help Schmidt fight the appeal on constitutional grounds.