Keep Your Laws Off My Cow!

It’s a sad day in Canada — and it has been a difficult 3.5 weeks for Michael Schmidt as he continues with his water fast in an attempt to open a dialog with the Premier, Dalton McGuinty. At issue here are several things; the right to buy directly from a farmer, the right to own a cow share and the right to drink the unprocessed milk from that cow.

Michael Schmidt owns and runs a biodynamic farm that follows the philosophy of Rudolf Steiner. In this model, animals are living the lives they were meant to live — on pasture and unstressed. His cows are fed what they are supposed to be eating – grass and forage. These animals are as healthy as they can be.

Last year he was proclaimed innocent of all charges. This year an appeals court came after him again and now he is found in violation of quite a few laws. Michael said,

The right to buy food direct from a farmer is as old as our country. Yet, today, that right is being taken away from Canadians by its government. I, Michael Schmidt, am on hunger strike until the government agrees to constructive dialogue on ensuring that this right is respected. I have written to Premier McGuinty to request a meeting and am encouraging everyone who supports this fight to write today to their elected officials and Premier McGuinty and make their voices heard.

I wonder if these “officials” ever think about what happened before we processed milk into the dead product it is after pasteurization. I wonder if they ever think about how people lived before farms became a corporate entity. There is just no common sense here.

But perhaps there is and the ultimate goal is to wipe out any competition to the corporate giants. These small biodynamic farms that provide the healthiest food possible to their members are surely becoming a threat to the food corporations. These corporations, in cohoots with public officials will do anything to squash the competition.

Will you help support Michael Schmidt and his way of life? Our way of life? Will you help support our freedom to have access to the food we want?

This is a very important court battle. It can set a precedent for decisions about cow shares. You can read the history of the case here, but briefly, the court is trying to declare the cow/herd share program illegal.

I just don’t understand how that can be illegal. Can’t I own a cow and let someone else take care of it for me? And can’t I then benefit from what the cow produces — the milk? Isn’t it the same as someone taking care of your horse for you? Or someone taking care of your garden and yet you benefit from the crops it produces?

If you can’t have your milk from your own cow what are they going to take away next? Perhaps if I grow some spinach, it would be illegal because of the fear of bacterial contamination. (Rightly so, if it is grown near CAFOS, as we have seen).

Please help by using the links below to write letters, sending emails, use facebook and twitter to spread the word about this outrageous attempt to stop a powerful grassroots movement.

How to help? Do the following and ask Dalton McGuinty to meet with Michael and end the fast!

• Join the Facebook group and change your picture to one of Micheal Schmidt in soladarity
• Email Dalton McGuinty
• Tweet Dalton McGuinty
• Call Dalton McGuinty at 416-325-1941
• Fax Dalton McGuinty at (416) 325-3745
• Other Representatives to call and fax:

Deborah Matthews, Minister of Health and Long-term Care
[email protected]
10 th Floor, Hepburn Block
80 Grosvenor Street
Toronto, Ontario M7A 2C4
Tel.: 416-327-4300
Fax: 416-327-3679

Margarett Best, Minister of Health Promotion
[email protected]
8 th Floor, 777 Bay Street
Toronto, Ontario M7A 1S5
Tel.: 416-326-8500
Fax: 416-326-8520

Linda Jeffrey, Minister of Natural Resources
(e-mail address not listed on website)
Suite 6630, 6 th Floor, Whitney Block
99 Wellesley Street West
Toronto, Ontario M7A 1W3
Tel.: 416-314-2301
Fax: 416-325-5316

Federal Cabinet Ministers:
Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health
[email protected]
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6
Tel.: 867-979-4193
Fax: 867-979-4196

Gerry Ritz, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
[email protected]
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6
Tel.: 306-445-2004
Fax: 306-445-0207

This post is linked to: Real Food Wednesday, Healthy 2Day Wednesday, Simple Lives Thursday, Fresh Bites Friday, Freaky Friday, Sugar Free Sunday, Monday Mania, Real Food 101, Homestead Barn hop, Traditional Tuesday

Tagged as: CAFO, Michael Schmidt, raw milk

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