the government forbids something that's very healthy and delicious and nearly got away with forcing deadly vaccines. it's time to shut the damned thing down, and reboot it with common sense.
A Lancaster County farmer can’t sell raw milk products until he at least starts the process of applying for the required permits, a Lancaster County judge ruled Friday.
The decision comes the day after a lawyer for Amos Miller argued the state has no right to shut him down and promised to eventually prove it in court. The state had obtained an injunction to prevent Miller from selling raw milk products after it said two out-of-state residents became sick after consuming raw milk products from Miller’s farm in Lancaster County, and a subsequent inspection of the farm found bacteria-tainted products and unsanitary conditions.
During a hearing on Thursday, a lawyer for Miller, who is Amish, said Miller will go out of business if the injunction is allowed to continue. Judge Thomas Sponaugle seemed moved by that argument, and also by a pledge that Miller was willing to work with the state. He ended the hearing and met privately with Miller and lawyers with the state attorney general’s office, seemingly in the hope of finding a viable path forward for Miller.
But in a court order Friday, Sponaugle gave Miller no choice but to follow the law.
Thursday’s hearing was preceded by a demonstration in support of Miller that included scores of non-Amish who argued the state’s prosecution of Miller amounts to government overreach.
In his order, Sponaugle said his decision isn’t meant “to detract from the sincerely held beliefs of individuals who believe in the benefits of raw milk products.”
However, he said allowing Miller to continue without permits would “usurp the authority and responsibility” of state lawmakers, who have deemed that commercial producers of raw milk and raw cheese must obtain permits and undergo state inspections.
Sponaugle also said that, upon Miller beginning the permit process, he will “immediately reconsider whether to modify or terminate” the order that Miller can’t commercially produce raw milk products.
The order allows Miller to produce the products for personal and family use, although he must allow state inspections.
Yet even if Miller were to apply for the permits, he remains in a legal corner. That’s because Pennsylvania grants permits to manufacture and sell raw milk and raw cheese, but not for the many other raw milk products which Miller sells to customers all over the country, including butter, yogurt and eggnog. It’s illegal to commercially produce those products in Pennsylvania.
Miller has been clashing with state and federal agencies since 2016, when the federal government said raw milk products from his farm caused the death of a Florida resident.
It has made him a hero among opponents of big government, with supporters donating about $250,000 to Miller as of this week. His case also caught the attention of vaccine critic and presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who urged people to attend Thursday’s hearing, which took place in a well-fortified courthouse.
Much of the testimony in defense of Miller focused on the benefits and safety of raw milk.
However, Sponaugle noted his role is to decide whether Miller is following the law, not whether or not the law is wrong.
Don’t sell it. Just give it away for free with every donation. That’s how some of the first weed dispensaries operated in Los Angeles.
Yes.👏👍
Every type of thing like this needs to be fought on constitutional grounds.
the government forbids something that's very healthy and delicious and nearly got away with forcing deadly vaccines. it's time to shut the damned thing down, and reboot it with common sense.
"the government" protects the large corporate dairies that pay the grift.
A Lancaster County farmer can’t sell raw milk products until he at least starts the process of applying for the required permits, a Lancaster County judge ruled Friday.
The decision comes the day after a lawyer for Amos Miller argued the state has no right to shut him down and promised to eventually prove it in court. The state had obtained an injunction to prevent Miller from selling raw milk products after it said two out-of-state residents became sick after consuming raw milk products from Miller’s farm in Lancaster County, and a subsequent inspection of the farm found bacteria-tainted products and unsanitary conditions.
During a hearing on Thursday, a lawyer for Miller, who is Amish, said Miller will go out of business if the injunction is allowed to continue. Judge Thomas Sponaugle seemed moved by that argument, and also by a pledge that Miller was willing to work with the state. He ended the hearing and met privately with Miller and lawyers with the state attorney general’s office, seemingly in the hope of finding a viable path forward for Miller.
But in a court order Friday, Sponaugle gave Miller no choice but to follow the law.
Thursday’s hearing was preceded by a demonstration in support of Miller that included scores of non-Amish who argued the state’s prosecution of Miller amounts to government overreach.
In his order, Sponaugle said his decision isn’t meant “to detract from the sincerely held beliefs of individuals who believe in the benefits of raw milk products.”
However, he said allowing Miller to continue without permits would “usurp the authority and responsibility” of state lawmakers, who have deemed that commercial producers of raw milk and raw cheese must obtain permits and undergo state inspections.
Sponaugle also said that, upon Miller beginning the permit process, he will “immediately reconsider whether to modify or terminate” the order that Miller can’t commercially produce raw milk products.
The order allows Miller to produce the products for personal and family use, although he must allow state inspections.
Yet even if Miller were to apply for the permits, he remains in a legal corner. That’s because Pennsylvania grants permits to manufacture and sell raw milk and raw cheese, but not for the many other raw milk products which Miller sells to customers all over the country, including butter, yogurt and eggnog. It’s illegal to commercially produce those products in Pennsylvania.
Miller has been clashing with state and federal agencies since 2016, when the federal government said raw milk products from his farm caused the death of a Florida resident.
It has made him a hero among opponents of big government, with supporters donating about $250,000 to Miller as of this week. His case also caught the attention of vaccine critic and presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who urged people to attend Thursday’s hearing, which took place in a well-fortified courthouse.
Much of the testimony in defense of Miller focused on the benefits and safety of raw milk.
However, Sponaugle noted his role is to decide whether Miller is following the law, not whether or not the law is wrong.
"...out of state residents..."?