Raw Milk Association of Colorado
 
 

Tuesday 09th of February 2010

Find A Raw Milk Dairy

RMAC Updates

***** FIVE STARS ***** 

to RMAC's Herd:

Since RMAC began milk tests in April 2008, no pathogens have been found - not one!

Thank you RMAC producers, for a stellar job!

Upcoming Events

RMAC's 2nd Annual Gathering will take place February 27th at the Jefferson Unitarian Church (JUC) in Golden..  Co-hosted by WAPF-Denver and JUC's Eating Ethically Task Force, it is a synergistic gathering of producers and consumers who want honest food from local producers.   This year we are pleased to have David Gumpert as our Keynote Speaker, and special guests Slow Food Colorado, Rocky Mountain Farmer's Union, and the American Grassfed Association. 

Come join us! 

This will be an all-day event, starting at 8:30 AM and ending at 4PM. 

For details, contact info@rawmilkcolorado.org .  This event is not open to the public.

720-985-5842

Julie Schondel of Gods How Ranch in Parker will be giving (hard and soft) cheese-making classes in April 2010.

For details contact Julie.

God's HOW Ranch, LLC

God IS how we get stuff done!

42358 Vista Rdg

Parker, CO 80138

303-690-2437

Our new website is up and running!!

www.godshowranch.com

 


Mark your calendars for June 23rd.  RMAC will  host a teleseminar with Pete Kennedy, Esq., President of Farm to Consumer Legal Defense Fund (FTCLDF). He will speak about farmer's rights in the context of the document "What to do if you receive a visit".  You can find this document on FTCLDF's website, or email me for a copy.  

We will meet or teleconference at the Rocky Mountain Farmer's Union 4th floor conference room,  1-3PM.  All RMAC members are invited to attend.  

Hope you can make it!

 

Special News

USDA announced that it dropped NAIS today.  Whoopee!!!

According to Judith McGeary of Farm and Ranch Freedom Association:


Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance                             

The USDA has announced that it is dropping NAIS!

This is a major victory for the grassroots!!   Thank you to the thousands of people who called, wrote, organized meetings, and more.  Dozens of organizations, from across the country and the full range of the political spectrum, worked together on this common cause. And we succeeded in making our voices heard.

USDA has stated that it is refocusing its efforts on “a new, flexible framework” that will apply only to animals moved in interstate commerce and encourage the use of “lower-cost” technology.  During today’s conference call with USDA, I asked whether the agency would continue using federal funding to pressure states to adopt the program through cooperative agreements.  In response, Secretary Vilsack stated that USDA has gotten a “failing grade” on NAIS and that he does NOT intend to try to implement it through the back door. 

You can read more details from USDA at: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/publications/animal_health/content/printable_version/faq_traceability.pdf

We still have more work in front of us.  As USDA develops its new framework, we must be involved and vocal, so that agribusiness does not develop yet another high-tech, big-industry boondoggle.  We must be active at the state level to ensure that the state agencies do not implement unnecessary and burdensome rules.  And we must work to roll back the unfair requirements that have already been implemented in Wisconsin and Michigan.  Ultimately, it is up to us – as animal owners, homesteaders, farmers, ranchers, and consumers -- to build a positive vision for our farms and our food.

Thank you all!

http://www.holyokeenterprise.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=981:homestead-farms-healthy-living-at-its-finest&catid=63:featured-articles 

 http://www.ediblecommunities.com/frontrange/summer-2009/got-raw.htm

Larga Vista Ranch & RMAC are featured in the summer 2009 edition of this beautiful magazine.

  “We believe existing systems for identification of livestock, including brands and tattoos, are effective for disease control, and changes to optimize existing systems can be accomplished by state authorities without implementation of the National Animal Identification System (NAIS).

The implementation of the NAIS – whether by federal or state governments – raises concerns about the impact on private property, privacy and the ability to conduct business, therefore we oppose any government action that funds or mandates premise registration and individual or industry participation in the NAIS.”

You can read about recent federal bills addressing food safety and farming here:

http://www.farmtoconsumer.org/federal_bills.htm  (for state legislation: http://www.farmtoconsumer.org/state_bills.htm )

and here:

http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_17256.cfm

The latest food "safety" bill, H.R. 2749, needs to be stopped.   Please sign this petition

http://www.ftcldf.org/news/news-15june2009.htm

The publisher of AcresUSA and a long time advocate of organic farming, Charles Walters died in January.  You can read about his life here.

And so it went...

Jersey Cow

For over 50 years the large dairy interests in America have worked to promote the idea that "pasteurized" milk is safe milk.

They did this for two major reasons:

1). Pasteurization enabled them to collect and transport milk containing high levels of bacteria, because the process would kill the bacteria in the milk.

2). Because pasteurization killed all the bacteria (both good and bad) in the milk, the shelf life of the milk was longer, resulting in higher profits through lesser amounts of spoiled milk.

What you were never told was that this was a poor choice.

It was a poor choice because it enabled an inferior product to dominate the market, while at the same time, putting the small dairy farmers out of business.

Fortunately, today we have better technology that can render the perceived benefits of pasteurization obsolete.

 

The Sun is Rising on Raw Milk...Again.

Prior to the advent of pasteurization, the average family depended upon a local dairy to provide milk, cheese and butter. If the farmer did a poor job and the milk soured too soon, the clients were quick to point out the problem.

Pasteurization was promoted as a beneficial way to handle milk because it killed many, but not all, pathogens and prolonged shelf life. No one knew the harmful effects and decline in nutritional value that the process entailed. Now we know of better ways to collect, refrigerate and handle unprocessed milk.

Unfortunately, the government has yet to catch up with the best studies on the benefits of raw milk, but things are improving quickly.

Help us Help You Get the Nutrient Dense Food That Your Family Deserves ...

Our Goals Are as Follows:

1. Establishing Guidelines for Production and Distribution of Raw Milk

  • Registration procedures
  • Milk testing requirements
  • Sanitation standards
  • Distribution methods

2. Providing Outreach to New Producers

  • Interpreting the Colorado Raw Milk Statute
  • Clarifying the consumer/farmer contract
  • Providing a safe environment for raw milk production
  • Assisting with milk testing and evaluating results
  • Establishing guidelines for holistic herd health management

3. Educating Consumers

  • Outlining health and nutritional benefits of raw milk
  • Understanding raw milk safety issues
  • Defining the responsibilities of an informed consumer: understanding the consumer/farmer contract
  • Supporting holistic management practices

4. Organizing the Raw Milk Network

  • Developing a membership organization
  • Establishing liaison with public health officials
  • Promoting appropriate Colorado food policy
  • Developing organizational partnerships
  • Maintaining a political presence
  • Managing media relationships

 

Cow Share College

START, MAINTAIN, OR UPGRADE YOUR COW/GOAT-SHARE OPERATION

Join us for a four-part series - over the phone, from the convenience of your home. For farmers at all levels of cow/goat share experience and consumers who want to learn more about the topic.

Important Links

Newsletters

Please feel free to read our RMAC Newsletters in PDF format. Be advised, the files are large.

Spring 2008 (1.9MB)

Summer 2008 (7.6MB)

Spring 2009 (580 KB)

Summer 2009 (644 KB)

Questions to Ask..

Uneeda Goat

Tell Me How You ...

Sally Fallon, the President of the Weston A. Price Foundation, once said that she depended on an army of "militant moms" to get the word out on nutrient dense foods. Those moms know how to ask important questions about raw milk.

  • How do you collect your milk?

    • Good collection techniques involve clean hands, clean containers and clean cows and goats.

  • How Soon Do You Chill the Milk?

    • The ideal process lowers the milk's temperature to less than 45 degrees Fahrenheit within two hours.

  • What Do You Feed Your Cows and Goats?

    • Many people have realized the problems with confinement dairies. Diets of excess corn can lead to acidosis in the cows. However, not all cows can thrive in switching to a grass based diet over night. Most farmers care deeply about their animals will not let them suffer, just because "grass-fed" beef is popular. Look for a provider who has the wisdom to know when a lactating cow needs a little something extra to keep her weight up.

    Goats should be fed high quality legume hay or pastures designed for goats.

  • Where's the Cream?

    • Most cows yield anywhere from 3 to 5 percent fat in their milk. In fresh milk, it rises to the top of the bottle. That's what gives it that burst of flavor. Expect the cream to be there.

    Goat's milk is naturally homogenized, so the cream stays mixed in the milk and doesn't separate the way cow's milk does. So, don't be concerned if you can't find the cream on top, it's in there!"