Farm Food Voices DC 2011

List of Raids Against America's Small Farms

noreply@blogger.com (Liz) — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 01:28:00 +0000

As we prepare to meet with our legislators on Wednesday, it is important to remember the reasons we are going and the issues we wish to present to them. One of the talking points this year is the aggressive and forceful raids that the state and federal agencies are engaging in against our farms and our freedoms.

This list, though not complete, shows many of the incidents that have occurred in the past 7-10 years.

Aggressive and forceful raids against America’s small farms, farmers, co-ops and private buying clubs by state and federal regulatory agencies

Updated as new information becomes available

Spring 2004—Organic Pastures--California

Without notice, the FDA in association with state agencies visited Organic Pastures Dairy Company (OPDC) and carried out a multi-day investigation. The initial authority provided at arrival was suggested that the FDA was visiting to look at cheese production. On the second day of the inspection/ investigation an FDA investigator (Special Agent Jennifer King) was found secretly and illegally rapidly taking pictures of customer files of PET food sales and colostrum sales. OPDC demanded that the FDA leave and return the next day so that OPDC attorneys could respond to the illegal and unauthorized taking of customer data and file information. The FDA was found illegally operating outside of its jurisdiction, they were very embarrassed and did not return for five years.

March 6, 2006—Gary Oaks--Ohio

Gary Oaks was stopped in a Cincinnati parking lot while passing out milk to a dozen shareholders, ordered into cars of plain-clothes agents from Ohio Department of Agriculture (accompanied by Cincinnati Police cruisers) and questioned so intensively, he collapses and is rushed to a hospital. He is released shortly after, and hospitalized three more times during the upcoming six months with symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. His shareholders pitch in to milk the cows and deliver milk so as to keep the farm running. Later in the year, he pays a $500 fine to settle the case. Full Report

October 13, 2006—Richard Hebron--Michigan

Richard Hebron is stopped on Interstate 94 in Michigan, on his way to deliver milk to several hundred shareholders in Ann Arbor. A Michigan State Police cruiser signals his pickup truck over, and orders Richard to get out and put his hands on the hood. The trooper pats him down, and directs him to drive a mile up the road, to a rest area, where four or five Michigan Department of Agriculture agents show a search warrant take his cell phone, and begin off-loading some of the 453 gallons of fresh raw milk he carried in coolers, along with kefir and butter made from raw milk, some $7,000 worth of product—and his wallet and cell phone. After a six-month investigation, a county prosecutor decides against criminal charges, and Richard settles for a $1,000 “administrative” fine. Full Report

August 2006—Amos Miller--Pennsylvania

Amos Miller Food was red tagged and embargoed. Aajonus Vonderplanitz ghost writes motion to quash. Judge throws the case out of court and quashes the complaint against Ammos Miller. Miller continues supplying food.

February – October 2007—Greg Niewendorp--Michigan

February: Greg Niewendorp sends legal notice to Michigan Department of Agriculture (MDA), alienating his property and notifying of non-compliance in the state’s unlawful, dangerous experimental TB cattle testing and eradication program. MDA quarantine’s his farm.

August 21: Two state police trespass on Niewendorp’s property – with a state vet in wait around the corner - to coerce him into testing. Niewendorp escorts them off the property

October 7: The state vet, enforcement agents, and representatives of the MDA, warrant in hand, with police and SWAT teams standing by down the road, trespass on Niewendorp’s farm, forcing his cattle to be used for the state’s experimental program and RFID ear-tagged for the National Animal Identification System.

April 2007- April, 2008—Mark Nolt--Pennsylvania

April 2007: Pennsylvania Mennonite dairyman Mark Nolt chooses to not renew his state “permit” to sell fresh milk on his farm, citing his God-given inalienable rights.

August 2007: Nolt’s property is raided by federal and state agents; $25,000 worth of milk, milk products and dairy equipment are taken. Following the raid, Mark’s customers and supporters organize a rally to support him, drawing media attention, including a detailed editorial in Lancaster Farming,

April 2008: Nolt is raided again, more equipment and property are taken along with milk and milk products, Nolt – father of nine - is charged and taken away by police.

2007—Organic Pastures Dairy Company--California

The FDA launched a secret sting operation focused on stopping interstate sales of OPDC raw dairy pet food sales. Two undercover FDA investigators posed as OPDC customers and ordered OPDC products from Reno Nevada and Seattle. The order conversations were taped and used as criminal evidence of violation of CFR 1240.61. Then FDA uncover agents then went to the private homes of the two OPDC employees after hours and attempted to get those employees to wear a secret wire. The agents told the young female employees that they would be financially compensated if they wore the wires in an effort to catch Mark McAfee in criminal activity. The employees refused and instead immediately went public and told the media about what the FDA was trying to do. FDA was highly embarrassed and dropped all pending subpoenas and eventually dropped all charges.

Dec. 2008—Barb and Steve Smith—New York

December 2008—Stowers Family--Ohio

Stowers family home raided by SWAT team. SWAT team holds the Katie and her children, at gunpoint for more than half a day…all while her husband Chad is serving in Iraq. Here are specifics:

http://www.farmtoconsumer.org/manna-learn.html

http://www.thecompletepatient.com/journal/2008/12/5/seems-us-forgot-to-tell-navy-seabee-chad-stowers-the-real-wa.html

The Stowers filed suit against Ohio officials, and the case has bogged down.

May 1, 2009-May 2010—Max Kane--Wisconsin

http://www.thecompletepatient.com/journal/2009/10/29/buyers-club-crackdown-continues-wi-moves-on-5th-amendment-ri.html

May 1, 2009: Max Kane served subpoena by Department of Justice to appear and produce records, papers and documents on June 18, 2010 at Vernon County courthouse.

December 21, 2009: Kane's Court date in Viroqua, WI. Judge gave an oral ruling for Max to comply with the subpoena and denied Max's motion to strike, setting Max up for a charge of "Contempt" in the event he refuses to comply.

Febuary 26, 2010: Kane files a notice of appeal

March 18, 2010: Kane’s date for deposition with DATCP to obtain all his records of customers, financials, etc. -- Just before deposition is to start, Max walks across hallway to clerk, and files with the court a motion for relief pending appeal. Then Max walks back across hallway and serves WI Assistant Attorney General Phil Ferris and DATCP Legal Counsel Cheryl Daniels with a motion for relief pending appeal. Max walks out of building just before the time of the scheduled deposition was to start. Max leaves before he could be disposed.

April 19, 2010: Kane’s court hearing date in Viroqua. Counsel Rich argues. Judge Rosborough rules on motion for relief pending appeal and stops DATCP from further enforcement of Kane’s case until his appeal process is completed. Judge Roseborough suspend his previously signed order signed January 26, 2010 www.rawmilkparty.com

April 8 and April 15, 2009—Bechards--Missouri

In Missouri the law is that you can sell raw milk on the farm and deliver it without a permit. The daughters of Conway, Missouri farmers, Armand and Teddi Bechard, allegedly sold raw milk to undercover agents from the Springfield-Greene County Health Department in the parking lot of Mama Jeans Natural Food Market in Springfield, Missouri. The city of Springfield filed criminal charges against Armand for operating without a food establishment permit; Springfield Municipal Court found Armand Bechard guilty and fined him $250. Armand appealed the decision to the Greene County Circuit Court and the judge threw out the case, ruling that Bechard was not the proper subject of the lawsuit; any suit should have been filed against his daughters. While the City of Springfield was bringing criminal charges, the State of Missouri petitioned the Greene County Circuit Court for an injunction against Armand and Teddi Bechard to limit their delivery of raw milk to the home of customers; the Bechards had been delivering raw milk to a central distribution point which is more convenient for both the Bechards and their customers. The trial has not been held yet on the state's petition.

October 15, 2009—Eric Wagoner--Georgia

Officials from the Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) searched a truck carrying 110 gallons of raw milk for members of the cooperative, Athens Locally Grown. GDA embargoed the raw milk and ordered the owner of the truck, Eric Wagoner, not to remove it. The milk had been picked up that day from a farm in South Carolina that was licensed to sell raw milk and then brought back into Georgia. On October 19 at the order of GDA (and probably FDA), members of the coop dumped the 110 gallons of raw milk while two officials from GDA and one official from FDA watched. The FDA official told Eric Wagoner that it would even be illegal for an individual consumer to go across state lines to pick up raw milk and then bring it back to their home state. Full Report

February-April 2010—Dan Allgyer—Pennsylvania

February 2010: Dan Allgyer visited by FDA agents, armed federal marshals and state troopers. He demanded they leave his property since they had no right to be there and no warrant.

April 20, 2010, Pennsylvania—5:00 in the morning: FDA agents, armed federal marshals and state trooper returned to the Allgyer farm with a search warrant. They “investigated” the farm, threatened the farmer and disturbed the family’s breakfast because they “suspected” that the farm had too many cows to be providing milk for only the family. They pursued a visitor to the farm a he left the property and followed the visitor for miles through Pennsylvania and into Maryland until the driver called the state troopers for being harassed. FDA agents requested to inspect the vehicle of the visitor, which was empty. Full Repor

May-June 2010—Vernon Hershberger--Wisconsin

Vernon Hershberger’s Wisconsin farm store is raided three times by agents from the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, escorted by sheriff’s deputies. After the first raid in late May, Vernon cuts the DATCP tape on his coolers, and opens to serve his buying club members. In a subsequent raid, agents confiscate his computer. But as of now, no charges have been filed against Hershberger, and he continues in business. Full Report

May-June 2010—Hartmann’s—Minnesota

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (along with the Minnesota Department Health in May) executed criminal search warrants at the farm of Mike and Diana Hartmann in Gibbon, Minnesota, embargoing thousands of dollars of meat and raw dairy products. The state suspected raw milk from the Hartmann farm was responsible for making people sick with E. coli O157:H7. In June MDA filed a petition with the circuit court in Hartmann's county seeking destruction of the embargoed food. The Hartmanns responded to the petition by filing a counterclaim asking that the embargo be lifted. A trial was held on the matter for ten days during the summer of 2010. In December the judge hearing the case granted the department's petition to have the embargoed food destroyed. In January MDA officials went to the farm and found that most of the embargoed food was gone. Shortly after, MDA filed a petition with the same court to find Mike Hartmann in contempt for violating the embargo. MDA had given Hartmann written permission in June to remove any of the embargoed food for family use. In addition to the contempt petition, MDA has also initiated an administrative proceeding that could ultimately wind up with criminal charges being filed against Mike Hartmann.

June 2010—Rawsome Buying Club—California

FBI, and other agencies, conduct a heavily armed raid of a private buying club. Watch here The raiders confiscated a significant amount of personal property. Full Report

June 2010—Rae Lynn Sandvig—Minnesota

Rae Lynn Sandvig, a consumer, wife and mother has her home raided by seven police, MDA investigators with criminal search warrant. Officials were looking for proof that she was “distributing” milk, meat and other foods. Officials threatened Sandvig’s neighbors with subpoenas if they did not cooperate with the “investigation.” Full Report

June 2010—Sharon Palmer—California

(2 other times separate)

August 30, 2010—Morningland Dairy—Missouri

FDA issues a damning press release claiming “Morningland Dairy of Mountain View, Missouri, is recalling 68,957 pounds of cheese because it may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes and also has the potential to be contaminated with Staphylococcus aureus.” Their evidence is ambiguous at best but the resulting loss of revenue has seriously jeopardized the continuing operation of a family small-scale, cheese maker. Full Report

March 9, 2011—Alvin Schlanger--Minnesota

Alvin Schlanger is picked up by St. Paul police and his truck is confiscated and towed by MDA, at food dropoff point. Full Report

Join Us! Lend Your Voice on March 16

noreply@blogger.com (Liz) — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 17:02:00 +0000

It's hard to believe it's been a year since our last event, but it has!
And Wednesday the 16th of this month is your chance to once again converge on the Hill and remind your Representatives and Senators that they do indeed work for us.
The Farm Food Voices Feast this year is from 12-2p.
The lobbying aspect of the day takes place before and after the mixer.

Again this year, the region’s best Chef's have joined their voices with ours and our local farmers’ to illustrate our message for Congress.

Poste Brasserie is returning, along with Coppi's Organic, Restaurant 3, Nora's, Food Matters, Stachowski Brand Charcuterie, Lavender Moon and Krishon Chocolates. Making their debuts this year are Level Small Plates Lounge, Equinox, Ivy Inn, Maple Avenue Restaurant and Blanchard's Coffee Company. Plus two of Top Chef's finalists will be representing their kitchens—Volt and Alchemy by Carla Hall. Main Event, just awarded Best Caterer in the Country, has graciously agreed to organize the load in, setup and load out. Oh yeah, they'll be roasting a whole pig from a local farm again this year.

We know how difficult it is to make time for these headaches, but most of the work has already been done. For the rest of the year you can buy from local farms. This is your opportunity to add your voice to the growing chorus; it is the day that your presence on the Hill and inside your elected representatives’ offices gives form to your statement.

By overcoming our differences and linking up, we become the connected links of a chain: strong, efficacious and flexible.

Please join us and lend you voice on Wednesday, March 16^th

Full line of speakers

Farm Food Voices DC 2011 Updates

noreply@blogger.com (Liz) — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 17:29:00 +0000

Farm Food Voices DC 2011 Updates
With passage of the recent food "safety" bill, it is more important than ever
that we be a presence of
food freedom and sanity in Congress.

PLEASE MAKE APPOINTMENTS!
Please call your legislators today for appointments on March 16.
We will provide Talking Points.

Meetings with legislators
Lobby training conference call
Please donate

March 16 is just a few weeks away and we look forward to seeing you soon, some for the first time, some multi-year veterans. In preparation for a successful day please:

1. Make an appointment for March 16 with your Representative and two Senators and also invite them to the reception. Here are the steps:

Check the website or event blogsite before you call your legislators' offices to see if there is already an appointment for your state. People coming from the same state can meet together

If no meeting is yet scheduled, please schedule one then email our coordinator Jack Moore so we can post it. We need the time, legislator, building and room number. Call your legislator's office, ask to speak to the aide who handles food safety and/or agricultural issues, then request a meeting for March 16 (before or after the reception if possible) and also invite them to the reception. They will probably ask you to send them an email. You may use the sample letter below (scroll down).

2. Lobby training conference call Thursday, March 10 (evening, time posted closer to call) with professional lobbyist Howard Bedlin, to help guide you through the process of meeting with legislators. Those who attended last year's call benefited from Mr. Bedlin's experience and advice.

3. Please donate. Events like this have costs. Please donate whatever you can today. We are glad to list donors, and amounts if they wish, on our website. We will list as an event SPONSOR any person or group donating $500.00 or more. (You may choose not to be listed. We cannot publicly thank donors at the event due to the strict room use guidelines about anything that looks like promotion).

Please donate through PayPal (it takes a few seconds for PayPal to load once you click) or mail a check or money order to:

NICFA
P.O. Box 239
Bowie, MD 20719

We are most grateful for any help you can give.

Sample letter:
Dear (name of scheduling aide),

A group of constituents from [your state] would like to meet with Senator/Representative [name] on March 16, 2011 to discuss food and agriculture issues. We anticipate several constituents to attend. This meeting will be in conjunction with Farm Food Voices DC, the National Small Farm and Ranch Grassroots Lobby Day and Legislative Reception hosted by the National Independent Consumers and Farmers Association. We also would like to invite Senator/Representative [name] to attend the local foods reception in The Kennedy Caucus room in the Senate Russell Building from 12:00-2:00. If the Senator/Rep cannot attend, we request that Senator/Representative [name]'s aide attend.

Thank you and I look forward to hearing back from you soon.

Your name,
Address
Phone number
Email

If you are not familiar with Farm Food Voices, see FFVDC Why We Host It.

To volunteer to help with the event please contact

Liz Reitzig, NICFA Secretary
liz.reitzig@verizon.net
301.807.5063

Stay tuned for coming updates: sign up for our action alerts
Thank you again and see you March 16!

Yours for real food freedom,

Deborah Stockton, Executive Director
National Independent Consumers and Farmers Association (NICFA)
nicfa@earthlink.net
http://www.nicfa.org

Our purpose is to promote and preserve unregulated direct farmer-to-consumer trade
that fosters availability of locally grown or home-produced food products.

NICFA opposes any government funded or managed National Animal Identification System.

Lobby Day Update and Actions!

noreply@blogger.com (Liz) — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 20:01:00 +0000

National Small Farm and Ranch Grassroots Lobby Day and Legislative Reception

Mark your calendars for March 16, 2011 and plan to make your voice heard at the 5th annual National Small Farm and Ranch Grassroots Lobby Day and Legislative Reception (Farm Food Voices 2011) on Capitol Hill.

Join a coalition of organizations, local food advocates, and small family farmers from across the country as we lobby our legislators in support of local food and food sovereignty. This is a terrific opportunity to educate our elected officials on how real food is raised and practical ways people can eat better and support local growers.

Never lobbied? No experience needed. We will host a training call prior to the event. Sign up for alerts at www.NICFA.com.

LEGISLATIVE RECEPTION

A local foods reception will highlight the day. Chefs and caterers from some of the finest restaurants in
our region will serve dishes showcasing the beauty and bounty of America's heritage farmers.

Kennedy Caucus Room, Russell Senate Office Building
12:00-2:00

Emceed by Joel Salatin, the reception will feature a number of distinguished speakers including:
• Jonathan Emord, Esq., Author of The Rise of Tyranny and Global Censorship of Health
Information, has defeated the FDA 6 times in federal court.
• Bryan Voltaggio, chef/owner of acclaimed VOLT restaurant and season six runner-up of the TV
series Top Chef
• Kristin Canty, producer and director of Farmageddon, the movie that depicts dwindling food
sovereignty in America and the extreme measures the state uses to attack farmers growing healthy
food
• Mark Lilly, founder and owner of Farm to Family bus, bringing fresh produce and farm food to people in central Virginia and transforming the American food landscape

GET INVOLVED!

• Contact your Representative and Senators and invite them to the reception. (You will need to obtain the email address of their scheduler and make a formal request through them. Sample wording below) Please email us at NICFA@earthlink.net once you have an appointment scheduled.
• Volunteer or donate – Donations and volunteers always welcome! Contact Liz Reitzig 301-807-
5063
• Plan to attend – Sign-up for NICFA Alerts to take part in the lobby day training and take the
message directly to your legislators!
• Spread the word – Blog, tweet, or share details of this event with your social network.
www.NICFA.com

Sample wording to request a meeting:

Dear (name of scheduler),

A group of _______your state here______ constituents would like to meet with Senator/Representative _______ on March 16, 2011 to discuss food and agriculture issues. There will be several _____state____ people present. This meeting will be in conjunction with Farm Food Voices DC, the National Small Farm and Ranch Grassroots Lobby Day and Legislative Reception hosted by the National Independent Consumers and Farmers Association. In addition, a number of ____State_____citizens will attend the reception to share a wonderful, local foods feast with our legislators. We would like to invite Senator/Representative________ to attend the reception in The Kennedy Caucus room in the Senate Russell Building from 12:00-2:00. If the Senator/Rep cannot attend, we request that his aide show up in his/her stead.

Thank you and I look forward to hearing back from you soon.

Name,
address...

FFV DC--Why We Host It

noreply@blogger.com (Liz) — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 21:13:00 +0000

Farm Food Voices DC 2011

The National Small Farm and Ranch Grassroots Lobbying Day and Local Foods Feast for Congress

In 2007, the National Independent Consumers and Farmers Association (NICFA) held the first ever National Small Farm and Ranch Grassroots Lobby Day and Legislative Reception. At this annual event, NICFA hosts organizations, local food advocates, small family farmers, restaurateurs and chefs from around the country to lobby our federal legislators in support of local food and food sovereignty and to serve them a local foods feast.

Springtime is time for planting seed, both in the earth and in the minds and hearts of legislators. As our farmers cultivate the land for a rich yield in the future, so must we build and cultivate relationships with our legislators. Grassroots lobbyists spend the morning meeting with legislators and aides to discuss how legislation should protect our right to procure local foods from the producers we choose. In the afternoon, we serve a local foods feast prepared by the region's best chefs and caterers for legislators, aides and advocates.

Congress needs to know where good food comes from. We give them the connection that will help our farming freedom thrive so we can continue our access to healthy, safe food. Each year, it has greatly impressed our legislators to have farmers and producers literally standing behind their products. Through encounters such as these we will begin to harvest from our legislators, and indeed our culture, an appreciation for and loyalty to local foods. And Congress will begin to realize that the safest, healthiest, most reliable food system is unregulated neighbor-to-neighbor trade.

Enjoy a write up of 2009's event from Kimberly Hartke's blog

PLEASE invite your Representative and Senators to the Local Foods Feast Reception. Sample Invitation below:

FIND YOUR CONGRESSMAN AND SENATORS

INVITATION:

Dear Congressman_______ or Senator_________,

As your constituent, I'd like to invite you and your staff to a Local Foods Feast Reception hosted by the National Independent Consumers and Farmers Association (NICFA) as part of NICFA's fifth annual national grassroots lobby day, Farm Food Voices DC 2011.

DATE: Wednesday, March 16

TIME: 12:00 – 2:00

ROOM: Kennedy Caucus Room, Russell Senate Office Building

Please come and enjoy foods from small farms prepared by the area's best restaurants and caterers. Experience the finest of foods, from regional farms where animals are raised on open grass pastures with soils enriched by ecologically harmonious amendments like sea salt, compost, and natural mineral sources.

Meet the rich tradition of heritage farming - your local community family farm, your neighbors. Some are organically certified, some are beyond organic. All the farmers and the consumers who depend on them invite you to enjoy real food and to learn more about us.

If you are unable to attend, please send a staff member to represent you.

Many thanks,

Your name

Street Address

Phone number

******************************************************************************************

NOTE: PLEASE include your physical address and telephone number or they will ignore the invitation -- they have to verify you are from their district/state.

Farm Food Voices DC 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Liz) — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 17:49:00 +0000

Emceed by Joel Salatin, Polyface Farm, Swoope, VA
With Chef Bryan Voltaggio of VOLT restaurant in Frederick, MD

Farm Food Voices (FFV) celebrates the abundance of the land and the fruits of our labors. An innovator in the meeting of politics and food, it is a feast that connects us with our legislators, giving a face and voice to “small farms” and “local foods.”

WHEN: March 16 2011, Capitol Hill, Washington DC

Farmers, this is an opportunity for you to highlight your farm’s production by bringing the beauty and bounty of your farm to the table.

Chefs, you get to work with the finest ingredients to create local food dishes while establishing relationships with local producers and legislators.

Please contact Liz Reitzig if you are interested in being a part of our amazing team of farmers and chefs for FFV 2011. We hope to see you there! 301-807-5063

Learn more about Farm Food Voices DC, how and why we hold this special annual event including information about past events. www.farmfoodvoicesdc.com

What is Farm Food Voices DC?

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
--Margaret Mead

Each spring, while farmers across the country plant seeds in the ground, Farm Food Voices DC plants seeds in the minds and hearts of legislators, seeds that lead to a bountiful harvest of freedom for farmers and consumers to provide for each other. As our farmers cultivate the land for a rich yield in the future, so must we build and cultivate relationships with our legislators.

The average consumer is experiencing a food renaissance. Consumers realize that the best ingredients come from local small, independent farms, and they strive to preserve access to these foods. Small-scale farmers are the new super heroes as they find ways to bring life back to the earth while cultivating amazing food. As our heroes encounter the regulatory and legislative burdens of selling to their consumers, they are speaking out. Consumers, listening to farmers, have joined voices with them.

Food unites us. It is a commonality we all share and relate to. Gathering around the table together builds on our sense of community and responsibility to each other. Led by the National Independent Consumers and Farmers Association, farmers, chefs, small business owners, non-profit organizations and consumers cooperate to bring the message of food freedom to Congress. At this national small farm and ranch grassroots lobby day and legislative reception, individuals and groups spend the day on Capitol Hill meeting with their legislators’ and staff. At the end of the day, we tangibly and artistically illustrate our message with a fabulous local foods feast for legislators, staff and grassroots lobbyists prepared by the region’s best chefs using ingredients donated by local farms.

See the link below for a write-up of Farm Food Voices 2010

http://hartkeisonline.com/2010/03/19/farm-food-voices-2010/