The more then 300 farmers in the audience for Ag Day at the Capitol found out there may be new efforts at the state house to legalize raw milk sales.
Shawn Pfaff, spokesperson for the Wisconsin Safe Milk Coalition, says they’re preparing for possible bill introductions shortly after the governor’s budget announcement this spring. Pfaff says what’s different about this year’s efforts to legalize raw milk sales are the new voices that have joined the coalition speaking out AGAINST the effort.
faff says with the massive turnover that’s happened in the past two year’s at the state house – Wisconsin’s health care professionals and hospitals decided they wanted to be at the table when and if this debate comes up again. “The medical community came to us,” Pfaff tells Pam Jahnke. Children’s Hospital in Milwaukee and Marshfield Clinic are just a few of the new partners.
Pfaff says that other states have seen their efforts to legalize raw milk falter too. “We just found out that Indiana has taken a step back from their attempts to legalize raw milk sales because of the human health risks that happened for them last year. ”
Pfaff agrees that for raw milk advocates – Wisconsin would be a crowned gem if they could convince the state house to come their way. Pfaff says he knows they’ll make efforts to advance a bill that probably attempts to water down some of the human health risks with private enterprise opportunities.
“If this would happen in Wisconsin it would be a national game changer,” Pfaff continues. “That’s why it’s so important for us to stay organized and for individual farmers and agribusinesses to pick up the phone and stay ahead of the process.
Source: Wisconsin Farm Report