At 4:30am Tuesday, April 20, Amish farmer Dan Allgyer of Kinzers, Pennsylvania walked out to his barn to begin the morning milking. At 5:00am, five men in three vehicles drove onto Allgyer's property and began poking around by the light of the flashlights they carried. The quintet included two FDA agents, two deputy US Marshals, and one PA State Trooper. They told Allgyer they were there for a "routine inspection," but also handed him a warrant claiming "credible evidence" that Allgyer was involved in interstate commerce. More specifically, Allgyer is suspected of selling raw milk dairy products across state lines.
The 5:00am "routine inspection" involved much rooting around, taking of pictures, and delaying of milking. The very next morning, Allgyer received an expedited Letter of Warning from the FDA informing him that "Failure to make prompt corrections could result in regulatory action without further notice. Possible actions include seizure and/or injunction."
A legal defense fund for Dan is in the works with details to follow as available. Meanwhile, please consider this request from the executive director of the National Independent Consumers and Farmers Association and visit NICFA at this address:
ACTION: Please call and write the number and address below. Express yourself. Tell them that you support Dan Allgyer. If you drink fresh, unpastuerized milk tell them that. Tell them that more people every day are drinking fresh milk and this is going to increase. It's not going to stop no matter how many farmers they persecute. Tell them the government has no place between individuals and the farmers from whom they get their food.
Philadelphia District Office
Serves Delaware and Pennsylvania.
Food and Drug Administration
U.S. Customhouse
Second and Chestnut Streets, Room 900
Philadelphia, PA 19106
(215) 597-4390 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (Eastern time)
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
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I find it odd that they raid a small farmer because he is selling unpasteurized milk. Are they going to start regulating mothers who breast feed their children? This too is unpasteurized milk. What an absolute waste of the courts time as well as our tax dollars. I am submitting a letter to the above address. I hope others join in and do the same.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Anon. I am generally a middle of the road kind of gal. But I, too, really have a hard time understanding why the government is hell bent on coming between people and foods people have lived on for longer than we can remember. There are so many times the government takes a pass on enforcing things that should be enforced that I just have to wonder, why this?. Why don't they just require people to sign a raw foods acknowledgment log, like we do for HIPPA notices at the doctor's office, etc?
ReplyDeleteLet's take care of the imported meat and fruit we get. Regulate the pesticides and sprays used out of the country. People that choose to drink raw milk should be able to. An acknowledgment log is a great idea.
ReplyDeletethere is no middle man and therefore no corporate profit in raw milk, why dont they just tax raw milk like cigarettes and let us kill ourselves with it ;-P
ReplyDeleteThat would be too easy? We are talking about the government...
ReplyDeleteI knew there is a horrific battle over raw milk in Wisconsin, and that Marylanders are fighting for the right, I didn't know about Pennsylvania. Here in South Carolina we are fortunate to be able to purchase raw milk if we choose. I will write too.
ReplyDeleteAnother tragic way of government trying to kill off the farmer. Maybe he lives near a border and why should it matter if the temperature is held at standard? GREED, the corporate style!!!!!!
ReplyDelete