WAPF Urgent Wisconsin Action Alert

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>

> Dear Members,

>

> This is a revised version of the previous alert - the two changes:

> phone number for D.A. Barrett is different and the wording

> of how members get products.

>

> The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer

> Protection (DATCP) has been on the farm of Vernon and Erma

> Hershberger (Grazin' Acres) three times in the past week. The

> Hershbergers have been distributing products of the farm to members

> of a private buying club. DATCP is trying to shut down their

> operation and has referred the matter to the Sauk County District

> Attorney even though there have been no complaints against Grazin'

> Acres nor any record of food produced at the farm ever making anyone

> ill.

>

> The Hershbergers need your help in order to continue to provide

> healthy food to the many members of the buying club.

>

> ACTION TO TAKE

> 1. DATCP has referred the Hershbergers' case to the Sauk County

> District Attorney, Barrett, for potential prosecution.

> Everyone is urged to contact Barrett's office and request that she

> not prosecute the Hershberger case. Sauk County residents are

> especially encouraged to contact the District Attorney and inform

> her that you will not vote for her the next election if she pursues

> the Hershberger case. The District Attorney has already taken so

> many calls on this case that they are no longer accepting them; but

> you can still contact the DA's office by email, fax and/or postal

> mail. Here is the contact information:

>

> Barrett, Esq.

> Sauk County District Attorney

> Sauk County Court House

> 515 Oak Street

> Baraboo, WI 53913

> Phone

> Fax (608)355-3282

> patricia.barrett@...

>

> 2. Contact the Sauk County Sheriff's office and urge them not to

> participate in any investigation of the Hershbergers. Here is the

> contact information:

>

> Randy Stammen, Sheriff

> Sauk County Sheriff

> Law Enforcement Center

> 1300 Lange Court

> Baraboo, WI 53913

> Admin Phone

> Fax

> rstammen@...

>

> 3. Use the talking points at the end of this alert to persuade the

> County DA and the Sheriff not to pursue the Hershberger case.

>

> 4. Enlist others to join in this campaign to help the Hershbergers

> and farms like Grazin' Acres.

>

> BACKGROUND

> On June 2, DATCP officials, Owens and Cathleen

> along with Sauk County Health Department officials and deputies of

> the County Sheriff descended upon Vernon and Erma Hershberger's

> dairy farm, Grazin' Acres in Loganville, to execute a " special

> inspection " warrant. DATCP inspectors taped freezers in the

> Hershbergers' farm store and placed a hold order on thousands of

> dollars of food in the store, mostly raw milk and raw milk products.

> Under the hold order, the Hershbergers were prohibited from selling

> or even moving any of the food in the taped freezers. DATCP sent

> inspectors out to the farm because the Hershbergers had refused to

> comply with an intrusive request by the agency for documents and

> information going back over seven years.

>

> The Hershbergers' on-farm store sold products only to members of the

> private buying club. Vernon told reporters that under the

> Constitution, he was allowed to enter into private contracts and

> that DATCP had no jurisdiction over his operation. DATCP has

> referred the matter to the Sauk County District Attorney.

>

> On June 8, Owens and returned to the farm without a

> warrant, attempting to conduct another inspection of the farm

> store. Vernon refused the request for an inspection and the

> officials left his premises. Before leaving, they served Vernon a

> 'Special Order' which could subject him to fines of up to $5,000 per

> violation if he is not in compliance with Wisconsin food and dairy

> laws.

>

> On June 10, Owens and again returned to the farm, this time

> with a warrant but the store doors were locked; so, again they left

> without searching the store.

>

> POINTS TO MAKE

> 1. The County DA and Sheriff should not be spending taxpayer money,

> pursuing cases like this in which there is no victim or injury.

> There has been no complaint filed by anyone against the Hershbergers.

>

> 2. The only injury in a case like this occurs when the farmer or

> food distributor is prosecuted and consumers who were obtaining

> foods they deem best for their health and the health of their

> families have now lost their source of those foods.

>

> 3. The right of consumers to obtain the foods of their choice from

> the source of their choice is a political issue; cases like this in

> which there has been no injury do not belong in the courts nor

> should the Sheriff be participating in any investigation of them.

> The County DA and Sheriff should exercise their discretion not to

> get involved in these cases.

>

> 4. With the tough economic times and all the cutbacks in government

> spending, the County DA and Sheriff should not be using their

> remaining enforcement dollars pursuing victimless crimes.

>

> 5. Let the County DA and Sheriff know how food direct from farms has

> benefitted your health and the health of your family.

>

> PLEASE BE RESPECTFUL WHEN YOU CONTACT THESE OFFICIALS

>

> TO BE REMOVED FROM OUR MEMBER EMAIL LIST, email info@...

>

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