Raw Milk Course requirement?

[Guest guest]

Well, thank you for that info. I'd been meaning to look into the laws

for that. LOL I believe our local college offers it, too.

As for a similar law for raw milk...

I am not a fan of government intervention in private enterprise. I

believe that as a consumer, you are responsible for checking out your

own food sources in situations like this. I would not buy milk from a

place where I had not seen the milking operation, or know the people's

level of care and honesty.

The sellers with good product would earn a good reputation, those with

a bad product would not see as much business. It forces competative

business ethics by natural consequence.

That's my first reaction.

> Hey all,

> In TN, you are required to complete a training course called Conceal

> and Carry, in order to be able to carry a concealed gun. What would

> you all think of requiring a Raw Milk Safety course to be completed

> by farmers before embarking on Raw Milk sales?

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

Best place to take a course is PRI, Personal Responsibility Inc. in

Nashville here.

On the bill, I understand your first reaction. Unfortunately, the " natural

consequences " you are talking about may be an e-coli outbreak, or a

salmonella outbreak. These can be very vicious bacteria and young kids

are most at risk. So that's why food safety regulations evolved in the

first place. Not every consumer is going to be as smart and informed as you....

Anyway, I do understand your concerns. I share them. We are trying to work

within the system though...to get some freedoms back where now there

are none, with regards to raw milk anyway.

D.

>

> Well, thank you for that info. I'd been meaning to look into the laws

> for that. LOL I believe our local college offers it, too.

>

> As for a similar law for raw milk...

> I am not a fan of government intervention in private enterprise. I

> believe that as a consumer, you are responsible for checking out your

> own food sources in situations like this. I would not buy milk from a

> place where I had not seen the milking operation, or know the people's

> level of care and honesty.

>

> The sellers with good product would earn a good reputation, those with

> a bad product would not see as much business. It forces competative

> business ethics by natural consequence.

>

> That's my first reaction.

>

>

> > Hey all,

> > In TN, you are required to complete a training course called Conceal

> > and Carry, in order to be able to carry a concealed gun. What would

> > you all think of requiring a Raw Milk Safety course to be completed

> > by farmers before embarking on Raw Milk sales?

>

[Guest guest]

,

To require a farmer take a course in order to do what they have been

doing for years and years seems a bit insane but then we are talking

about gov't so that all makes sense. My concern would be the amount of

time away from the farm. Distance I'd have to travel. Keep in mind that

if I'm not here I have to hire somebody to do my work. I'm out not only

the travel money but the money their pay. A suggestion would be to have

the local USDA folks give the course. They do all sorts of cooking

classes, should fit right in.

Belinda

[Guest guest]

Hi Belinda,

Good points.

I guess if the USDA know how to raise grass fed raw milk, it would be a good

possibility..

That's going to be the biggest hurdle--finding a guv'ment agency with

all it's good ole boys who actually know what makes good, safe raw milk.

How to grass feed. It's such a foreign concept nowadays....that's why I am

thinking to get Mark McAfee's Raw USA involved somehow.

On the training thing, I understand what you mean about farmers taking

a course to do what they already know...but my thinking was of farmers like the

one I talked to named over in E. TN. He said he might like to start

selling raw if it becomes legal, but right now all he knows is what his daddy

taught him--

confinement, grain feeding...He doesn't understand sustainable farming,

grass feeding, rotational gazing, herbal de-worming, organics, not breaking

the cold chain, etc. etc. His SP counts are really high, like in the 100,000's.

As it stands now, with what he is doing, he would never be able to meet

the raw milk bill standards of 20,000 with his SP count. He only understands

grain feeding and hormones. He's the kind of person that would really

benefit from a course on producing clean, safe, grassfed raw milk.

Someone like you might get a only a little bit out of it, but according to our

bill you

wouldn't even have to take the course unless you sold over 100 gallons per

week. So most small producers would be exempt--goat folks anyway. And

goat people are usually very smart, and clean and tidy about their raw milk

anyway.

:-)

D.

>

> ,

>

> To require a farmer take a course in order to do what they have been

> doing for years and years seems a bit insane but then we are talking

> about gov't so that all makes sense. My concern would be the amount of

> time away from the farm. Distance I'd have to travel. Keep in mind that

> if I'm not here I have to hire somebody to do my work. I'm out not only

> the travel money but the money their pay. A suggestion would be to have

> the local USDA folks give the course. They do all sorts of cooking

> classes, should fit right in.

>

> Belinda

>

[Guest guest]

> but according to our bill you [this email was responding to

Belinda]

> wouldn't even have to take the course unless you sold over 100

gallons per

> week. So most small producers would be exempt--goat folks

anyway. And

> goat people are usually very smart, and clean and tidy about

their raw milk

> anyway.

> :-)

> D.

I know that in the beginning, when we first had goats, I would

have liked being able to take a class on handling the milk to use

it raw. We pretty much learned by trial and error.

Maybe an Internet course could be set up?

I hate having to take tests, so having to pass a " final exam " or

something like that would irritate me. Unless it were open book.

I do consider myself smart and clean and tidy, but I know a lot

more now than I did when we first started.

Starlene

[Guest guest]

Re: Re: Raw Milk Course requirement?

I hate having to take tests, so having to pass a "final exam" orsomething like that would irritate me. Unless it were open book.I do consider myself smart and clean and tidy, but I know a lotmore now than I did when we first started.Starlenexxxxxxxx Just a comment regarding passing a test. In order to be a certified private pesticide applicator to buy, handle, and apply toxic pesticides to land under your management and up to a limited acreage on a custom basis, the government test is way too easy. If you do not take the 7 hour class listening to an extension agent read out of a book, you need to get a 70% on an open book test and take as much time as you need. If you take the 7 hour course, you only need to get a 50% on the open book test. And the test is 4 answer multiple choice and maybe true/false. There are rules to both follow, of course. So if that is all you need to do to earn the right to apply toxic pesticides, how hard should it be to become certified to sell and distribute raw milk???

[Guest guest]

I like the idea of an open book test at the end. That will be what I

suggest if I have anything to do with it. I think it will be a minimum

8 hour course, 4 in the classroom and 4 hands on training at a

farm.....something like that....and like you say , for some it

may not be enough. We can always put the new farmers in touch

with experienced farmers if they need further help....

Just thoughts.

D.

>

>

> Re: Re: Raw Milk Course requirement?

>

> I hate having to take tests, so having to pass a " final exam " or

> something like that would irritate me. Unless it were open book.

>

> I do consider myself smart and clean and tidy, but I know a lot

> more now than I did when we first started.

> Starlene

>

>

> xxxxxxxx Just a comment regarding passing a test. In order to be a certified

private

pesticide applicator to buy, handle, and apply toxic pesticides to land under

your

management and up to a limited acreage on a custom basis, the government test is

way

too easy. If you do not take the 7 hour class listening to an extension agent

read out of a

book, you need to get a 70% on an open book test and take as much time as you

need. If

you take the 7 hour course, you only need to get a 50% on the open book test.

And the

test is 4 answer multiple choice and maybe true/false. There are rules to both

follow, of

course. So if that is all you need to do to earn the right to apply toxic

pesticides, how

hard should it be to become certified to sell and distribute raw milk???

>

>

[Guest guest]

Sorry , I misunderstood. I didn't realize you were talking about

a course on raising animals. I thought we were on milking animals. I

sure don't want the USDA telling me what to feed my animals, goats or

cows. BTW, we have a beautiful bottle baby heifer so we will be in the

cow's milk business in a couple of years, if somebody doesn't talk me

out of her. <G>

Belinda

> >

> > ,

> >

> > To require a farmer take a course in order to do what they have been

> > doing for years and years seems a bit insane but then we are talking

> > about gov't so that all makes sense. My concern would be the

amount of

> > time away from the farm. Distance I'd have to travel. Keep in mind

that

> > if I'm not here I have to hire somebody to do my work. I'm out not

only

> > the travel money but the money their pay. A suggestion would be to

have

> > the local USDA folks give the course. They do all sorts of cooking

> > classes, should fit right in.

> >

> > Belinda

> >

>

[Guest guest]

I've found that the best way to learn is to watch or ask somebody

doing what it is you want to know how to do and then use your own

common sense to figure out if that will work for you. The books are

nice but I've sat in too many classrooms listening to " experts " tell

me how something should be done only to find out that they have never

done it. It's just great to have a PhD by your name but if you've

never shoveled manure don't try to tell me how!

Belinda

>

> > but according to our bill you [this email was responding to

> Belinda]

> > wouldn't even have to take the course unless you sold over 100

> gallons per

> > week. So most small producers would be exempt--goat folks

> anyway. And

> > goat people are usually very smart, and clean and tidy about

> their raw milk

> > anyway.

> > :-)

> > D.

>

> I know that in the beginning, when we first had goats, I would

> have liked being able to take a class on handling the milk to use

> it raw. We pretty much learned by trial and error.

>

> Maybe an Internet course could be set up?

>

> I hate having to take tests, so having to pass a " final exam " or

> something like that would irritate me. Unless it were open book.

>

> I do consider myself smart and clean and tidy, but I know a lot

> more now than I did when we first started.

> Starlene

>

[Guest guest]

>

> Hey all,

> In TN, you are required to complete a training course called

Conceal

> and Carry, in order to be able to carry a concealed gun. What

would

> you all think of requiring a Raw Milk Safety course to be completed

> by farmers before embarking on Raw Milk sales? I was thinking

> perhaps of Mark's Raw USA in CA, somehow....but it would need to be

a

> course offered in each state, and state-approved, which means Dept

of

> Ag. approved (most of whom are hostile to raw milk right now anyway.)

> D.

,

have you seen what they have organized here in Colorado?

www.rawmilkcolorado.org

They are organizing in such a way, as to keep the gov out, but have

standards, ect for safety. I think its a good option to gov control.