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Certified raw milk? Yes, please! Farmer needs your help.

written by

Marie Reedell

posted on

April 12, 2019

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The farmer is proud to announce that he now has a Raw Milk Permit from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture! 

The Raw Milk Permit allows the farmer to lawfully produce and sell raw milk for human consumption in the state of Pennsylvania. It means that the farm has been inspected and follows all regulations under the Milk Sanitation Law: 

  • Licensed veterinarians have inspected his herd and deemed all cows healthy and free of tuberculosis and brucellosis. 
  • The well water supply was tested and deemed bacteriologically safe. 
  • Samples of his bulk tank milk were tested by a Pennsylvania Approved Dairy Lab. The analysis of the samples meet all requirements for temperature (cooling), bacteriological, and chemical standards. The milk was tested for general bacteria count, coliform count, somatic cell count, presence of drugs, and pathogenic bacteria (including salmonella, listeria, campylobacter, and E. coli). 
  • Facilities and equipment were inspected for sanitation.

Per the requirements of holding a Raw Milk Permit, the farmer will have regular tests and inspections to maintain his permit.

On top of this, the farmer also has on site testing equipment. He tests every batch of milk for total coliform count and standard plate count. This is above and beyond what is required by the PA Department of Agriculture.

So, what now?

The farmer needs a bottling permit to lawfully bottle his milk for sale. To get this permit, he needs a milk bottling machine, which costs a whopping $15,000.

After the recent RB51 issue, the farmer has been financially struggling. He’s lost a significant amount of income and also had many unintended expenses. The farmer simply doesn’t have the funds to make this purchase. 

He’d love to increase sales, but he cannot take on more customers until he is fully permitted. He cannot be fully permitted until he purchases this machine. It’s a catch-22!

Please help our farmer stay in business and continue providing you with nutrient-dense farm fresh foods. You can learn more and make a donation here:

https://gofundme.com/manage/help-an-ethical-amish-farmer-save-his-farm

In the Amish community, handouts are not allowed. You need to work for what you have. However, an emergency is an exception to this rule. This is an emergency.

Please, your help is needed! Any amount you can give is appreciated more than I can explain. And, please do share with your friends and family.

More than 1,200 Pennsylvania dairy farms have gone into bankruptcy since 2012. Don’t let another small farm die. Let’s help the farmer get back on track to pass down his farm to his five young children.

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Update: Our real food community is sooo amazing! The farmer was able to raise more than $15,000 and get his bottler all set up. Thanks to everyone who supported the cause!

Raw Dairy

Farm Updates

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