We’re NOT Miller’s Organic Farm… but we sure can commiserate.

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July 29, 2022

Have you seen the recent viral video from OFF GRID with DOUG & STACY? If not, here it is:

First, let’s get one thing straight - we are NOT Miller’s Organic Farm.

It’s a common misconception since we have a good amount in common. Same last name, same Amish community, and very similar farming practices. We both offer natural nutrient-dense foods like A2/A2 dairy, 100% grass-fed beef, corn & soy free eggs, fermented veggies, einkorn baked goods, and so on.

But, we are two completely separate operations. Amos Miller is the owner of Miller’s Organic Farm. Aaron Miller is the owner of Miller’s Bio Farm. Different locations, different vendors, different delivery options, etc.

A big difference between us is that Miller’s Organic Farm is a private membership association. That means you need to pay to become a member and place an order. Miller’s Bio Farm is open to the public, no membership required.

Amos Miller wants to produce food the way God intended - working with nature and allowing people access to foods that nourish their body. Aaron Miller wants the same thing, too. In a big way, it comes down to religious freedom.

You’ve surely heard the term “your body is your temple”. That comes from the Bible, specifically 1 Corinthians 6:19-20:

“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.”

This idea isn’t exclusive to Christianity and is found in other religious texts (Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, etc) with specific emphasis in three areas: dietary cleanliness, exercise, and ablutions. Each religion has differing guidelines, but they are all founded in the same guiding principle.

Especially in the United States, which was founded on religious freedom, shouldn’t we have the right to hold personal beliefs, whether organized or not, separate from the government? If that’s the case, we should have the right to be informed and choose what we put into our body.

Sadly, this is not our reality.

Government regulations definitely control how our food is produced and who has access on a nitty gritty level. The awful situation Miller’s Organic Farm is in now is one example.

Miller’s Organic Farm is in trouble because his meat wasn’t being slaughtered and butchered at a USDA certified facility, which is illegal. Yet to my knowledge, no one has ever become sick from his meat.

If meat processed in a non-USDA facility is truly dangerous and Amos Miller serves thousands of customers, then surely someone would have gotten sick, right? It makes me wonder if the government’s rules and reaction are fair and appropriate.

Miller’s Bio Farm has sadly had issues (some legal and some not) with government regulations, too.

--> Let’s take our milk bottling.

Our farm used to bottle milk by hand. However, when the farm got certified for raw milk production, it was required to purchase a milk bottling machine and build a milk bottling room. This cost the farm at least $20,000.

The reasoning behind this is, of course, safety. Government agencies prefer robots over human hands, and I guess that’s because robots theoretically don’t carry potentially harmful microorganisms. But robots do carry potentially harmful chemicals. So, in my mind, it’s a moot point.

--> Or how about our yogurt packaging?

We can only offer our pasteurized yogurts in plastic, because in order to put them in glass the creamery would need to purchase an expensive attachment so a robot can screw on the lids.

--> Why can’t we use the word “organic” to describe our food?

Well, that’s because we’re not certified by the government. This definitely puts the farm at a marketing disadvantage. It would be so much easier to say “it’s organic”. Instead, we provide tons of info explaining exactly how we do what we do.

--> We didn't want to use citric and lactic acid to wash meat.

Washing meat means that, before butchering, large carcasses are sprayed with an antiseptic spray and whole chickens are put in an antiseptic ice bath.

Our previous USDA processors were only approved to wash meat with citric and lactic acids. Sure, the products they were using were "certified for organic", but we really wanted to avoid anything artificial and derived from corn and soy.

Luckily, a local farmer became an owner of a small local meat processor. They were able to get a new plan approved by the USDA that includes washing meat with organic apple cider vinegar. It was expensive and time consuming, and we are so thankful for their efforts. Huge shout out to The Family Cow!

--> Did you know we can't sell chicken heads anymore?

Yup, this month the USDA all of the sudden said that we can't.

--> Or what about the RB51 situation our farm faced in 2019?

A farm customer got sick with the RB51 strain of brucellosis, which is a strain specific to the brucellosis vaccine. Four of our cows were unknowingly vaccinated, and one was still shedding the virus many years later. No cow had come up positive in our regular brucellosis tests.

Yes, the problem was caused by the brucellosis vaccine approved by the Animal Plant Health and Inspection Service (APHIS) and promoted by the USDA and the CDC. When this happened, did the government have the farm’s back?

Well, they definitely helped us resolve it and get into compliance. But, the farm took a major financial loss that it still hasn’t fully recovered from. There was no government assistance for that financial loss.

You can learn more about the RB51 situation here.

--> Another example is the raw milk laws in general.

It’s ironic. If you live in Pennsylvania, you would be allowed to buy raw milk for humans. But, because of the system we live in, we are not allowed to deliver milk for humans across state lines.

This is an interesting article by David Gumpert, who explores a raw milk crackdown in NJ seemingly targeted towards Indian immigrants.

I could go on and on, but you get the point here.

The rules are made by and made for the BIG players in the food industry, not small independent farmers.

The consequence is that people are not able to practice their religion to the fullest capacity. If you’d like a truly natural diet, you are forced to either produce your own food (which is unattainable for most Americans) or follow the “religion” of capitalism and the government.

Why can’t there be another way? Gee, I wish there were!

It’s important to note that the Miller’s Organic Farm issue didn’t just happen out of the blue. His farm wasn’t raided all of the sudden with no prior issues.

Amos Miller has had many light warnings that went ignored, and that’s how he ended up in court. That’s how he ended up being shut down. Right now, Miller’s Organic Farm is not allowed to process any more meat for sale.

Side note: All of the farms connected to Miller’s Organic Farm have also been flagged and many inspected. And farms connected to those farms (like ours) are also being flagged, too.

Our farm has had a lot of light warnings, but Aaron Miller chose to NOT ignore them. Aaron wants to be in compliance, because he sees a different way forward.

Miller’s Bio Farm believes that it’s possible to work within the system to produce natural food. It’s not easy, but it’s possible.

It requires working really closely with government agencies and small processors to get more natural practices approved. It’s time consuming and expensive.

Then, in compliance, we have nothing to worry about and nothing to hide. From that standing, we can fight for what’s right. We can advocate for a better, most just, food future. Who knows, maybe we’ll end up in the Supreme Court one day.

What do you think of the government’s interference with our food? What do you see as the way forward?

I'd love to hear from you. Comment below (no account required - start typing to post as a guest) or contact us .

Opinion

Farming Practices

Warning: Fat Holds Toxins. Carnivore and keto folks should watch out.

Aaron, myself, and a couple other team members went to Tennessee to participate in Meatstock 2025 last weekend. It's a carnivore/keto party in the Smoky Mountains. Boy, we learned a lot and met a lot of wonderful people, both people who healed through food as well as doctors and experts that help people heal. One person we had the pleasure of meeting was the amazing Dr. Kiltz. He's a carnivore. He's also a doctor who specializes in fertility. And can you guess how he helps many of his patients? Yup, through food. He's a big supporter of the carnivore and keto diets. He suggests getting 70-80% of your calories from fat, 15-30% from protein, and 0-10% from carbs. Dr. Kiltz spoke at a dinner we attended. And something he said shocked us -- "Don't worry about grass fed, regenerative, and all that natural stuff. It's the fact that you're eating fat that matters." 😳 Woah woah woah. Hold up a sec. We, of course, had a conversation with Dr. Kiltz about this. I mean, why are people having health issues in the first place? Sure, some of it could be genetics. Some of it's definitely environmental. But, a lot of it is likely the food we're eating. It's processed food laden with seed oils and carbs and sugar and yucky additives... but also the farming practices that result in toxic stuff hidden in plain old ingredients. Dr. Kiltz agreed and elaborated on his statement. What he's saying is that, if you're eating a standard American diet, the biggest and fastest impact you can make comes from altering your diet on a macro level - fat, protein, and carbs. But the granular stuff you can't see or count matters too, especially once you're making progress. OK, I get it. But then I thought some more... Toxins accumulate in the fat. So, if you eat animal-based foods (especially the fattier ones) and are looking to limit (or eliminate) that awful toxic stuff, farming practices matter. Like a lot! So, unsurprisingly, I went into research mode. Here's what I learned. Which toxins accumulate in fat and why? Not all toxins accumulate in fat. Some are stored in bone, muscle, organs, etc. But, there are certain toxins that a body stores specifically in fat. They include: Dioxins and furans (PCDDs/PCDFs) - These are persistent pollutants, resistant to breakdown, that are generally creating by burning things like plastic and chemicals and garbage. They can also be created as byproducts of industrial processes.PCBs - That's short for polychlorinated biphenyls, which are synthetic chemicals that were used to make various consumer products, from paint to glues to lubricants to coolants to batteries. They were banned in 1979, but because of their inability to breakdown, they remain as toxins in our environment.Pesticides & Herbicides - This includes previously banned pesticides (like DDT) that are still present in our environment. This also includes pesticides used today, like organochlorine and organophosphate pesticides. Certain Toxic Heavy Metals - Mercury, lead, cadmium, and aluminum are known for accumulating in fat. The reason the above toxins collect specifically fat (AKA adipose tissue) is because they are lipophilic. Liophilic is when a substance is "fat loving" and can bond with or dissolve in fat. Other toxins are hydrophilic, meaning they are "water loving" and can bond with and dissolve in water. These include bentazone, glyphosate, imidacloprid, flouride, and arsenic. They do not accumulate in fat. What can an overload of toxins do to your body? I like to think about toxic overload like a cup. Our bodies can process a little of it. But, when the cup is overfilled with stuff like pesticides, toxic heavy metals, mold, carcinogens, etc, that's when problems happen. Our bodies are pretty good at handling stress. That's why toxic overload can be confusing. It may take a long time - months, years, or decades - for the problem to arise. Then, once the problem happens, it's hard to pinpoint the cause. And then, healing time is often lengthy (and sometimes the damage can't completely be undone). When it comes to toxins, the response really depends on the body. The list of issues that can arise is exhaustive. They include fatigue, headaches, digestive problems and leaky gut, brain fog, anxiety and depression, increased risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, hormone imbalance, mast cell overreaction, histamine responses, bloating and inflammation, trouble sleeping, skin conditions, liver damage, obesity, and more. Where can toxins in animal-based foods come from? When it comes to farming, there are few places that toxins can be introduced to animals. This can be from toxins resistant to breaking down from decades ago or toxins being used or produced today. This can be on the actual farms or in the facilities that prepare food for sale: Air: Toxins can vaporize and float in the air. Animals can breathe it in or it can settle on top of soil or water. Water: This is especially true with city water, which often has chemicals added to it or may run through old pipes. But, as we all know, water pollution varies from area to area.Soil: This can come from the local area or a non-farming activity that happened on the land previously. This can also be from past farming practices or current ones. Slaughter and butchering: Did you know an antimicrobial is required by the USDA when processing meat? Processors can choose harsh chemicals like bleach or opt for more natural ones like citric or lactic acids or vinegar.Recipes: Think beef jerky or lunchmeat. They have ingredients. First off, anything that's less than 1% doesn't need to be listed on the package. And then, of course, there's the hidden stuff depending on the quality of the ingredient.Packaging: Even what our food comes in can leach chemicals into our food. I mean, think about microplastics in bottled water! When toxins enter your food, you can't see them. You can't taste them. You can't smell them. This is why knowing more about how your food is produced is important. How can farming practices decrease the levels of toxins? Well, there are bunch of ways toxins can get into food from farming. Here are some ways that farms can decrease toxins in the final food: Choose A Clean Location: If a farm is located right next to or downstream from a factory or city, toxin levels will likely increase. Farms should ideally be far from cities or factories. Have Clean Water: If contamination is persistent in your area, you'll likely know it. And, you can always test the water, too.Improve Soil Health With Regenerative Farming: When soil is dead and unhealthy, toxins break down at their normal speed. But, with regenerative farming that creates robust microbiology, toxins can break down faster.Fertilize Naturally: There are plenty of chemical fertilizers out there. But, compost and manure from natural chemical-free sources are just as good… if not better.Limit, Eliminate, Be Considerate With Pesticide And Herbicide Use: A grand majority of farms still use pesticides and herbicides regularly. Yeesh. Even the organic ones can contain yucky stuff. With things like fruit, it's kinda necessary to some extent. But, especially with pasture raised animals, they're simply not needed (even though some farms still choose it).Choose Naturally Formulated Feed: This is the idea of the ingredients in the ingredients. You can have the most pristine land, air, and water, raising beef. But, if you feed them GMO corn sprayed with glyphosate and grown in contaminated soil... well... those toxins are introduced. Farms can make sure they're feed ingredients are pure and the sources the ingredients come from are chemical-free.Eliminate Vaccines: Yup, vaccines contain toxins. And especially when injected, they can harbor themselves in fat. Aluminum is a common ingredient in vaccines. And, did you know that animal vaccines can contain Thimerosal (AKA mercury)? That's been banned in human vaccines. When animals are raised outdoors and to be naturally happy and healthy, vaccines aren't necessary.Be Mindful With Anyone Who Processes Your Food: This can be a challenge, especially if you're in an area with more conventional farms. Farms can ask the hard questions and ask for changes like what antimicrobials are used (apple cider vinegar is allowed by the USDA), what the ingredients are, and where the ingredients are sourced from. At Miller's Bio Farm, we try to reduce your toxic intake as much as possible. Here's a few notable things we do (among the many): All of our small farms are 60+ miles from any major city.Our pastures are never sprayed with pesticides or herbicides. We love the biodiversity!Our pastures are fertilized with manure and more manure!Our farms that raise our animals regenerate their soil year after year. The idea is to improve the quality of the soil, and that includes the microbes that can help break down toxins.Clean well water is used for the animals to drink and for processing our meat and all of our products. Our beef, pork, and lamb are washed with organic apple cider vinegar. Our chicken is air chilled. Our turkey is washed with water and only water.None of our animals are fed corn or soy. And, our feed is chemical-free.Our farmers do not vaccinate their animals. Our chicken and turkey and lamb is 100% vaccine free. The only way a vaccine could be given to a cow or pig is if the animal was bought in and previously vaccinated. We make sure that no animal has received an mRNA vaccine. None of our products have yucky stuff like nitrates/nitrites, additives, fillers, etc. It's simple natural food. We always vet our processors before working with them to make sure they're up to our natural standards. We'd love to supply you with clean foods and hope you join the movement! Do you eat a lot of fat? Whether you do or not, what toxins make you most worried? I'd love to hear from you. Comment below or contact us 😊 ----- References: Carnivore Diet Macros and How to Achieve ThemAdipose Tissue as a Site of Toxin Accumulation Pesticide residues in animal-derived food: Current state and perspectives Impact of pesticide exposure on adipose tissue development and function10 Powerful Nutrients Found Only in Meat

We’re NOT Miller’s Organic Farm… but we sure can commiserate.

First, let’s get one thing straight - we are NOT Miller’s Organic Farm.

Amos Miller wants to produce food the way God intended - working with nature and allowing people access to foods that nourish their body. Aaron Miller wants the same thing, too. In a big way, it comes down to religious freedom.

Government regulations definitely control how our food is produced and who has access on a nitty gritty level. The awful situation Miller’s Organic Farm is in now is one example.

Miller’s Bio Farm has sadly had issues (some legal and some not) with government regulations, too.

The rules are made by and made for the BIG players in the food industry, not small independent farmers.

It’s important to note that the Miller’s Organic Farm issue didn’t just happen out of the blue. His farm wasn’t raided all of the sudden with no prior issues.

Our farm has had a lot of light warnings, but Aaron Miller chose to NOT ignore them. Aaron wants to be in compliance, because he sees a different way forward.

What do you think of the government’s interference with our food? What do you see as the way forward?

More from the blog

Here's the untold story of raw milk. Raw or pasteurized? It should be your choice.

Warning: Fat Holds Toxins. Carnivore and keto folks should watch out.

Does varying yolk color affect the flavor of honest eggs?

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Miller's Bio Farm, 523 Valley Road, Quarryville, PA 17566