TV Ontario producer Liane Kotler's raw milk documentary aired yesterday in Canada on Steve Paikin's show, The Agenda. The documentary includes footage from the Raw Milk Symposium 2016 at the University of Guelph, Canada and interviews with farm share members, well known raw milk producers Michael Schmidt, Elisa van der Hout and Mark McAfee, and other academic experts.
"Health officials in Ontario say raw milk isn't safe for human consumption and therefore it is illegal. Some people though, will go far to get milk that is not pasteurized. Ontario dairy farmer Michael Schmidt has been locked in a legal battle over raw milk for more than two decades. This video looks at the debate over raw milk."
Quotes from the video:
"I would consider legalising raw milk actually a safety factor." Michael Schmidt
“My name is Mark McAfee. I am the CEO and founder of Organic Pastures dairy from Fresno, California. In all of California we are allowed to produce raw milk and sell it in stores. It’s always been legal. And we are here in Canada to support the movement in evolution toward Canada being able to have that same access to raw milk. It is different than raw milk intended for pasteurisation. It's raw milk intended for people. It’s an entirely different food.” Mark McAfee
“What I’ve seen across the world, not just here in Canada but in the United States and everywhere where raw milk is banned, people will do whatever they have to do to get it for their families.” Mark McAfee
“Colds just don’t happen in our house, flu doesn’t happen in our house, and they are all big and strong and very healthy children”. A farm share holder
"Raw milk when produced in a safe environment can be a very safe, very low risk food for all people if they allow the accomodation process to aclimate. Let the good bacteria colonise the gut and what do you know, you actually start having those benefits. You go to the doctor with asthma, allergies, eczema and most doctors will say get off dairy, get off dairy. Well now we’re having doctors say get on RAW dairy, because the 17 studies in Europe actually show that raw milk is very good for allergies and makes eczema go away.” Mark McAfee
“I guess the policy makers try to protect everybody, but what about the people who are informed and making their own decisions. I would challenge the policy makers to ask themselves: “Where does your milk come from? Do you know what farm it came from? Do you know how the cows were? Do you have any idea if they were healthy? I can actually go to the farm and I can actually see the cows. I know exactly where it comes from. I see the conditions in the stables, I know that they are treated well. I know that it is clean. I know that they are well fed. I know that they are not sick because I can see it with my own eyes. The only thing that I worriy about is if the farmers get harrassed or if my milk supply might get cut off because someone who doesn’t really understand what’s happening or doesn’t understand how this really works might try to shut down the operation.” Lisa, raw milk consumer
