Well, not a direct assault, actually. I am not given to involve myself in controversial matters and would say I am innately apolitical. This latest move by the US government has me perplexed, if not aghast. And now as Sarah Palin must do, I am going rogue. Rogue in the sense that I will not stand by idly this time. Not with yet another range war, albeit 21st century style. Coming from 8 generations of ranching prevents me from sitting on the front porch and watching it all go by.
What's going on, you say? I write this in search of help. Normally I remain silent on all farm things that spell trouble. So here's a bit of background. A full 2 years ago, 2008, the FDA decided it desired to remove sheep milk from the PMO. The PMO is the Pasteurized Milk Ordinance, the bible by which all cheese makers must abide-basically a large unruly book with rules and regulations. All cheese makers, whether conventional or organic must test their own milk for antibiotic residues. Which, by the way, makes no sense as antibiotics are outlawed in use on certified organic dairy farms. At some point, and the details remain unclear to me, the Dept of Ag of NY along with a sheep dairy in New York state, funded a validation test for antibiotic testing kit approval. In addition, tests were conducted using frozen milk which is not standard protocol. Here's where it gets confusing. Only one company decided to participate and therefore donate their kits to be tested. The test was concluded that it, in fact, could test sheep milk for antibiotics and thus was approved by the FDA. The ONLY test approved in the entire USA! This kit costs approximately $4700 versus other previously legally used test kits priced at around $200-$250. Currently, cow and goat dairies have at their discretion, and budget, 5 choices in the marketplace.
Next confusion: The FDA conducted this testing without any transparency to the dairies in Vermont (of which now there are only 5-previously were 12). Not only did the kits become funded, tested and approved, but NOBODY notified sheep dairies until we received a letter dated early January 2010. The Dept of Ag in Vermont has had the knowledge, as stated in their own letter, since November 2009. Now here's the question: what else can the government do to force these small family farms out of business? With nary a profit margin, no time for vacations, and many rules and regulations, and now a $4700 test?! I will say for full disclosure that the Vermont Agency of Ag has offered to test each farm's milk for $8.00 a sample. The logistics are complicated and not feasible for some producers. Again, I can only speak for myself. I will be the sacrificial lamb on the spit. On our farm lambing has begun already and now we must decide if we continue to do this or just get squashed down one last time. You see, had there been transparency, we sheep dairies could have urged other antibiotic testing kit makers to participate in the study as it would have lead to later business for them. But we were not given the choice. Now it's mandatory and the choice faded into abyss.
A final note to ruminate on........European sheep cheese makers can use a different version of the test we used before all of this: Delvo test. But that one is NOT approved in this country. Wait?! You mean to tell me that millions of pounds of government subsidized cheeses can come in to this country using a "non-approved" test? Seems like a disconnect and possibly illegal to me. We would like another validation test to occur and allow all of us a level playing field. Perhaps the outcome might be choice versus monopoly. Did I mention that there are another 40 or so sheep dairies throughout the country which this new mandate affects? With over 30 international and national awards on this farm alone, it occurred to my husband and I, that these 5 Vermont farms draw tourism to the state (all of us are open to the public) and it would be a shame to lose more of Vermont's precious working landscape.
FACTOIDS:
We milk both cows and sheep. We are the only farm in Vermont to milk both species. Been on this farm in Chittenden county since 1991 without a single grant or government handout-we have pioneered our way and stuck it out through all the sheep dairy drama thrown at us through the years.
The other Vermont farms affected are: Bonnieview Farm, Peaked Mountain, Vermont Shepherd, Woodcock Farm.
If you would like to help in any way, offer suggestions, direction, please contact your US senators and congressman as this is a federal issue. Or please feel free to contact Rural Vermont to be kept abreast of developments in this situation:
Rural Vermont 802.223.7222
www.ruralvermont.org
info@ruralvermont.org
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