For related articles and more information, please visit OCA’s All About Organics page and our Healthy Raw Milk page.

While Congress has never banned raw milk outright, it is the only food banned in interstate commerce. This makes it challenging (though not impossible) for small farmers to share their raw milk products with people living across state lines.

As a result, private agreements called herdshares are often formed between farmers and individuals, which entitle you to the benefits of owning a “share” of a cow, such as a certain amount of milk each week.

Despite these legal agreements, and the fact that many Americans choose to drink raw milk of their own free volition, aggressive
armed raids by federal agents against raw-milk farmers are not uncommon.      

Armed Raids Against Amish Raw-Milk Farmers?

In the video above, Liz Reitzig, co-founder of the Farm Food Freedom Coalition, explains the absurdity of holding an armed raid against a peaceful culture such as the Amish (who by definition do not use violence).

One of the most glaring cases involves Wisconsin dairy farmer Vernon Hershberger, who was charged with four criminal misdemeanors for supplying a private buying club with raw milk and other fresh produce grown on his farm.

State prosecutors tried to convict Hershberger for operating a retail food establishment, a dairy farm and a dairy plant without a license. However, since he only supplies food to paid members in a private buying club, he maintained that he was not subject to state food regulations.