The Dairy Lobby Is Milking Floridians
View PDF | Print View
by: Guest
Total views: 72
Word Count: 994
I want to move to Florida.
Apparently, the Sunshine State has solved all its major problems. From illegal aliens coming ashore to massive drug smuggling to protecting the Everglades, the solutions are no doubt in hand. They must have even found a way to educate voters in the correct way to fill out a ballot (a Herculean task in itself).
I say this because, based on all the resources the state is putting into the eradication of a mammoth problem, one that strikes fear in the heart of all Floridians, it would seem that all its other troubles have been solved. It is a problem that I am sure pollsters find at the top of every survey in issue importance.
The production and voluntary consumption of raw milk.
The threat is so immense that armed state officials felt it necessary to raid a farm that produced such a product. Rightly so, since the incidence of bovine malfeasance and violence has obviously surpassed that of drug dealers, rapists, child predators and election-stealing Republicans.
Dairy Lobby Squashes Competition
This story perfectly illustrates a government out of control, not just because of gun-toting storm troopers swooping down on a farmer's property, but because it is obvious that the extremely powerful dairy lobby has flexed its political muscle and demanded that this (increasingly popular) practice be squashed. Why else would so much attention be given to such an innocuous business?
At issue is whether raw milk is dangerous for human consumption because of the potential presence of E. coli, salmonella and other bacteria, as opposed to the pasteurized milk that kills such germs and is common on store shelves. Raw milk advocates, both producers and consumers, claim that milk in its raw, natural form, free of chemical treatment, helps the human body maintain an overall level of healthiness. They claim that during the pasteurization process, key proteins are destroyed that help promote digestion and improve the immune system.
Even though state officials counter that the bacteria in raw milk can be deadly, thousands of people across the country go out of their way to obtain such milk, paying in excess of four times the price of regular milk, and have lived to tell their story. Most claim they feel significantly healthier, and that their children are less sick than in the past.
Given that raw milk is legal to sell in 27 states, and in the other 23, there are many legal loopholes to do so, such as labeling the milk for animal consumption (as the Florida farmer does), such exuberance on the part of Florida officials is troublesome.
Be Consistent
Here's the rub. If government is going to interfere in people's lives and threaten livelihoods, then they should be consistent. It certainly doesn't make their decision right, but at least they would avoid the appearance of favoritism. If the major issue in the consumption of raw food is the possibility of it containing "harmful" bacteria, then a heck of a lot more businesses should be concerned about being shut down by government agents.
Fair is fair.
So I am wondering why Florida has not begun the process of closing all restaurants that serve sushi, or at least banning it from the menu. Sushi, a delicacy loved by millions, is simply raw fish. And the best sushi is categorized as being from the "highest grade" fish.
Sounds like class warfare in the pelagic community.
The reality is that the "highest grade" fish is still served raw, and can contain both bacteria and parasites. As an added bonus, the concentration of mercury in many of these fish is quite high because of their status as apex predators, meaning that, since they are at the top of the food chain, they often have the highest concentration of mercury.
Of course, I thought mercury was bad for us, too.
And what about the significant risk of contracting hepatitis from eating raw seafood? It is a very real possibility, even when eating in a five-star restaurant.
While we're at it, let's ban steak tartare from all restaurants (made with raw beef), as well as Caesar dressing concocted with raw eggs.
Come to think of it, the citrus industry has its own problems with the presence of E. coli on fruit, due in part to manure-laden irrigation water and fertilizer.
Perhaps we should ban oranges from Florida, Anita Bryant notwithstanding.
The point is that the government clearly has more important priorities than trying to put raw milk producers out of business, especially when they do so in such a frightening manner. If people want to drink raw milk for its perceived health benefits, they should be able to do so. If the state is so concerned about the safety of these individuals, it could make them sign a waiver of liability.
Of course, then we would be sifting through pages of litigious material every time we enter a restaurant, which would just thrill the bureaucrats.
Or maybe our taxpayer-funded government could actually try to hold up its part of the bargain by enforcing the laws that are designed to keep us safe and secure. Sealing the border and not giving illegal aliens taxpayer money, resources and "rights" are just two that come to mind.
(Note: For clarification purposes, "illegal aliens" in this case refers to people who are, in fact, criminals -individuals who have willfully broken the laws of the United States. This is opposed to the other definition of "illegal alien," which for some is defined as "downtrodden foreign nationals who have a God-given right to be lawbreakers in order to skirt citizenship requirements and leech off of honest Americans' hard-earned money).
A wise man once wrote that Government should be "... of the people, by the people, for the people."
I don't think well-funded lobbies and intrusive government were what Lincoln had in mind.
Christopher Freind may be reached at cf@thebulletin.us.
Related: The Dairy Lobby Is Milking Floridians
Additional information:
The Dairy Lobby Is Milking Floridians: from www.thebulletin.us
Rating:
Not yet rated
Comments
No comments posted.
Add Comment
You do not have permission to comment. If you
log in, you may be able to comment.
