Another TN Milk Update

April 9, 2002

Today I got a call from the lawyer at the TN Department of Agriculture. She

has promised to send me the law that prohibits us from selling or giving away

dairy products. She has granted us permission to do our demonstrations,

nothing was mentioned about our workshops, I think she's considering the

workshop a demonstration.

I told her that I really doubt the State of TN has the right to regulate gift

giving. She told me that only the family is allowed to eat the dairy products

I make. I told her I had no husband, no parents, no children and asked where

the cut off is, cousin? aunt? second cousin? She changed her statement to

household. I then asked her if the State of TN allowed me to serve a ham and

cheese sandwich to a neighbor. She said I'd be liable. I said that we grew

most all our own food, baked our own bread, etc. Did she mean that I would

have to go to Stop and Shop to buy food to serve to guests. Was it OK to

serve salad from the garden? Animals we've raised and butchered ourselves?

She had no answer, well...maybe I didn't give her a chance to answer. <G>

I will patiently wait for the written law to arrive.

I did ask about penalties. She said the first time we are caught giving away

our dairy products we would be served a court order to stop and perhaps a

fine.

She thinks that raw milk is a potential problem and shouldn't be consumed. I

told her that I would consider the conditions in large dairy farms to be more

of a hazzard than anything we could come up with. I also, once again, pointed

out that many States in the USA allow the sale of raw milk. I told her I was

planning on working towards legalization of raw milk sales from small farms

in TN. I think I just fired the first shot. <G>

Just thought you'd like to know.

Belinda

LaBelle Acres

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