TAKE ACTION
Action Step #1
Submit comments before the April 11 deadline urging the Delaware Department of Agriculture to amend the proposed regulations to exempt raw milk herd shares from these requirements.
Comments are being accepted by mail so please send them to the Department of Agriculture as follows:
Delaware Department of Agriculture
Food Products Inspection
2320 South Dupont Highway
Dover, Delaware 19901
Attn: Jamie, Mack, Food Products Inspection Administrator
Action Step #2
Contact your DE representatives and encourage them to leverage their influence with the Department of Agriculture by sharing your concerns with the Department about the burdens these proposed requirements will place on small dairy producers, especially those who operate herd shares.
Find Your Representative
Action Step #3
Spread the word! Send this Action Alert email to your friends, families, and customer list. We need your help to move this bill forward and we thank you for your partnership!
TALKING POINTS
Talking Points On Raw Milk Herd Share Restrictions
1. Herd shares are vital tools for small dairy producers and should be exempted from the permitting, testing, and inspection requirements of the proposed regulations.
2. Herd shares increase the avenues by small dairy producers can distribute the products of the farm.
3. Herd shares add revenue that allows small dairy producers to make a better living, they increase overall farms sales (as raw milk is often the product that first draws consumers to a farm), they allow producers to provide healthy food to their communities, and they keep more food dollars in local communities.
4. Consumers benefit by having increased freedom to obtain the foods of their choosing and to support local farms.
5. Requiring even the smallest dairies to agree to the proposed testing and frequencies, and the requirements that the dairies agree to training that is not specified and equipment that is not specified will ensure that many of these dairies will be unable to meet the requirements of the regulation.
Talking Points on Raw Milk Sales Onerous Requirements
Requiring dairy producers to submit to weekly milk testing creates an unnecessary operational and financial burden on producers. We respectfully submit that testing be limited to monthly interval.
Requiring Department approval of the testing equipment a dairy producer chooses to use is onerous and potentially financially burdensome. Producers should be allowed to select the testing equipment of their choosing that is the most accessible, appropriate, and cost effective for their needs.
Requiring dairy producers to agree unspecified training fails to provide notice as to the permit requirements.
The Department should exempt the smallest dairies from the permitting requirements.
