Actor Martin Sheen joins call for Governor to sign raw milk bill, protect consumer choice
Monday, September 08, 2008 at 12:45 PM
For Immediate Release                                             Jennifer Hanson
September 8, 2008                                                     916-651-4016

Actor Martin Sheen joins call for Governor to sign raw milk bill, protect consumer choice

VENICE, CA – Hollywood heavyweight Martin Sheen is lending his voice to the battle to protect consumer choice, as a measure to help keep safe, well-regulated raw milk on California store shelves heads to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger for signature.

On Tuesday, actor and long-time raw milk drinker Martin Sheen will join bill author Senator Dean Florez, D-Shafter, and the state’s two raw milk producers at Whole Foods Market in Venice, California, to tout the health benefits of raw milk and urge the Governor to sign Senate Bill 201 into law.  The measure – known as the Fresh Raw Milk Act of 2008 -- has enjoyed near-unanimous bi-partisan support, but still faces heavy lobbying pressures by industry forces.

In a misguided effort to ensure raw milk was safe for consumers, regulations were put in place to hold raw milk to the same bacteria standards as pasteurized milk – 10 coliform bacteria per milliter – without taking into account the healthy bacteria that remains in milk which is not pasteurized.

Raw milk is revered by its loyal consumers for the curative effects of the healthy bacteria it contains, which are said to protect against a variety of ailments and aid in digestion.  The regulations effectively doomed future access to raw milk in California stores.  Proponents have maintained that increased testing for pathogens such as E.coli and salmonella would be more effective in ensuring the safety of raw milk for consumers.

In order to skirt state regulations without breaking the law, many raw milk enthusiasts have taken to buying into a “cow share” or collective program, since it is legal and unregulated to drink milk from your own cow.  One such program recently shut down after more than a dozen of its consumers became seriously ill, underscoring the need for legal access to well-regulated raw milk.

“I’ve heard quite vocally from people across this state and nation who swear by the positive results raw milk has had on their health and lives – who traveled to Sacramento and stayed late into the night to testify to that fact,” said Florez.  “Now it’s time for the Governor to hear those voices.”

“Raw milk is a small part of our dairy section but is an important choice for many of our shoppers. Senate Bill 201 represents an opportunity for California to set a new standard for the nation while balancing the rigorous demands of public safety, public health and consumer choice,” said Walter Robb, Whole Foods Market co-president and COO. “We are very appreciative of Senator’s Florez’s efforts to bring this bill forward and urge Governor Schwarzenegger to sign it.”

Senate Bill 201 gives raw milk dairies the alternative of producing a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan for each critical process in the production of raw milk on the dairy farm. Such dairies would have their raw milk tested twice a week by an accredited laboratory for certain bacteria with results reported to the Department of Food and Agriculture, and the Department of Public Health upon request.  The raw milk would be tested monthly for pathogens.
 
WHO:    Actor and raw milk drinker Martin Sheen; Senator Dean Florez, D-Shafter; Mark   McAfee, Organic Pastures Dairy Company
WHAT:      Call for Governor to support the Fresh Raw Milk Act of 2008
WHEN:      Tuesday, September 9, 2008; 2:00 p.m.
WHERE:    Whole Foods Market; 225 Lincoln Avenue (at Rose); Venice, CA  90291