Mothers are threatened with criminal charges, but will continue openly defying MDA; and a farmer is criminally charged for providing fresh food to mothers.
Several Minnesota moms who facilitate access to local farm food are planning to act despite the risk of criminal charges laid out in warnings from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA).
The MDA has threatened several of them, and has already conducted investigations against them. The letters warn that if they continue helping provide fresh food to their friends and neighbors, the MDA will press criminal charges and prosecute. The MDA holds that the mothers are violating food-handling regulations.
Here, Melinda Olsen discusses the ordeal in detail - she only helps the farmer for free by storing goods in her garage for others. No commerce. Yet, she is ominously threatened by MDA for food crimes.
Dozens in the Minneapolis area are disgusted at the MDA’s overly aggressive tactics and are expected to join in the civil disobedience as their natural right to food access. Hundreds of supporters are expected at the rally, below.
Melinda Olson is a mom who received one such MDA warning letter, and said:
It is absolutely outrageous that during this time of economic crisis our state government is investigating and sending warning letters to mothers and putting farmers on trial who are helping provide communities with fresh foods. It is my right to contract privately with a farmer for the food of my choice just as it is the right of every American.
The MDA’s harassment against mothers will not work. We plan to ignore this warning and continue operating as we are. MDA should not waste taxpayer money investigating, prosecuting and jailing peaceful farmers and mothers for helping their communities secure fresh foods. Our time to stand up against this tyranny is now!
Additionally, the MDA has brought charges against two local farmers for supplying their communities with fresh foods. Mothers who rely on the food and delivery service of one of these farmers, Alvin Schlangen, are facing loss of their food supply if Schlangen ends up jailed as warned by MDA.
Among his four misdemeanor charges for providing the food?
-Handling food without a permit
-Mislabeling food
-Handling unprocessed, fresh milk; a crime, according to the MDA
You can read more about their plight here. Minnesota Food Freedom Rally Details Customers and supporters from around the state and country have planned a rally for Schlangen on the first day of his criminal trial on Monday, May 14 at 7:00 a.m. outside the Minneapolis courthouse.
Supporters will sign a “Declaration of Food Independence” and demonstrate non-compliance against what they deem “unjust” regulations. The Rally is followed by a peaceful sit-in of Alvin’s trial at 9:00 a.m., Hennepin County Government Center 300 S. 6th Street, Minneapolis, MN, 55487. An important workshop will take place on May 13th. More event details including "Know Your Rights" Mother's day workshop and speakers, can be found at Raw Milk Freedom Riders. This is a Test - The Time to Nip The War on Fresh Food Access is Now!
The show host in the first video makes the point that if these agencies are to be consistent, then it would mean shutting down church drives and other outreaches. And that's just what will happen if we allow these attacks - it is happening. We're not even allowed to feed a hungry person for free - and it's all about power over, not a sincere attempt at public safety. These actions are not based on legitimate complaints, but blind adherence to regulation, created for the purpose of force and not tempered with any empathy.
If we allow these power hungry brutes to run over moms and small farmers now, any shred of hope for our basic food rights will be snatched from our plates for good. Do we want to be called criminals and become imprisoned for giving our neighbors some bread?
Just like the Amish men who said "We're just not going to pay," the key to a real power shift appears to be non-acquiescence. Just as in their case; it is bad, arbitrary laws, edicts, and mandates that must change when enough people say "Enough!" We do not acknowledge their puffed up authority in matters of our natural right to the foods we choose.
Information about farm raids: FarmFoodFreedom Coalition Information on raw milk: Weston A. Price
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