Interpretive Trails

I am inspired by this video Foraging for food in the wild. We should have interpretive trails here and everywhere!

http://vimeo.com/21941571

Posted by: Christy Martin

Raw Milk

We need to stand up for our Raw Milk!

Raw milk is under the consideration of MAF at present, as a new food bill is being proposed, and they have asked the public for submissions. 

 

They don’t intend to remove raw milk completely, but there are some restrictions they suggest, that we are able to make comment on. 

 

 If you have any interest in health and healthy food in New Zealand, now is the time to have your voice heard by sending a short and ‘as simple as you like’ letter to MAF.

 

The more voices that are heard and counted, the more seriously they will have to consider the impact of any decision they make. 

 

PLEASE TAKE 15 MINUTES TO WRITE SOMETHING NOW. 

IT NEEDS TO BE IN TO THEM BY THE 5^TH DECEMBER,

It needs to be in your own words. If you are not sure what to say and have limited time ,you could just send them an email telling them you think it is important for all New Zealanders to be able to choose what they want to eat and drink and where they source it from. But the more submissions posted to them to deal with has a big impact.

If you have any testimonials to raw milk’s health improving benefits, then please tell them your story.

Have a look at this website, set up especially for this event. You will get ideas for submissions.                              http://www.milk.org.nz/

You must start off with the next three lines.

Submission to MAF:

“Proposals for continuing to legally provide for farm gate sales of raw drinking milk”

MAF Public Discussion Paper No: 2011/11

Email your submission to  MAFfoodpolicy@maf.govt.nz  

or Post (your submission will have more impact)

Food Policy Team
Biosecurity & Food Directorate
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
PO Box 2526
Wellington 6104
New Zealand

If you have more time to think about this, and want to write more, then here is a summary of their preferred proposal.

1.Milk could only be sold directly to the person/family who will drink it. 

2.Dairy farmers could sell only 6 litres per person per day 

3.Dairy farmers could sell a total of only 120 litres per day 

4.Milk must be picked up directly from the farm dairy 

5.Milk cannot be sold from local stores or farmers’ markets 

6.Reasonable animal health and hygiene requirements would need to be met, but the need for a comprehensive Risk Management Programme will not be required nor enforced.

You can find the MAF Public Discussion Paper no: 2011/11 at:

http://www.foodsafety.govt.nz/elibrary/industry/farm-gate-raw-milk-sales/2011-11-raw-milk-farm-gate-sales.pdf  

If you would just like to say more, here are a few questions to give you some things to talk about that are relevant to the discussion.

1. Do you think a dairy farmer should only be allowed to sell directly to the consumer?  With no shops, farmer’s market, or retail sales?

2. Do you think it is reasonable to restrict each person to buying 6 litres per day?  Does that mean if someone wanted 20 litres to make cheese that they would have to visit the farm 4 days in a row to pick it up?

3. Do you think it is reasonable to restrict a dairy farmer to selling 120 litres per day?  Will this limit the number of people living in cities, for example, being able to find a close enough source of raw milk it they wish to?

4. Do you think it is reasonable to expect everyone buying raw milk to have to pick it up from the farm personally?  Would this discriminate against some people, for example people living in cities an hour or more away from a small raw milk provider?  Or people who are housebound?  Or cannot drive?

5. Animal health and hygiene regulations will need to be discussed much more fully at a later date, and may be beyond the scope of your interest. (Ask me more if you want to know more)

6. Your own experiences, and any testimonials and health benefits you or anyone you know has had from using raw milk.  Give this heaps, this is really important, to let them know there are hundreds of people out there who have benefited from drinking raw milk.

7. Your conclusion or summary, or request to them.  Or your understanding about the safety and benefits raw milk offers.

When you have finished, you must include your name and physical address.

You may email, but not as effective.           MAFfoodpolicy@maf.govt.nz