Legislative Rulemaking meets TUESDAY for Raw Milk Herdshare Rules, so let your voice be heard (or Herd. . .Pun intended)

The unworkable nature of the Raw Milk Herdshare rules are evidenced in the lack of participation
we are seeing in legal WV herdsharing, even though hundreds of farmers across the state have long expressed sincere need and desire to operate a herdshare.

This means many thousands of consumers are still buying milk or buying into herd in VA, Ohio, Maryland (where pet milk sales are legal now), Kentucky and Pennsylvania.

This means farmers are still being forced to operate as they have so many years, under the table, if they are within West Virginia.

The emergency rules are too restrictive and are more than the average farmer will ever be able to work under for simply sharing ownership of his/her livestock in a herdshare.

Remember, these are not sales, after all. They are far cry from sales.

It is a gross overreach over the government in West Virginia to attempt to heavily regulate a contract of co animal ownership, and this is our chance to straighten out what the Department of Agriculture under Walt Helmick so ran away with in the summer.

The legislative rule making committee will meet Tuesday. They are the representatives we elect, and they make the final call on the rules. Your voice matters here and now so very much!

Read over the Layman's Rules Explanation here

In a paragraph or two, explain what about these rules need to be excluded in Legislative rulemaking. Remember, this cannot exclude anything (like tuberculosis and brucellosis testing or filing an agreement with the Department of Ag) that was included in the passing law language. We can only request striking the emergency rules, such as the age restriction, the milk testing, the ability for the state vet to impose open ended additional testing, farm inspections by the state vet, the need to submit a health plan to the Department of Agriculture and the requirement to have your animals in the federal identification program.

All of the above truly must be removed from the rules before farmers will be able to take part. The original language of the law that passed said rules could be imposed in keeping with national standards, and the national standard for herdshare operation does NOT include a single rule listed above. So truly, this is an overreach of what the herdshare law even allows.

Take a moment to email each member of the committee below Today. It must be today, as they meet Tuesday. I have been asked to be present and will speak on behalf of the farmers and would be co-owners interests, as I always have, but I am only one person. They still need to hear from you.

Senate:
http://www.wvlegislature.gov/committees/Senate/SenateCommittee.cfm?Chart=rul

House:
http://www.wvlegislature.gov/committees/House/HouseCommittee.cfm?Chart=hrls

Monday, December 5th by clicking here

Senator Maynard - Chair Senator Boley Senator Karnes Senator Miller Senator Snyder Senator Sypolt

Delegate Sobonya - Chair Delegate Frich - Vice Chair Delegate Fleischauer Delegate Hanshaw Delegate Moffatt Delegate Rowe

Feel free to Edit the Below Statement if you would like but do not have much time and email to the representatives:

"The unworkable nature of the Raw Milk Herdshare rules are evidenced in the lack of participation we are seeing in legal WV herdsharing, even though hundreds of farmers across the state have long expressed sincere need and desire to operate a herdshare.

I know the legislature intended for this law to actually create opportunities for farmers and allow consumers to buy into herds Of dairy cattle and goats if they desire, but unfortunately, as things are now, that will not happen.

This means many thousands of consumers are still buying milk or buying into herd in VA, Ohio, Maryland (where pet milk sales are legal now), Kentucky and Pennsylvania.

This means farmers are still being forced to operate as they have so many years, under the table, if they are within West Virginia and breaking laws they

Cannot reasonably ever follow.

The emergency rules are too restrictive and are more than the average farmer will ever be able to work under for simply sharing ownership of his/her livestock in a herdshare.

The original language of the law that passed said rules could be imposed in keeping with national standards, and the national standard for herdshare operation does NOT include any of the current rules. None at all. So truly, this is an overreach of what the herdshare law even allows.

Remember, these are not sales, after all. They are far cry from sales. These rules are even more restrictive than the regulations governing on farm milk sales nationally.

I wish to see the age restriction, the milk testing (which was added by the Dept of Ag, and isn’t the same as the blood testing of the animals), the ability for the state vet to impose open ended additional testing, farm inspections by the state vet, the need to submit a health plan to the Department of Agriculture and the requirement to have your animals in the federal identification program removed from the rules. 

All of the above truly must be removed from the rules before farmers will be able to take part.

Regards,

List your name

County"