Cow Shares: The New Trend in the Raw Milk Sub-Culture

The battle over raw milk is stronger than it has ever been. Proponents of raw milk say that it is healthy and, in fact, can solve many health issues. They say that it contains important enzymes and bacteria that our bodies have been conditioned to for thousands of years. Opponents say that raw milk is dangerous and can cause disease and that all milk should be pasteurized.

Every state in the union is grappling with the same issue. The consumption of raw milk is illegal in some states and the sale of it by farmers is illegal in many states. One novel new way of getting around the law in states where raw milk sales are illegal is the cow share.

Every cow share program works a bit differently but the main premise is that the farmer sells shares of his cows to others. The cow share owners pay the farmer for boarding, feeding and milking their cows, and, in return, they get to keep their share of the cow's milk. There are several farming lobby groups, including the Farm-To-Consumer Legal Defense Fund, who are advocating cow share and goat share programs not only as a way for consumers to get access to raw milk but also to bring together small food producers and consumers. With a direct market for the milk, small producers can continue farming without worrying about competing with the giant agricultural complexes.

Cow shares are not without their problems, though. Legal battles are being waged daily in many states over the legality of a cow share program. In Canada, farmer Michael Schmidt has been battling the system ever since his farm in Durham was raided by the Ministry of Natural Resources in 1994. Schmidt was running a cow share program and the resulting court battle changed the raw milk movement in Canada completely. In June 2010, Schmidt was acquitted of all charges of selling an illegal product and cow shares are now popping up all over the country.

In the United States, many states still do not recognize the legality of cow share programs. On top of that, it is illegal to transport raw milk over state lines if one of the states has laws against raw milk sales.

Cow share programs show no signs of stopping. As legal challenges continue to be levied, there is a growing demand for pure, unpasteurized milk from grass fed animals. And it has the potential to save the small farming culture that is on the brink of extinction.

Sources:

Michael Schmidt Acquitted in Raw Milk Case