Raw-milk proponents are celebrating a Wisconsin farmer’s acquittal on charges related to selling unpasteurized milk and cheese last week.
The court decision — involving farmer Vernon Hershberger and his wife, Erma — is bolstering advocates' hopes of legalizing the products in America's Dairyland, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Jurors reportedly found the 41-year-old Loganville farmer innocent of producing milk without a license, selling milk and cheese products without a license, and operating a retail establishment without a license. He was found guilty of one count of breaking an order issued by the state in June 2010 that barred him from moving any of the food he produced without a license.
He faces as long as a year in jail and $10,000 in fines for the one guilty count. But the verdict allows Hershberger to sell his farm's products to members of the buying club he started, said one of his attorneys, Elizabeth Rich.
"This is a huge win for food rights," said Liz Reitzig, a founder of Farm Food Freedom Coalition. The case "should give small farmers renewed courage to continue to operate within their communities."
Milk is usually pasteurized to remove harmful bacteria, but advocates of raw milk say it also removes beneficial nutrients. Raw milk can be consumed on the farm but can't be sold legally in most states, including Wisconsin, because of potential foodborne illness risks.