From 100PercentFedUp - READ ORIGINAL
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A Lancaster County judge ruled Amish farmer Amos Miller can sell his raw milk to out-of-state customers, denying a request by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture to prevent him from selling his product outside of the state.
“Judge Thomas Sponaugle wrote in an order that the Pennsylvania law which regulated milk sales is for the Commonwealth and that does not apply to Miller selling out-of-state,” WHTM wrote.
Judge rules against the state & in favor of #AmosMiller right to sell outside Pennsylvania.
— Robert Barnes (@barnes_law) April 13, 2024
“While Plaintiff may be correct that the Pennsylvania General Assembly meant to prevent any sales of raw milk without a permit to both in Commonwealth and out of Commonwealth buyers, Pennsylvania law regulating milk sales references within the Commonwealth… at the same time other applicable regulations do not indicate ‘within the Commonwealth’,” Sponaugle wrote, according to the outlet.
In January, Pennsylvania State Troopers raided Miller’s Lancaster County organic farm.
State Troopers And Government Officials Raid Amish Organic Farm, Seize Coolers Filled With Property
WHTM reports:
The Department of Ag. recently requested the court to extend an injunction that was filed in March that would have prevented Miller from selling his products to anyone, regardless of location.
Sponaugle also wrote that the court will not “blur the line” regarding raw milk sales in Pennsylvania and out-of-state.
Miller’s Organic Farm, located at 648 Mill Creek Road in Bird-in-Hand, was raided in early January by the state’s Agriculture Department officials after two food-borne illnesses, one in Michigan and another in New York, were reported to have originated from Miller’s products. Later in the month, he was sued by the Department of Ag. for selling his product out of state when he was not licensed to do so.
"Miller is an Amish farmer who has resisted following federal and state food safety regulations. State police said troopers were there to provide security for Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture employees who were serving a search warrant," LancasterOnline wrote.
BIG WIN for U.S. Farmers—Amos Miller, the Amish Farmer in Pennsylvania whose farm was raided by Feds for selling raw milk.
Again, the U.S. federal government tried to shut down a farmer for selling his milk. Atty Robert Barnes has been in this fight for years & finally won. 🙌🏼 https://t.co/d9uUiAdtnY
— Te𝕏asLindsay™ (@TexasLindsay_) April 13, 2024
"FBI agents are now targeting the Amish, with feds raiding an Amish farmer’s small private farm. The farmer, Amos Miller, now faces hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines," 100 Percent Fed Up previously noted.
"Miller was running a members-only food club, selling his products to approximately 4,000 customers who purchased his non-USDA-approved meat, eggs, and dairy products. Miller believes he should have the religious freedom to raise and prepare food the way he believes God intended, in accordance with nature."
From LancasterOnline:
The department asked the judge for specific language to bar all sales, citing a Pennsylvania law that they contended meant no one without a state permit could sell any raw milk, no matter where they live, even though the law references sales “within the commonwealth.”
Sponaugle wrote in his two-page order, “at the same time other applicable regulations do not indicate ‘within the commonwealth.’ This court shall not hold the above ambiguity against the defendants.”
Miller has been the subject of federal and state efforts to compel him to follow food safety rules since at least 2016.
In January, state agriculture inspectors raided Miller’s farm after two people, one in New York and one in Michigan, became ill after consuming raw eggnog purchased from Miller.
The department then sued him Jan. 23 because he doesn’t have a permit to sell raw milk and hasn’t registered his business with the state, among other alleged violations of state laws pertaining to agriculture.
