Texas sheriffs raid raw milk exchanges… real country FOOD from a cow is now illegal in Texas
Buying milk about as close to nature as it gets – directly from the cow – is still a punishable offense in many areas of the U.S., and residents of the Houston, Texas, suburb of Katy were reminded of this recently, after being paid a visit by police officers for the “crime” of buying and selling raw dairy products on private property.
According to reports, county health inspectors in cahoots with a police entourage raided a raw milk exchange taking place in the parking lot of Holy Apostles Church, a drop-off point where area residents come to pick up raw milk they’ve legally purchased from nearby farms. Sheriff’s deputies broke up the gathering, despite the fact that it in no way violates the law concerning raw milk sales in Texas.
The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) admits that buying raw milk directly from the farm is perfectly legal, as is having one person go to pick up that milk for a larger group of buyers in order to distribute it more efficiently. But, because the practice has gotten so popular – retail raw milk sales are illegal in Texas, increasing demand for exchange clubs – the DSHS is intervening.
“I know there are two sides and we’ve got rules, but you feel like a criminal,” raw milk lover Greg White told The Houston Chronicle following the raid.
Responding to requests for a statement as to why it decided to interfere with this perfectly harmless activity of buying fresh milk and distributing it to buyers, DSHS stated that it received an anonymous tip and decided to pounce. The operation has gotten “larger now,” DSHS spokesman Chris Van Deusen told the media, and the scale has suddenly become a “source of concern” for the department.
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