Raw Milk Rally Tomorrow In Boston; Last-Minute Changes

There will be a hearing on the subject of raw milk tomorrow, Monday, as described here: 10AM, 100 Cambridge Street second floor, Boston MA, USA.

There will also be a rally tomorrow before the hearing, starting at 8AM, on the corner of the Boston Common near the Park Street T station. I heard a rumor that a cow was coming to the rally! Bring cameras, cow bells, cow outfits, and shiny distracting things. I may bring some raw milk to drink and share, in violation of the formerly proposed regulations.

Formerly? The nominal purpose of the hearing has changed, as of Friday, mere days before the hearing (without statutorily-required due notice). The reg changes that would have affected raw milk buying clubs have been taken off the table; this hearing will only deal with some other, less interesting issues.

Some believe that this change of purpose indicates that "the people have been heard" (NOFA Massachusetts). Others take it as a sign that the MDAR is planning to do an end-run rather than going up the middle (David Gumpert), and that, to mix a metaphor slightly, we should not trust the MDAR officials any further than we can throw them.

I'm afraid I belong to the latter camp. The MDAR's handling of this situation has been shifty on at least two grounds, and there's no reason to think that things will get any better.

To read more, check David's blog. Lots of good insight.