“Milk Moms - Dupes, Rubes, and Frauds”
What's the real story?
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It seems that the case of Amos Miller has recently provided a catalyst to invigorate a base of people who want little to no government regulation in our food system.
The problem is this recent stir is based on continued sensationalist claims rather than the facts of the case.
Amos Miller and his high profile attorney, Robert Barnes, LOST their case with the USDA. It can’t be clearer than that.
The exemptions they claimed because these were “private sales” were ruled entirely invalid.
It appears that Miller and his attorneys signed 3 consent decrees (1 of the 3 was his previous attorney) agreeing to the court’s and agencies’ terms for adherence to state and federal regulations.
It looks like they are counting on you to not read the court documents and to be triggered to donate to their coffers. Where is that money going?
Here’s my take on the recent updates:
Who is this guy?
Why are Amos Miller and his attorney attacking moms seeking safe products and transparent farming practices?
On February 18, 2024 , a friend sent me a link to an interview suggesting I watch it. It was basically a man talking excitedly while licking and fondling a big fat unlit cigar. I was about to close the link when I realized why the interview was sent. I listened incredulously as the man clearly stated,
“Unfortunately there are some people out there that pretend to be on the raw milk side, or they pretend to be on the fresh food side, that are out there uh, uh glorifying the PDA, that are out there cri-critiquing Amos Miller because they’re dupes, rubes or frauds.
Uhhh… you know, the, the, the, the raw milk mamas of the world who are just fakes and liars, uh, going out there, uh, lying about Amos Miller rather than dealing with what’s happening here.”
I was shocked at the criticism this man levied against moms who want CLEAN, safe food sources from farmers with integrity.
I had many questions.
Why would Robert Barnes, Miller’s attorney, attack “Raw Milk Mamas of the world” who have dedicated their lives to expanding access to clean, safe raw milk (in my case since 2006)? What is the basis for such seemingly slanderous and malicious comments?
What are Mr. Barnes’ qualifications for suddenly becoming the “hero” and spokesperson for food freedom and quality?
Where was Barnes when when all of us Raw Milk Mamas were putting our bodies between our honest farmers and the “real” heavy enforcement tactics?
Where was he in 2011 when we milked a cow on the lawn of our Capitol–not to vilify the people in government–but to change the attitude of enforcement against our peaceful, clean raw milk farmers in America.
Where was he when we did our “Raw Milk Freedom Rides” and shared raw milk and cookies with the FDA?
Where was Barnes when we got a response from the FDA that they did NOT intend to enforce against us? – The only positive commentary from the FDA on this matter.
If we are the frauds, where was he, his big words and fat cigar when we stood with farmer Vernon Hershberger in 2013 and WON on the merits of his case and his upstanding character and honesty?
And where was he in 2017 when we filed a citizen petition to the FDA to change the raw milk regs?
To reiterate for clarity, Mr. Barnes is the legal counsel for Amish farmer Amos Miller whose case has been sensationalized across national media. The sensationalist media claim that Mr. Miller is a “poor, small farmer” standing up to the “big bad government.”
The facts tell a different story:
Consent decrees
On December 13, 2022, Robert Barnes signed the second consent decree agreeing to the agencies’ and court’s jurisdiction and oversight of Miller and agreeing that Miller will be in compliance with all applicable state and federal food laws, including the April 16, 2020 consent decree that Amos Miller and his previous attorney signed.1
“However, multiple Orders entered into the 2019 Injunction Action require Defendants to conduct operations in compliance with Pennsylvania licensing requirements and applicable food codes, the first order having been entered in November of 2019.” (Court documents filed January 23, 2024 CI-24-00528, pg 11)
“The First Consent Decree required Defendants to cease and desist meat-and-poultry related operations and certain specified marketing activities until they became compliant “with applicable federal and State laws, including Commonwealth licensing requirements…;” and it also required Defendants to remove certain products from their advertising “until such time, and to the extent, that Miller’s is in compliance with all applicable federal and State laws, including Commonwealth of Pennsylvania retail licensing requirements.” (Court documents filed January 23, 2024 CI-24-00528, pg 16, emphasis added)
Again on August 4, 2023, Barnes signed another consent decree further agreeing to full compliance.
“The Second Consent Decree states that the 2019 Injunction remains in effect. Second Consent Decree….On August 4, 2023, the Court entered a Third Consent Decree that again said that the 2019 Injunction “and other enforcement orders” remain in effect.” (Court documents filed January 23, 2024 CI-24-00528, pg 17)
This all means that Barnes and Miller agreed to abide by the terms of the consent decree, including that they would comply with all applicable state and federal laws and regulations. They surrendered, because they had to. They had no brilliant or justifiable defense.
Amos Miller, as he had bragged about for years, did not “stand on his own two feet.” He let mamas carry him.
How exactly did signing those consent decrees support “food freedom?” How exactly did that defeat set a “new precedent?”
Perhaps it isn’t the Raw Milk Mamas who are the dupes?
Mr. Barnes tells a good story on national media. But by all indications, he’s counting on you to not read the court documents. And there’s every indication that he’s counting on you to be upset and reactive by his claims of government overreach.
Read the court documents.
Yet Barnes has the audacity to publicly call us mamas frauds?
Hey mamas – Are you a fraud for wanting clean food for your children? Are we “frauds” for voicing support for the only entity here–the PDA–that is actually providing accountability for a farmer who’s gone off the ranch when no one else in his camp will hold him and his minions accountable to clean and fair production and price standards for his consumers?
Hmmmm… One does wonder how people who purport to be in support of food freedom can sign these consent decrees and then go on the attack against mothers who have been breaking down barriers for decades now. He calls us frauds for simply asking healthy questions and digging into the FACTS of the case?
Fundraising
Amos Miller and Mr. Barnes, are using sensationalist national media and sensationalist tactics to raise funds. In their words: “Defending against this injunction is likely going to cost millions of dollars with multiple attorneys and legal researchers.”
Where is that money going to go? What laws are going to change? What precedent will they set?
I would bet my last nickel that the vast majority of those “millions of dollars” are not going towards improving conditions for all farmers, or creating additional exemptions for small producers.
Remember, Miller and Barnes LOST the USDA case after begging for hundreds of thousands of dollars from well-intentioned supporters. They legally and bindingly agreed to comply with all applicable state and federal regulations–the same resolution that the USDA presented from the beginning.
Are they really going to claim that Miller’s “Organic” Farm is exempt from ALL laws and regulations because he’s selling “privately” nationally to anyone who wants the food? It didn’t work before and it’s not going to work this time.
What has changed? Why trust Miller and Barnes now? How well does Barnes actually know Amos Miller? Is Barnes aware of all the shenanigans Miller is notorious for? If so, that begs for a plethora of new questions!
(I can’t recommend highly enough that you take a look at the actual court documents. I’ve written about the court proceedings prior to this and I’ll again encourage you to read the primary sources. Facts matter.)2
Mamas – Are you a rube for wanting to see accountability in a MASSIVE fundraising haul that’s supposed to be going to improve food laws in our country but is instead going into zero-transparency coffers of….who exactly?
For those who have donated in good faith, where is your money going?
Pause. Explore. Ask questions.
At this point, it appears that Miller’s anti-government childish defiance is a churning fundraising machine based on the knee-jerk, anti-government reactions that seem popular right now in certain social media circles.
For years, raw milk mamas have invested (out of pocket) work, effort, and progress to make significant changes. Changes with merit.
Now, these two guys–Miller and Barnes–are throwing us all under the buggy.
Amos Miller–I ask you this: How is raising millions of dollars to support your anemic “plan” going to help anyone but yourself? How is it going to save your farm long term? What is YOUR plan to increase food security instead of bowing to greed and ego?
Building bridges or burning bridges?
Many of us want–and work diligently towards– a more secure food system.
But, in the case of Amos Miller, bolstered by Barnes, there are major real-world problems with pitting food freedom advocates against each other, and more so, in carelessly pitting people against their government. And vice versa.
Yes, we have government overreach in America. Yes, we have laws that have no business being on the books. Yes, we have tyrants and dictators who have no business being in positions of authority who are exercising gross misuses of abusive powers on a daily basis.
However, more importantly, we have people in positions on both sides of the issue that want to work towards each other. We have inspectors and investigators who are working within minutes of where they live who want to see a positive resolution that expands people’s access to clean, local food.
Like many of us, they, too, want to see a truly secure local food system.
We’ve got to look for the bridges.
Certain people need to quit burning the ones they find out of spite and or greed. We’ve got to work with the people we can work with and quit putting cross hairs on anyone just because they have a government title.
We need to support people in positions of authority who still have the integrity and desire to exercise sound judgment and honest personal discretion on both sides.
Instead of shooting the messengers, we need to change the laws.
It appears that those who are aggressively raising money for this case are the ones burning bridges. It is a scorched earth campaign where the only people who will survive are the very ones benefiting exclusively from the fundraising.
Right now the bridge between chaos and sanity is charred. People who would like to see America burn to the ground are showing up from all sides. We need to find win-win scenarios and create new paths back to wholesome living.
What bridges are you building?
“Food freedom” only works if those who claim to want it are willing and able to hold others accountable.
You don’t want bad actors? You’ve got to have the credibility and the courage to call them out, not be duped by their fake shenanigans and silly words.
You want food freedom? You’ve got to take responsibility to ensure that listeria-tainted milk doesn’t get tossed into the food supply through poor production practices, ignorance, and or knowingly out of greed.
Food freedom isn’t free. It takes massive responsibility and integrity.
Mamas–We have a long way to go to convince our fellow Americans that local, small-scale food production matters.
But for those who hold dearly to the principles of expanding access to clean, healthy food, and growing a “food freedom” movement that ensures food security, I ask you this:
Will Miller’s case do that?
Again, Miller’s operation is a multi-state, multi-million dollar conglomerate of many shell companies and aliases using the imagery and reputation of small farming practices to wheedle vast amounts of money from unsuspecting customers. (Again, read the court docs.)
Are we perhaps witnessing Amos Miller struggle under the weight of his own poor practices and his own horrible anti-government rhetoric?
Miller is not being attacked by a rogue government.
In Miller’s case, the facts are clear. His consent decrees are clear. His sovereign citizen language and attitudes are clear. His “Private Membership Association (PMA)” is nonsense.
Simply put, it is his aggressive rhetoric and dishonest practices that continue to get him in trouble.
Read the documents.
There is no way that a court could possibly use this case to expand exemptions to local, direct farm food sales.
Perhaps the criticism levied against us Raw Milk Mamas is because we are asking legitimate questions that cast doubt on the credibility and transparency of Miller’s fundraising efforts.
Why then would Amos Miller’s “legal counsel” call us mamas dupes, rubes, frauds, fakes and liars?
Who will benefit from this court case–win or lose?
The rest of us lose by the mere fact that attention, funds, energy, and effort are going towards one farm, one wealthy businessman–and his legal counsel–who has effectively already lost this case.
Raw Milk Mamas will keep going
Raw milk mamas continue to expand clean, healthy food options in our communities.
We’re not gonna stop just because a blustery, loud mouth attorney calls us “dupes, rubes and frauds” for asking decent, important questions.
We’re building our future food security without the likes of Miller and Barnes. They don’t belong in the Raw Milk Mamas’ clean, safe, bridge-building food security movement.
Creating Food Security
Not sure where to start? Here are 22 real ways to support a local, less regulated food system instead of funding a wealthy attorney’s cigar fetish:
$1-50 range
Buy seeds and plant them in your yard, a friend's yard, anywhere you have access to.
Support apps like SAGE that help people come together to grow food.
Buy additional locally produced food from a farmer near you (you have no idea how much that purchase means to them!)
Take a gardening workshop or class.
Donate to a local non profit that provides support to farmers.
Donate to the FOR FARMERS movement that provides private mini grants to farmers.
Get involved politically to change the state and local regs.
If you’re part of an HOA, work to change those policies to allow for chickens, goats, bees or whatever else you want to grow.
$50-300 range
Take a permaculture course and learn more about the ecosystem where you live and eat.
Host your next event at a local farm (you have no idea how much that means to them!)
Donate to or help build garden beds for a local urban farm/garden.
Learn about food forests and apply what you learn locally.
Start to stock your freezer by sourcing from a meat farm near you.
Buy a bunch of books about gardening and farming so that if our communication networks go down, you still have the information.
Purchase 1 or more fruit or nut trees and plant them.
$300-1000 range
Help fund a local organization’s campaign to change state or local regulations around food production.
Support a case that has a chance of winning.
Invest in shared infrastructure or land with others who have the same goals.
Support legitimate small farms kickstarters.
Donate more appreciably to movements like “For Farmers” or other private grant opportunities for farmers.
Spend more of your budget locally.
Invest in a permaculture design for your land and learn how to create year-round, edible crops.
$1000+
Get creative!
About Raw Milk Mama: I believe that we can reclaim our food systems through direct action. But it takes your participation whether you’re growing food, processing, or willing to support those who are. And sometimes, it takes taking direct action or calling on your state or federal elected officials.
I’m dedicated to helping people understand our food system and how we each fit into it.
Here’s how you can be part of it:
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The second consent decree is on pages 314-324 of the full court documents linked in this article. The third consent decree is on pages 326-332.
Many of the articles linked in this one have extensive primary source references. I’ve included the court documents from January 23, 2024 several times in this article so you, too, have full access to read the entire thing. I encourage you to read as many of the court docs as possible and go back and read through the other links in this article and the primary sources they link to. Be informed!
An impossible situation. The courts are a joke, lawyers are con men who get rich off a screwed system that screws We the People, and the unelected three-letter agencies are running the show. We all need to opt out of this lunacy and take back our country.
That said, I do believe it is the darkest time before the dawn, and what is coming is an overthrow of these illegitimate tyrants. Look up Executive Orders 13818 and 13848. Still in play, extended by Biden.
I have faith that God will move His hand. And it will happen just in time, because God's timing is always perfect. Hugs to my dear friend Liz. Miss you!
You are my heros, Milk Mammas! I have personally healed myself with Raw Milk and helped babies get the CLAs they need and nutrients from Raw Milk they could not get from pasteurized milk. I have seen and felt the results and am so grateful you are out there. I am currently in a FARM SHARE with 2 cows and we plan to get more and I give the milk to my neighbors and friends whenever I can!
The Amish are a cult and more will come out about that dear woman. All of these religions will be exposed for what they are really about soon!