The time has come…
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| Charlotte Smith (Champoeg Creamery), Mark McAfee (founder of RMI) and his wife, Blaine |
Finally, some hope for raw milk sellers.
I was once chatting with a local farmer who sells raw milk from his farm. At one point, he mentioned that he lives in fear that some other farmer will goof up, people will get sick and that will be the end of his raw milk business. It’s always on his mind.
Part of the problem is that there are no national standards set for raw milk production. In some states, like Oregon, anyone can buy a cow and sell the milk. In other states, it’s completely illegal.
When I heard about the Raw Milk Institute, I was thrilled. It was founded by Mark McAfee, the owner of Organic Pastures Dairy in 2011.
The mission: The mission of the Raw Milk Institute is to improve human health and the immune system by training and mentoring farmers; educating consumers; establishing national raw milk guidelines; outreach to farmers, consumers, regulators, universities, the media, and other groups; listing producers, and supporting research.
There are three fundamental components to the Raw Milk Institute farmer mentoring program:
- Common Standards that all RAWMI Listed farmers follow
- Risk Analysis and Management Program (RAMP), food safety program specific and appropriate to farm size
- Training and Education
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| Charlotte shaping Mozzarella |
It seems like the solution to my farmer friend’s problem. He has
extremely low bacterial counts in his milk, and if the public was aware
of this, they would be more inclined to buy from him. If he was listed
on the RAWMI website, consumers would know he follows the standards established by the Institute. There would be separation between him and other raw milk sellers.
Currently, the best source for locating raw milk producers in the world is the list at the Weston A. Price Foundation website. Sally Fallon Morrell, the president and founder of the foundation has stated that within the next 2 years, she will only recommend RMI listed dairies.
The RMI has set standards (see Common Standards), dairy farmers
are being trained to meet those standards and eventually, consumers all
over the country will know where to safely buy raw milk. If consumers
use this resource, more and more farmers will want to be listed at the
RAWMI website.
I heard about it from the first and only farmer (so far) to be listed on their website (although many more are in the process of getting accepted). Charlotte Smith from Champoeg Creamery has met the standards of the Institute. She is also one of the 16 members of the Executive Advisory Council, which includes many well known proponents of the raw milk movement (Sally Fallon Morrell, David Gumpert, etc.)
Her protocols and test results are part of her profile on the site (shown below). This kind of documentation can only help to prove how safe her milk is.
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| Pouring curds |
I think Charlotte’s listing at the RMI website (below) is the best advertisement she could ever have for her business. I hope the list grows with “leaps and bounds.”
Listed Farmer: Champoeg Creamery
Location: St. Paul, Oregon
Contact: Charlotte Smith, champoegcreamery@gmail.com, 503-860-6286, www.champoegcreamery.com
How to Buy: Direct farm sales only; contact Charlotte for details
Profile: On
five acres outside of St. Paul, Oregon, Charlotte Smith operates
Champoeg Creamery, a small, raw milk dairy. The Jersey cows—chosen for
their small size, mild temper, and for the rich, creamy milk they
produce—stand knee deep in green pasture nine months of the year, and
are moved daily to a fresh paddock. Charlotte is passionate about her
calling. Her children suffered from eczema and numerous colds and ear
infections before they started drinking raw milk. Since then, the whole
family has been in excellent health. After losing her source for raw
milk several years ago, Charlotte decided to research and begin her own
pasture based dairy. The intense rotational grazing system she
practices insures that she is producing the highest quality raw milk.
Protocols / Documentation:
- Risk Assessment and Management Plan (RAMP)
- Standard Sanitary Operating Procedure (SSOP)
- Critical Control Points (CCP)
Test Results:
(For exact test results, visit the Champoeg Creamery website.)
| Date | Standard Plate Count (SPC) | Coliforms | |
| Sep 2012 | < 15,000 cfu/ml | < 25 cfu/ml | |
| Aug 2012 | < 15,000 cfu/ml | < 25 cfu/ml | |
| Jul 2012 | < 15,000 cfu/ml | < 25 cfu/ml |
For more information:
