Lancaster County Courthouse Flooded with Supporters of Farmer Amos Miller
UPDATE: 3-1-24 Judge Sponaugle’s order terminating all but raw milk portion of the PDA’s injunction. Amos Miller Order 3-1-24 Attorney Robert Barnes (see his post-hearing statement below) Tweeted “Civil rights suit & appeal incoming”.
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Hundreds filled the sidewalks and street in front of the Lancaster County Courthouse on Thursday to show their support for organic farmer Amos Miller and the right to choose and consume foods of their choice.
Amos Miller was raided by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and gun-brandishing State Police in early January to execute a search warrant and to impound the farm’s entire inventory, from meat and milk to honey.
The hearing held on Thursday was an effort by the PDA to convince the judge in the case to make the injunction permanent until a full trial can be held in the future. The case is unique and unprecedented in the history of food regulation, as the PDA is even putting restrictions on Miller’s family’s right to consume their own foods or to feed their animals, as this community has for centuries.
The irony for the PDA is that on the same day they were in court attempting to end Amos Miller’s family farm, this same agency announced that it had discovered 22 “probable” cases of lead poisoning in children who consumed certain brands of applesauce available in Pennsylvania. However, there has been no action by the state to stop the sale of these child-packaged applesauce pouches. The agency is, however, warning parents to avoid their purchase.
Mr. Miller has operated his family farm with his wife Rebecca for more than 20 years and has produced millions of products distributed to many thousands of people in his private membership association. The farm has never had a consumer of their products make a complaint during this time.
Many health partitioners “prescribe” Miller Farm’s products to their patients. One of the expert witnesses speaking on Mr. Miller’s behalf testified that people rely on this farm’s products to stay alive. Legacy media made attempts to associate Miller’s supporters with conservative and republican politics, as if the right to choose your own source of nourishment free of the chemicals corporations routinely use is anything but a human rights issue.
The crowd showing their support for Mr. Miller and for food freedom came from around the region and particularly from the Amish and Plain community of Lancaster and surrounding counties. There were also many members of the organic farm community who also showed their support by showing up in large numbers and offering supporters free raw milk and cheese and cartons of eggs.
Attorney Robert Barnes gave a summary of the 4 hour hearing to Chris Hume of the Lancaster Patriot. The Judge should make a ruling today.