Tainted Egg Nog Triggers Raid On Amish Farm; Supporters Raise $75,000+
The matter of Amos Miller, an Amish organic farmer in Lancaster County who has clashed with the government for years over the sale of raw milk products, is making headlines again.
Miller’s troubles date to 2015, when the government alleged that a listeria illness which sickened two and killed one person had its source in milk from Miller’s farm. Miller in turn objected, claiming the person who died had a pre-existing condition, and that his milk was not even proven to have caused the illness.
Miller draws support from the thousands of members of his “buyer’s club” who purchase his raw dairy products. The farmer casts his struggle with the government as “tak[ing] a stand to preserve our culture”. There is a long history, and you can get a summary here.
Raid on Miller’s Organic Farm
Miller is back in the news due, in part, to his sale of a holiday favorite: Egg nog (among other raw products). Two cases of a foodborne pathogen known in short as STEC (Shiga toxin producing E.Coli) have been linked to Miller’s products.
The cases appeared in minors who had consumed Miller’s products in New York and Michigan. Officials served a search warrant at Miller’s farm on Thursday:
BIRD IN HAND, Pa. (WHTM) -A Lancaster County farm is under investigation in connection to an out of state reported food borne illnesses, according to the state’s Department of Agriculture.
Pennsylvania State Department of Agriculture officials and State Police were at Miller’s Organic Farm, located at 648 Mill Creek Road in Bird In Hand, serving a search warrant Thursday.
The Department of Agriculture says investigators were looking for illegal raw milk and products like eggnog at the farm.
There were two reported cases of the foodborne pathogen “STEC – Shiga toxin producing E.Coli” in December in minors, according to the Agriculture Department.
Ground beef and “raw” eggnog from Miller’s farm was tested after one of the underage people in New York consumed it, and both products were positive for STEC. In Michigan, there was another report from a minor who tested positive for STEC and that they had raw milk, and other milk, eggs, cheese and meat products that were from Miller’s Farm, the Agriculture Department says.
Miller’s supporters have come out strong for him following this latest case, Lancaster Online reports. Over $56,000 had been raised for the Amishman a day after the raid, according to the article.
The GiveSendGo campaign on Miller’s behalf states that following the seizure of some of his goods, “the remaining products they are forbidding Amos from selling, effectively ending his business until further notice.”
I just checked the campaign page, and that number is now up to over $74,000. Donations appear to still be flowing in rapidly.
Wash your hands!
I’ve travelled with the Amish. They are not clean people from my observations. Perhaps it’s due to them using an outhouse at home, or the fact that they can’t actually see the germs. Flushing a toilet, or washing their hands seems to be against the Amish religion. Even at the gatherings I drive them to they come straight out of the porta potty and walk directly to the food table, or even serving food. No gloves, all using the community spoons. Some go back for seconds with a dirty plate in tow.
So this incidence does not surprise me. They want to live in the last century, but do commerce in this century. Whatever fines, or suspension of business this farmer has coming is overdue in my opinion. He won’t use modern safety techniques, and he is putting the those that purchase his products at serious risk. You don’t get special safety rules just because you wear suspenders, and drive a horse and buggy.
Replace Amish with any other group of people in your statement.
Just replace the word Amish with any other group of people in your statement and maybe then you will see what is wrong with what you say. Try “Indian” or “African American” for fun.
Do you know Amos personally? Does he not wash his hands?
Do you think some of his customers might know him?
Do you think his customers are willing to take a risk, to avoid the Industrial complex that meat and food production has become in America? I worked a 20,000 head cattle feed lot on 80 acres for a few years. Was the end resulting meat clean and bleached? Of course it was. Was it healthy? I sure as heck would not try it with some of the stuff they’re injecting those cattle with.
Let people take their own risks and let people live outside the USDA industrial complex I say. Your anecdotal story is about as useless as nips on a Bull.
Why gamble?
I’ve travelled with many other groups of people. It’s only the Amish that I’ve observed being so casual with their hygiene. So there is your comparison. I don’t notice it with other people. Also the gambling with food, what ever the risks, Amos has proven not to be a reliable source of clean food. Hence the trouble. The rules are in place for a reason, you may not trust them, but America does, and cases like this are rare considering the vast enormity of the food chain. I hope he does learn how to process his food safely. It would benefit his customers greatly. I won’t ever be one of his customers given his track record, and my personal observations of other Amish that have no regard for proper modern hygiene practices.
Why would you travel with the Amish if you have such strong objections to their lack of cleanliness? Sounds as though you have resentment in your heart for them, and pass judgement on them. No, I am not Amish, but I have learned about their culture. I respect their desire to live an honest, simple life, serving God, and helping others. None of us are perfect, we all make mistakes; but how we work through those mistakes is what matters. ‘Suspenders’ have nothing to do with it.
Handwashing
I am definitely from the school of hand washing. However, I do wonder if what you say is true, why the Amish are generally more healthy than the average American?
Bitter much?
Gee Rod–I have known the Amish all my life and most of them are extremely healthy, more than the “Englisher” population. I do not believe you drive for the Amish–i believe you hate the Amish and you are on a one man mission to try to destroy them. Move along little buddy-you do not know what you talk about.
No facts
I don’t know how you can compare the two societies where health is considered. There aren’t enough facts, just observations. It would be interesting to know the life expectancy of both groups. You also don’t know my history with the Amish. Yet you make statements out of ignorance and malice. Just to put your mind at ease, I’ll tell you I’ve done business with the Amish for many years, still do.
Many of their health problems stem from the small group of people they originally came from. Genetics are intertwined, and the effects of this can be seen in every community. How many other segments of society have you seen that have a clinic set up for this specific purpose? Also farm life is dangerous, so some succumb to a dangerous occupation. Plus all those jobs in construction, logging and similar fields without safety equipment also shorten life spans. Riding around in a buggy on the side of the road probably doesn’t help either. Lack of routine medical and dental care also affects many Amish families. Their diet is mostly healthier I would estimate, but now in certain communities that seems to be changing. Obesity among the Amish is increasing, especially the women I’ve read. So when you compare health, there are many factors.
egg nog
i thought the article was concerning unsafe egg nog.
Sooo… you have NEVER exited a public restroom in a franchise store, grocery store, or anywhere else and witnessed people NOT washing their hands, or is it your ‘I hate Amish they’re all the same’ mantra.
Commercial cow milk is a dead food, (by the way) it’s also highly processed and has antibiotic’s and hormones, it’s also the A2, not A1 cow.
Have you ever seen the cow pens at a commercial diary farm?
The reason commercial cows are jacked up on hormones is the hormones make the cow produce more milk, their udders are so much larger (from the hormone injections) so their udders drag in the pens, dragging on the ground were the cows defecate.
In your delirious pure unadulterated ignorance you believe commercial milk is superior, you’re a fool. The cows are jacked up on antibiotics because their udders are dragging on the ground in a pen they cannot leave because the hormones produce more milk than a cow not jacked up on hormones and these cows must be milked more often then diary cows (that are free of this garbage).
Commercial diary cows produce more milk, live shorter lives, and these sentient beings live worse than prisoners in prison. They are taken from one pen up a ramp to milking station, down ramp to another pen, when all cows are milked they start the process all over again. All these cows know is 2 small pens and crowded when all the cows are waiting to be milked. It’s cruel and depraved. The milk is not superior because it is a dead food.
Personally, I just say no to garbage food sold at grocery stores and buy from local farmers or grow myself.
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out this man is being targeted.
But go on now, you just stick with your ‘story’ and let those of us who understand what’s really happening handle it.
Stop sniffing around areas you want no part of, I’m not picketing grocery stores to wake people up to the gross commercial milk they love, so stop policing areas you want no part of too.
Targeted?
Inspections are common when people report illnesses from food. The USDA is ding their job.
They didn’t raid the farm, they showed up and got product to test. That’s standard protocol.
The fact remains, Amos food made people sick. Government governs, and this inspection will result in safer practices. Lets all hope this farm figures out how to produce safe food products.
The FDA Tested His Products?
It seems cut and dried if his products tested positive for the pathogens.
It is obvious to me that you do not like the Amish at all, and I believe that you are virtue signaling. Those who buy from the Amish should know their practices. As for me, my heritage is partly Amish/Mennonite among other heritages. I respect them highly and I do some of my shopping at Amish stores. I love their lifestyle, and if I could, I would live off the grid and not depend so much on modern conveniences. We have chickens and ducks, and I raised 2 turkeys this past year. I would have more animals at home, if I was a little younger. Don’t knock their lifestyle.
Agreed
I agree. People should be able to make their own decisions. Of course that requires understanding what a product is and its risks. IMO, most convenience products that a large majority of Americans buy are more dangerous over the long term. Just read the ingredients. Can you even pronounce them? How many product recalls do we hear about? Are these large companies being persecuted? No. This is beyond unfair. It is about small business being squashed so as to not threaten the large conglomerates. People had better wake up. America is about freedom. Buy whatever eggnog you want. Just know what you are buying /consuming and don’t rely on the information coming from who is going to benefit from the sale.
Respect
I have a very good connection with the Amish. Do business with them on many levels and see what I see. Anyone can attest that their work ethic is amazing. Although I’ve met a few lazy ones, that is the exception and not the rule. Most of them keep clean and organized farms, but some do not. Some raise livestock with the utmost care, others are average at best. Some are excellent parents, others are in way over their heads. Some have dozens of dogs they neglect and run filthy puppy mills. I’ve had words with two Amish farmers over the condition of their horses. I’ve also quit doing business with dishonest Amish men.
So, not only do I know them well, I also know not to put all of them on some high pedestal that ignores the differences between them. Like all families, some do things better than others. I find most of their kids very well behaved. Others not so much. I’ve watched them spank their kids to tears, and know of a few that have abused their wives. They aren’t perfect. I’ll help where I can, but to sit here and tell you how universally great they are would be a lie. They are human, and as such flawed and hugely imperfect.
Raw Milk
Opinions about Amish culture lifestyle generalities may not be useful info, as generalities can morph into prejudices which likely don’t apply to everyone in a particular group. Relevant here is the processing procedures used on the farm in question. It sounds like one product sample tested positive, but other illnesses were only associated with the raw milk products because the patients had consumed them.
I, like many folks, use raw milk from a local farm to make raw yogurt and other foods with no illness, so it doesn’t always cause problems.
And you can donate!
Attorney Robert Barnes is lending a hand to the Amish on this. See donation link at https://www.givesendgo.com/supportamosmiller
amish food
If the farm that was producing the contaminated food was in New York how did it get shipped to Michigan. In particular the Milk?
Agreed
I agree. People should be able to make their own decisions. Of course that requires understanding what a product is and its risks. IMO, most convenience products that a large majority of Americans buy are more dangerous over the long term. Just read the ingredients. Can you even pronounce them? How many product recalls do we hear about? Are these large companies being persecuted? No. This is beyond unfair. It is about small business being squashed so as to not threaten the large conglomerates. People had better wake up. America is about freedom. Buy whatever eggnog you want. Just know what you are buying /consuming and don’t rely on the information coming from who is going to benefit from the sale.
Miller farm raid
I think for the saftey of all people and farms big or small need to be inspected before release or sells of any food or drinks. Most likely wasn’t intentional but happens in alot of food restaurants too.
The shutdown good till they solve the solution so no one else gets sick or dies. I truly believe all farms need inspections to continue safe food for themselves and for sell to public.
egg nog
this isn’t the first time that the man has had issues concerning products that he manufactures and sells to the public. “amish made” is highly overrated. buyer beware.
I wish...
I wish the “governmental authorities” would be equally as diligent about putting pharmaceutical companies out of business when the products they sell kill or injure people. That happens constantly and I don’t see anyone raiding and shutting them down for good (I believe many of them should be shut down). What’s up with the double standard there? Why do they get a pass? I will be sending my donation to this farmer to help defend him from the tyranny of a government that constantly overreaches and targets those who don’t care to live under their over regulating thumb. I don’t know how people in NY or Michigan got ahold of local Lancaster County dairy products, perhaps the consumers themselves did not transport or store the products properly and they became tainted by their own hand?