Raw milk crusader Michael Schmidt says he won’t know until July whether a judge will overturn his acquittal on 19 charges related to selling raw milk.
Justice of the Peace Paul Kowarsky threw out the charges last year — saying a cow sharing program Schmidt ran made him exempt from the law.
That was despite the testimony of food scientists and health experts who said pasteurization laws were needed to protect public health.
It was a victory for the Durham area dairy farmer — who has been fighting laws that prohibit the distribution of unpasteurized milk in Canada for years.
Lawyers for the province argued Wednesday that Kowarsky made critical legal errors when he ruled in favour of Schmidt.
Schmidt argues the fight isn’t about milk, but about respect for an individual’s right to make choices without government interference.
While it’s illegal to sell unpasteurized milk in Canada due to the possible health risks, it is legal to drink raw milk.
Schmidt expects Justice Peter Tetley to rule on the appeal in July.
