Rural rights advocate, MPP Randy Hillier is throwing his support behind Grey county raw milk farmer Michael Schmidt.
Hillier feels the court in Newmarket gave Schmidt a raw deal, when it handed him fines totalling 55 thousand dollars following a conviction for contempt of court.
In January, the Durham area farmer is back in court to be tried on a series of charges filed by the MNR and Grey Bruce Health unit.
Those charges stem from his selling of raw milk to consumers at his farm, which is illegal in Ontario.
Although Hillier may not be at the Newmarket court next month, he says he fully supports him and will do whatever he can to fight the charges.
Hillier is working on a private members bill for early next year that would allow Schmidt and others to sell their fresh farm products directly at the farm gate.
He says the more hands that get involved in the distribution of food, the more likely problems will develop.
The Perth area MPP says the milk act was created in 1939, and to Schmidt’s credit he has been telling opponents the issue of raw milk needs to be re-assessed.
