Van Hollen Continues Attack on Amish Farmer

Written By: Jerry Hanson  |  Posted: Wednesday, February 8th, 2012

On Wednesday January 11, 2012, at the request an Assistant from Attorney General Van Hollen's Department of Justice; Vernon Hershberger, an Amish farmer, was charged and booked in the basement of the Sauk County Courthouse in Baraboo, WI on criminal charges. He was finger printed, and photo graphed as a criminal for providing raw (unpasteurized) milk to private individuals who fully understand the benefits (and the so called risks) of raw milk. At the behest of the Wisconsin Dept. of Agriculture Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP), DOJ prosecutor Assistant Attorney General Eric Defort alleges Hershberger operated an unlicensed retail food establishment, and that he produced and processed dairy products without state licenses. He also is charged with violating a hold order that state inspectors placed on his products after they raided his farm in June 2010. It is alleged that Hershberger openly violated the hold order following the raid.

The maximum penalties for all charges total $13,000 in fines or 2 1/2 years in jail. Sauk County Circuit Court Judge James Evenson ordered that Hershberger be placed on a $500 signature bond, which included the provisions that prohibit the Hershbergers and others on their farm from processing or selling food without the proper licenses, as requested by the prosecution. He scheduled Hershberger for a pretrial conference Jan. 27th and a return court appearance Feb. 13th.

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