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Verdict in Wisconsin raw milk case

The jury in the Vernon Hershberger raw milk case in Wisconsin delivered their verdicts at 1 a.m. Saturday morning. The Loganville dairy farmer was found guilty of violating the state holding order and acquitted on three other charges for operating a dairy farm and dairy processing operation without licenses and operating an unlicensed retail store.

Hershberger faces up to a year in jail and $10,000 fine on the conviction, a sentencing date will be announced.

Hershberger started selling unpasteurized milk and other products from a store on his farm to a private buyers club in 2004. In 2009 he was cited by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture for not having a retail eatery license and in 2010 for not having the proper license to sell milk. Officials sealed cases of unpasteurized dairy products on the farm in June of 2010 but Hershberger resumed selling to club members. Hershberger contends did not need a license because he was not selling to the public but only to club members. The State of Wisconsin does not recognize buyer’s clubs where consumers buy or lease a cow on the farm and then get raw milk and other dairy products from it.