Multiple government agencies executed a search warrant on an Amish farm in Pennsylvania on Thursday. Government employees are seen on video hauling away several coolers of products from the organic farm. However, the lawyer for the farmer in question argues that the seizure of food was "patently illegal."
Three Pennsylvania State Troopers and seven employees of the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture conducted an hours-long search of a farm in Upper Leacock Township. Police are seen on video ordering a reporter from the Lancaster Patriot to exit the building while the search was conducted.
Video of the raid shows government employees seizing multiple coolers from the Lancaster County dairy farm owned by Amos Miller.
The news outlet reported that the search warrant was issued by Magisterial District Judge B. Denise Commins on Wednesday. The search warrant purportedly included an affidavit of probable cause completed by Sheri Morris – acting Bureau director of food safety with the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.
The raid of Miller's farm "sought, among other things, illegal raw milk and raw milk products, including eggnog," the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture said. The government agency declared, "Miller has never licensed his retail operation."
In 2016, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration scrutinized Amos over selling raw milk.
The U.S. Department of Justice filed a civil action requiring Miller's farm to comply with federal meat and poultry food safety statutes.
The Amish farmer initially faced fines from the government of $300,000. After winning the ensuing court battle, that fine was reduced to $55,000 and Miller was allowed to continue selling his natural food products in December 2022.
Newsweek also weighed in on the raid on Miller’s farm.
The post on X has garnered over 745,000 views in less than six hours, with many comments in support of Miller and food freedom, noting that Miller’s buyers knowingly purchase his raw products and accept any associated risks.
Miller’s attorney, Robert Barnes, released the following statement just hours after the search was conducted:
“Today, the Department of Agriculture of the State of Pennsylvania suddenly came, without notice, raided Amos’ farm, and detained everything Amos had in the farm’s freezer. They did so in a lawless manner, without appropriate authority, in violation of their own rules and regulations, despite never objecting to the prior resolutions reached with the federal government, and despite a complete failure by the state to even reach out to Amos’ known counsel, Robert Barnes. The state’s own rules require advance notice, reasonable time frames for inspections, and a showing of credentials, none of which occurred here. Instead, the state unlawfully obtained a search warrant, based on materially false statements in an affidavit by a high-ranking state official in an agency with a known grievance against independent farmers like Amos, and, after the raid and finding no evidence of wrongdoing, then illegally ordered detained every item of food in one of Amos Miller’s coolers, including buffalo meat not even subject to federal regulation. The detention order is patently illegal under Pennsylvania law. Despite the constant harassment, Amos will continue to do all he legally can to provide the food his members need. Amos thanks you for your continued support at this critical time for food freedom in America.”
“Look at any study of the Amish and you will find by almost any health metric, they are healthier than the people living off USDA-approved food. And the USDA, you know what they think is healthy? Bill Gates’ synthetic corn …and his fake beef,” explained Barnes.
This latest raid generated a massive outpouring of donations on GiveSendGo from citizens who support Amos Miller over an intrusive government. As of this news release, $117,891 has been raised in just 5 days.
The Amish community has historically been successful in maintaining a degree of separation from the heavily regulated food industry.
The raid on Amos Miller's farm is not just an isolated incident but a symbol of the broader struggle between small-scale, traditional food producers and a regulatory behemoth that demands compliance while steam-rolling individual liberties.
We have seen this tyrannical spirit repeatedly since 2021.
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