Well now I've done it!

I spoke yesterday in front of an attentive and enthusiastic audience at the Dane County Farmers Market, and I dumped a symbolic amount of our precious, beautiful milk.

That milk that I dumped -- could be the most valuable milk ever not drank, not made into a dairy product, ever in Wisconsin. If it leads to a good raw milk bill in Wisconsin, that will save family farms. If it causes people to think -- especially those that do not know about -- or even do not desire raw milk -- to consider that this is about people's ability to decide for themselves, and saving family farms.

My good friend came up to me afterwords and asked, so where did that come from? (my speech)

My simple answer: From my heart. No memorization, no cue cards. I have been building to that moment all my life, and as I have changed and grown, so my words come together and touch people, with their truth, with their sincerity.

I am the guy Food Safety really needs to silence -- to shut down -- to exterminate -- because I do talk sense. I am no reactionary, I am not thinking of only myself, I have done my best to think of us all in this: That we need our family dairy farms desperately - and here is this thing we can do, safely, now, to save them. That I am the guy that perhaps can bridge the gap -- even the gap with the powerful milk processors -- and make even them see we need our family dairy farms -- we need incentive to keep them here, and happy, and productive -- and that us having this small thing we can do -- is not a threat to them or anyone else. In fact, in time, we will all come to see what a beautiful thing this can be.

My oldest son ran the camera for me; and I wanted him there to see just what his dad was about. What he was capable of. Think of the lessons he took from that. Stand up for what's right. Have courage in life. Be willing to take risks, and most of all, be true to yourself. All this I do? I do for him, not me. For all our children of a future world of our creation - that we can make better by acting in courage now.

Gary Hebl: I am disappointed in you. I know you to be a better man and representative than the comments you made yesterday. Educate yourself. If you won't -- if you insist on your ignorant statement -- then how about you show courage -- and you go out to farms that you will be a part of destroying -- a dairy heritage we can ill afford to lose -- and you tell them -- I'm sorry -- but you have to go. You aren't good enough to produce healthy milk. Will you have that kind of courage, Gary? Have the courage of your convictions -- and educate yourself. I will hand deliver a very sensible book to you -- "The Raw Milk Revolution" by David Gumpert - and you have Food Safety hand deliver their FDA Slideshow showing what a scourge raw milk is as well. And then you decide based on facts and not politics.

I am drawn to know more about Fighting' Bob La Follette

And others who's convictions compelled them to acts of courage, even in the face of easier choices, that benefit ourselves in the now - but betray our future. Love your children - love your fellow man - love above all yourself -- and have the courage to build a better world, one small piece at a time.

The time for sensible raw milk is right now. We need leaders who understand the importance of family farmers to our future.

Who will answer that call?

In love and respect,

Scott Trautman: Proud Wisconsin Dairyman and Citizen