Milk Sold in Maine: Will Travel 

A former state senator in Maine had fun lately testifying for a bill that would put “Maine Fresh Milk” label on milk produced and sold in Maine.

She told the legislature’s Agricultural Committee that she had bought milk at five area fast-food restaurants. She lines up the bottles and read the labels to them.

Milk at Kentucky Fried Chicken was imported from Florida; milk at MacDonald’s comes from Illinois; Subway milk was trucked in from Arizona; and Wendy’s sells milk from Ohio.

Only Dunkin’ Donuts sold milk produced in Maine.

The Chair of the Committee, himself a farmer, reported that he had just purchased chocolate milk at the State House Cafeteria. “It’s ultra-pasteurized milk from California,” he read.

Moral of this story? First, this won’t be happening as much in the future, what with sky-rocketing oil prices. Second, the answer to this is localization and more localization. Community economics is what the Green Party’s ten key values affirm—and that’s what’s needed.

John Rensenbrink

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