Dairy innovator crushed by U.S. Congress and Milk Lobby

[DarkWaters]

For three years, starting in 2003, a coalition of milk companies and dairies lobbied to crush an initiative by a maverick Arizona dairyman. Hein Hettinga chose to work outside the rigid system that has controlled U.S. milk production for almost 70 years. The milk lobby said he presented unfair competition because he chose to operate without federal price control. Hettinga fought back but was outgunned on the Hill. In March, Congress passed a bill that effectively ended his experiment.

Edited December 10, 2006 by DarkWaters

[softwareNerd]

Thanks for that link. Nothing surprising, in principle, but the fact that they've reported the messy little details makes it seem like a horror story straight from the pages of Atlas Shrugged.

I hope this guy does not give up. I liked his idea of putting a message on his milk bottles. Maybe he should continue to do that; perhaps a label that says something along the lines of "20 cents of your price will go to subsidize more expensive milk-producers. To object, contact your congressman." Well, I guess CostCo won't go for that! I do remember seeing one gas station that had stickers on each pump, showing how much of the gallon went to various taxes. I thought it was good idea, and wondered why station owners don't make a simple factual statement like that. If it's the gas companies who stop such things in their franchise agreements, then it's they who should act. But wait... if they act, the government will make trouble for them (witness the two senators who recently tried to get Exxon to support the global warming hoax). Will voters act against such government? Of course not. So, following the trail all the way back, we arrive at Mr. John Smith, "man on the street", and one can't blame a business for shrugging and saying, if John Smith pays 20 cents extra, he asked for it!

[Vladimir Berkov]

That's the truly sad thing. It isn't like this is some random isolated incident. This is the NORM for operating under our government.

[Chops]

Reading that felt so much like Atlas Shrugged. It's creepy, though, that this isn't fiction.

[BrassDragon]

"I still think this is a great country," Hettinga said. "In Mexico, they would have just shot me."

I wish I had that much optimism.

Personally, I would have buried explosives at all my plants, and fled the country. I'd operate my business remotely, without paying my competitors, until the government tried to physically shut me down, and then... BANG!