NEW! Recording now available for The Udder Truth: An Opening Dialogue on the Risks and Opportunities of Unpasteurized Milk
Posted: June 5, 2012
Categories: GoodFoodBites / News from Sustain Ontario
New!!! You can now download a recording of the webinar event.
June 4th, 12-2pm
As the debate around the safety hazards and potential health benefits of unpasteurized milk grows, so too does the need to understand the reasons for and against pasteurization. Sustain Ontario has brought together a panel of experts to clarify some of the myths and facts about unpasteurized milk and begin an open dialogue between advocates on both sides. We hope to cover the history and reasons for pasteurization in Ontario, the public health risks of unpasteurized milk, the health claims of unpasteurized milk and the impacts on dairy producers. There will be a half hour for questions and answers.
Panelists include:
Dr. Mansel Griffiths, Research Chair in Dairy Microbiology in Food Sciences at the University of Guelph;
Sally Fallon-Morell, founder of the Weston Price Foundation;
Dr. Ted Beals, pathologist focused on dairy
Dr. Rosana Pellizaari, Medical Office of Health for Peterborough County;
John Van Dyk, Ontario dairy farmer; and
Sara Zborovski, Partner at Gilbert’s LLP and Sustain Ontario volunteer.
The panel will be moderated by Professor Alison Blay-Palmer.
Read more for panelist bios.
Alison Blay-Palmer is an Associate Professor at Wilfrid Laurier University in the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies where she does research on resilient food systems and sustainable communities. Her books, ‘Imagining sustainable food systems: Theory and practice’ and ‘Food fears: From industrial to sustainable food systems’ explore pressures and opportunities related to food system sustainability. Her most recent journal papers are published in Local Environment, the International Journal of Planning Studies, Economic Geography, Environment and Planning A and C, and the Canadian Journal of Regional Science. Her current research looks at community food initiatives throughout Ontario and is linked to the Ontario Ministry of Food and Rural Affairs as well as a number of academics and post-secondary institutions throughout the province.
John Van Dyk is a dairy farmer from Tavistock, Ontario. He was born and raised in Perth County on the dairy farm that has been in the family since 1956 and is a milk producer for the Dairy Farmers of Ontario. John is currently a board member for the Christian Farmers’ Federation of Ontario. He has served on the Perth County Milk Committee and the Oxford Milkway Transport Co-op Board and is currently also a member of the Board of Autism Canada. The Van Dyk’s are using only A2/A2 genetics on their herd in hopes of supplying A2/A2 milk to the Ontario Consumer. John and his wife Anna have six girls and one boy between the ages of 2 -14 years of age and the only milk consumed by the family is unpasteurized.
Dr Mansel Griffiths is the Dairy Farmers of Ontario/NSERC Industrial Research Chair in Dairy Microbiology in the Food Science Department and the University of Guelph. His current research interests include rapid detection of foodborne pathogens; factors controlling growth and survival of microorganisms in foods; and beneficial uses of microorganisms. Dr Griffiths has authored more than 300 peer-reviewed publications and is an editor for several scientific journals. He has edited four books, including “Improving the Safety and Quality of Milk”, which was published in 2010. Among his many acclaims, Dr. Griffiths is also the Director of the Canadian Research Institute for Food Safety and a member of both the Maple Leaf Foods Advisory Council and the Health Canada Food Expert Advisory Committee.
Dr. Rosana Pellizzari is the Medical Officer of Health for the Peterborough County-City Health Unit. Dr. Pellizzari is the current Chair for Peterborough’s Community Food Network (CFN), a local group comprised of food activists, local stakeholders and community members involved with identifying strategies to increase access to healthy food, educating and engaging the community to address food security and poverty issues, and supporting the promotion and increased production of local food.
Sally Fallon-Morell is President of the Weston A. Price Foundation which she co-founded with nutritionist Mary Enig, PhD. She is a journalist, chef, nutrition researcher, homemaker and community activist. Ms. Fallon’s cook book Nourishing Traditions, The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats, has become a kitchen bible for thousands of people world wide. The Weston A. Price Foundation is a nonprofit, tax-exempt nutrition education foundation with chapters in many countries across the world with most Canadian provinces represented by volunteer Chapter Leaders.
Dr. Ted Beals is a Pathologist, Health educator and Administrator. He is the retired National Director of Pathology & Laboratory Services, Dept. of Veterans Affairs. He has retired from his practice in the Veterans Health Administration and faculty of the University of Michigan Medical School. He continues his years of biomedical research, focusing since retirement, on dairy safety and foodborne illnesses. He is an international consultant and educator on the medical aspects of agricultural product safety He is a lifelong advocate for organic principles, sustainable and local agriculture and the nutritional and medical values of nutrient dense foods. Ted is active in promoting the rights of farmers to provide and consumers to obtain milk and other locally produced fresh unprocessed foods. Ted lives with his wife Peggy on 40 acres in rural Michigan
Sara Zborovski is a partner at Gilbert’s LLP. Her practice is focused on the regulation of the pharmaceutical and food industries, and the intersection of the intellectual property and regulatory laws as they impact these industries. Sara’s expertise includes assisting clients in navigating the complex regulatory pharmaceutical, food, natural health product and medical device environments to get products from idea to market, providing strategic advice on branding and marketing strategies, intellectual property issues and managing global product portfolios. Sara is a regular contributor to Food in Canada Online magazine, and is an active blogger (www.thefoodlawyer.ca) and tweeter (@thefoodlawyer).