Freeport Farmer to Stand Trial in Raw Milk Case

ST. CLOUD (AP) - A Freeport farmer goes on trial in St. Cloud today on charges stemming from a raw milk investigation.

The charge against Alvin Schlangen, of Freeport, for selling raw milk has been dismissed. But he still faces five food-related charges, including failure to have a food handler's license.

Schlangen became a rallying point for advocates of raw milk after he was found not guilty of similar charges in Hennepin County last September.

Minnesota law prohibits raw milk sales except directly to consumers on the farm when it's produced.

Raw milk consumers and government regulators disagree sharply on whether unpasteurized milk is a healthy food with significant benefits for their families or a dangerous product that can cause serious and potentially deadly diseases.