Is raw milk getting a raw deal in the California legislature? Some natural dairy advocates think so, and are hoping to turn things around with a new bill that is getting its first major hearing this week.

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On June 24th, the Assembly Agriculture Committee of California held that hearing in Sacramento on SB 201, an urgency bill is sponsored by Senator Florez, Senator Perata and Assemblymember Berryhill. The bill is in response to AB 1735 which had imposed higher regulations on raw milk products effective last January. SB 201 requires dairies to conduct biweekly testing, provide training for their employees, and create a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point Plan that must be approved by the Department of Food and Agriculture and State Department of Public Health.

It happens every year. Once the confetti clears and everyone heads back to work or school, it's time for the annual round of "state/us" reports--on the state of the union, the state, even the county. So why not jump on that bandwagon and prepare an update on the state of the Russian River?

And who better to give us the inside story, that the Russian River Keeper, Don McEnhill?