Canada/Yahoo News       Thu Jan 21, 6:55 PM

By Ciara Byrne, The Canadian Press

NEWMARKET, Ont. – Clutching a glass of raw milk, an emotional Michael Schmidt toasted what he called a victory for the local food movement Thursday after the Ontario dairy farmer was found not guilty of 19 charges related to selling unpasteurized milk.

“People need to learn how to stand up even when it seems it’s impossible to achieve change in our interpretation of the law,” said Schmidt, who was often depicted by supporters as the small farmer fighting for consumer food rights against an established milk industry.

In a legal battle that played out over three years, Schmidt fought to continue the operation of his 150-member raw milk co-operative in Durham, Ont., and defended himself against the charges for dispensing milk straight from the cow.

Schmidt was charged under the Health Protection and Promotion Act and the Milk Act after an armed raid by about two dozen officers and government officials at his farm in 2006. More