***ACTION ALERT***
Morningland Dairy Trial Set for January 11 

January 11, 2011 

On Tuesday, January 11 a trial will begin at the Howell County Courthouse in West Plains, Missouri to determine whether 50,000 pounds of cheese held at the facility of Morningland Dairy LLC will be destroyed despite no reports of illness. The cheese has been under embargo since August 26; Morningland was also ordered to cease all cheese production on that date. Morningland is a farmstead cheese operation located in Mountain View, Missouri that has been in business for over thirty years without any reported illnesses from the consumption of its products.

On October 22, the Missouri State Milk Board filed a petition for a condemnation order that will be heard on Tuesday. On October 1, the Milk Board had issued a letter informing Joe and Denise Dixon, owners of Morningland, requesting that the dairy destroy their entire cheese inventory because cheese samples sent off for testing on August 27 by Morningland came back positive for Listeria monocytogenes (L. mono.) and Staphylococcus aureus (Staph aureus).

Also to be heard at the trial by the judge are counterclaims filed by Morningland Dairy asking the court to lift the August 26 embargo and to vacate the October 1 destruction letter. For background details, read the November action alert "Cheesemakers Under Attack".

Support Morningland at the Hearing

Those who are able are encouraged to attend the trial starting at 9 a.m. CST each day, January 11 and 12 at

     Howell County Circuit Court
     Court Square
     West Plains, Missouri 65775

General Directions: Taking U.S. Hwy 63 (business route) into West Broadway and turning south onto Washington Avenue will take you to Court Square. Go to Google Maps for more details.

Donations to help the Dixons

Those wanting to help the Dixons through the financial hardship they have suffered as a result of the Milk Board's actions may make a donation at the Uncheese Party for Morningland Dairy.