The Minneapolis Star Tribune reports this morning that the dairy farmer who sold raw milk linked to four cases of illness has a history of defying state law. One of those sickened with an E. coli infection, a toddler, remained hospitalized Thursday.
According to the newspaper report, Michael Hartman, Gibbon, Minn., has been fined for selling uninspected meat in 1993. In 2001, he had his Grade A milk license revoked. And he has been fined and jailed for zoning and building permit violations.
The current raw milk case is still under active investigation, so no decision has been made on whether any charges will be filed, says Mike Schommer. communications director with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture.
