Michael Hartmann of Gibbon Minnesota is facing more criminal charges for selling unpasteurized dairy products. In 2012, Mr. Hartmann pled guilty to charges resulting from a 2010 E. coli 0157:H7 outbreak linked to his raw milk and other dairy products. At least a dozen people were sickened in that outbreak.
The only common food in that outbreak was the raw milk from Hartmann’s farm. The specific strain of E. coli 0157:H7 in the patients was also found in cows and in multiple sites at the Hartmann farm. That particular strain of E. coli bacteria, identified by DNA, had not been previously found in Minnesota.
The charges against him were dropped in the plea deal. That October 2012 agreement stipulated that he comply with state licensing and labeling laws that forbid the off-farm sale of raw milk and put him on unsupervised probation for six months. He was also fined $585.00.
Investigators claim that Hartmann illegally delivered unpasteurized milk to people in the Twin Cities area, which violated his plea agreement. In addition, investigators found 300 gallons of bottled raw milk during a search of his farm in January.
The new charges include mislabeling food products, selling raw milk, and selling food without a license. In addition, his dairy farm is not in compliance with state regulations.
