Snyder Dropping Milk Inspections: Let's Not Drink to That

What if you tried to de-regulate an industry and the industry didn't want to be de-regulated?

You'd look foolish, which is what Rick Snyder is doing with his plan to drop state inspections of milk producers. Snyder says the state would save $600,000 by dropping the inspections and turning it over to the Michigan Milk Producers Association, which doesn't want to do the job.

What could possibly go wrong with letting an industry regulate itself? How tough will the MMPA get on farmers that have unsanitary conditions? Won't the association be worried about losing too many members if it insists on tough standards? Not in Rick Snyder's mind.

Milk producers know that the public needs to have confidence in the purity of their product. Rick Snyder is hoping the public doesn't find out that an entity with a vested interest is charged with doing the inspections. Otherwise, milk labeled "Made in Michigan" will be something to avoid.