There are claims the Amish showed up in massive numbers to vote red, despite Trump’s big ag appointees targeting Amish farmer Amos Miller every single year of his previous administration.
Trump’s administration was not good for consumers or small farms. He talked a big game, then drained the swamp into his cabinet and proceeded to very publicly bicker with those who he himself hired. I don’t know who will get confirmed, or what will happen, and I’m not closely following the hype. I’m anticipating a rerun.
Republicans legislators have done a great job passing raw milk legalization in recent years, despite some saying they were “forced” to do so. I assume the push was an initiative on the national level for the sake of the election. I hope Trump’s victory doesn’t lead to a halt on these initiatives for the sake of people who live in red states.
How many Amish are there?
There are a total of 92,660 Amish people in Pennsylvania. There were 28,172 adherents living in Lancaster County in 2020. The total Amish population living in the USA is 394,720.
How many Amish vote in Pennsylvania?
It is not known how many Amish adherents vote in Pennsylvania, but we can be sure that number is under 92,660 – the total population.
The church has long held a position against voting, as pacifists.
Did the Amish flip Pennsylvania for Trump?
Pennsylvania was won by around 133,000 votes. There have been claims that 180,000 Amish adherents voted for Trump in Pennsylvania, with some even stretchier claims that all these votes came from Lancaster County.
There were potentially 17,000 eligible Amish voters in Lancaster County and 45,000 in the State of Pennsylvania. From Lancaster Online:
In 2020, just 2,900 of the estimated 17,000 eligible Amish voters in Lancaster County cast a ballot, according to data from the Elizabethtown College researchers. Those numbers were smaller in 2016, when Trump first ran for the White House, at just 1,000 of 15,000.
There does appear to be an increase in Amish voting despite the exaggeration. This man is receiving credit for the campaign organizing.
Refresh page if the video Tweet isn’t loading.
Will a second Trump admin benefit the Amish?
This is not likely. Trump talks a big game, but he runs a very lame establishment administration. There is no reason to believe this will be different in the future, despite all the promises which also existed before the previous administration.
Who is Amos Miller?
The proposed impetus for voting Trump lies in the prosecution of Amos Miller of Miller’s Organic Farm in Bird-in-Hand, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Amos Miller is currently the focus of state-level charges, not federal.
Trump administration’s targeting of Amos Miller
Amos Miller has been the target of USDA, FSIS, and DOJ prosecutions under the leadership of Obama, Trump, and Biden.
Trump’s administration prosecuted Amos Miller every single year he was in office.
Let’s briefly look at Amos Miller’s complete record with the state.
2016
- February: USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) begins investigating Miller’s farm.
- March: FSIS inspectors find genetically similar bacteria in Miller’s raw milk and two listeriosis cases.
- April: DOJ files a federal civil action against Miller.
2017 – Trump takes office
- February: Miller agrees to recall raw milk products.
- June: Court orders Miller to cease operations until complying with regulations.
2018
- January: Miller’s farm is inspected; violations noted.
- March: Miller receives warning letter from FDA.
2019
- February: DOJ files contempt charges against Miller.
- June: Miller appears in federal court.
2020
- January: Miller ordered to pay $250,000 fine.
- June: Miller appeals contempt ruling.
2021 – Trump leaves office
- February: Appeals court upholds contempt ruling.
- August: Miller’s farm inspected; violations noted.
2022
- January: DOJ seeks injunction against Miller.
- June: Court orders Miller to comply with regulations.
2023
- January: Miller signs Consent Decree promising compliance.
- February: Miller’s farm inspected; compliance verified.
2024
Election year, more frequent coverage begins.
- January 4: Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture raids Miller’s farm.
- January 9: Miller’s supporters rally at Lancaster Courthouse.
- February 27: Legal brief submitted to Court of Common Pleas.
- February 29: Miller appears in Lancaster County Court.
- March: Miller ordered to stop selling raw milk products.
- April: Miller charged with violating state food safety laws.
Why does this synthetic content exist?
Industrial agriculture wants deregulation. Simple gambit: big ag instigates the government to target small farms, their promoters pretend the government is doing this on their own, rally grassroot support for these small farms, then spin it to the benefit of big farms.
Amos Miller was used as a prop to spearhead assertions that “government” writ vague should leave the poor farmers alone. This was used to promote Trump, whose administration will most likely staff big corporate cronies who will deregulate themselves and leave small farmers in the dust – just like last time.
Reminder:
Bear in mind, raw milk laws are almost entirely a state-level issue.
