Backers of raw milk are pushing to make the potentially dangerous product more widely available and easier to obtain, even as a new outbreak—one of at least five in the past year—sickens U.S. children, reports BritPanorama.
More than three dozen bills supporting raw milk have been introduced in statehouses across the nation. A growing number of states are making it legal to sell. Dairy farmers say they can barely keep it in stock, even though prices can exceed $10 or $20 a gallon.
Top government officials and internet influencers are driving this momentum. U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. downed shots of raw milk at the White House last May and previously promised to halt “aggressive suppression” of the product. On social media, posts about raw milk have surged in recent months, often touting unproven claims about its health benefits.
Public health officials are alarmed, having long warned that unpasteurized milk can harbor risky germs. The current outbreak—tied to raw milk cheddar cheese from California-based Raw Farm—has sickened nine people with E. coli, half of whom are children younger than five. One victim developed a serious complication that can impair kidney function for life.
Petra Anne Levin, a biology professor at Washington University in St. Louis, said she doesn’t understand the product’s appeal. “If you wouldn’t lick a cow’s underneath, why would you drink raw milk?” she asked. “There’s a reason pasteurization is around.”
Pasteurization kills germs by heating milk to at least 161 degrees Fahrenheit (71.7 degrees Celsius) for at least 15 seconds. Experts assert it has no significant impact on milk’s nutritional quality and has saved millions from foodborne illness.
Despite the risks, some consumers prefer raw milk. Advocates and critics are increasingly calling for federal regulation of the product. “People want access,” said Mary McGonigle-Martin, co-chair of Stop Foodborne Illness, a consumer advocacy group. “Public health has lost the battle on raw milk.”
Raw milk legislation pops up across the nation
Bills favoring raw milk have been introduced in 18 states during the current legislative session, encompassing those controlled by both Democrats and Republicans.
AP analyzed legislation in all 50 states, utilizing bill-tracking software to assess whether bills expand or streamline access to unpasteurized milk or products made from it. Over 40 bills introduced as of late April would facilitate the buying, selling, or consuming of raw milk.
Some proposals would permit raw milk sales for human consumption for the first time. For example, a bill in New Jersey’s Senate would establish a raw milk permitting program.
State Senator Michael Testa, a Republican sponsor, questioned, “You can buy cigarettes. You can buy alcohol. You can buy quote-unquote legalized marijuana. Why shouldn’t someone be able to consume raw milk?”
If the bill passes, New Jersey would join more than three dozen states that allow raw milk sales. However, increased access may likely result in more outbreaks, cautioned Donald Schaffner, a food science professor at Rutgers University.
Other bills aim to manage or expand already legal sales. A bill advancing in the Iowa House would facilitate farmers selling unpasteurized products alongside meats at farm stores.
Its sponsor, Republican state Representative Chad Ingels, admitted to initial opposition to legalizing raw milk due to safety concerns. “But it’s law now, and I’m very pro-local foods,” he said, expecting the current bill to pass. “I just thought it made sense to allow those farm businesses to sell all their products in one location.”
Two bills in Missouri would allow unpasteurized dairy products to be sold in grocery stores or markets, provided they include warnings about potential harmful bacteria and that herds are tested.
Republican state Representative Bryant Wolfin, who sponsored one of the Missouri bills, stated, “We just want to make it more accessible, so that way, people have the freedom of choice.”
The legislation specifically references the Raw Milk Institute, which defines “retail raw milk” as produced on dairy farms that meet specific standards. The organization, led by Raw Farm owner Mark McAfee, seeks to enhance the safety and quality of raw milk; however, Schaffner noted that it focuses on advocacy rather than risk management, pointing out previous outbreak links to McAfee’s farm.
It remains uncertain how many raw milk bills will pass this year. However, national legislation is also under consideration.
A bipartisan bill in the U.S. House aims to prevent federal restrictions on raw milk movement between states where its sale is legal. Dubbed the Interstate Milk Freedom Act, it was introduced in March by Republican Thomas Massie and Democrat Chellie Pingree.
Regardless of its fate, legal experts suggest the federal government could take measures to increase raw milk availability. The FDA could rescind the ban on interstate sales and establish national raw milk standards, encouraging states to implement them.
FDA officials did not respond to queries regarding the likelihood of such actions.
Raw milk risks are well-documented
Despite its rising popularity, scientists and public health experts caution against consuming raw milk. The FDA and CDC websites highlight the well-documented risks of serious illnesses stemming from germs like campylobacter, listeria, salmonella, and E. coli.
A CDC review identified more than 200 outbreaks linked to raw milk, resulting in over 2,600 illnesses and 225 hospitalizations from 1998 to 2018.
Another analysis revealed that raw dairy products cause 840 times more illness and 45 times more hospitalizations than pasteurized varieties.
Children are especially susceptible to illness due to their immature immune systems and frequent milk consumption, noted Alex O’Brien, food safety and quality coordinator for the Center for Dairy Research. O’Brien indicated that prior to the establishment of milk standards over a century ago, approximately 25% of foodborne illnesses in the U.S. stemmed from dairy consumption. Now, dairy accounts for about 1%.
Research indicates that living conditions in the early 19th century led to high infant mortality rates, largely due to bacterial contamination in milk. O’Brien emphasized that while drinking raw milk once might not cause harm, the risk escalates with repeated exposure.
Understanding and accepting the risks associated with raw milk has become increasingly complex in the current political landscape, according to Martin, the consumer advocate. “They can’t grasp it, or they think it’s so rare it won’t happen to them,” she observed.
Martin’s son nearly died after consuming raw milk tainted with E. coli from Organic Pastures, now known as Raw Farm. For two decades, she has sought to raise awareness about the dangers and hold suppliers accountable.
In 2008, Mari Tardiff was hospitalized for five months after her raw milk intake caused a campylobacter infection, resulting in Guillain-Barré syndrome. She expressed her view that while she wouldn’t advise adults on raw milk consumption, she holds concerns regarding its suitability for children.
Raw milk supporters see an ‘exciting’ future, but concerns remain
Proponents of raw milk welcome its increasing availability. Even in states prohibiting its sale for human consumption, consumers access raw milk marketed for pets or join herd shares, purchasing partial ownership in dairy herds.
Ben Beichler, from Creambrook Farm in Virginia, noted the shift in public and political perception over 14 years. He stressed that safety remains paramount, as his family consumes a gallon of their own raw milk daily.
Beichler described their safety measures, such as regular veterinarian checks and laboratory testing of milk samples for bacteria. In Foristell, Missouri, Tony Huffstutter ensures daily testing of milk for bacteria at Twisted Ash Farm & Dairy, where raw milk retails for $29 a gallon.
Huffstutter emphasized the importance of proper procedures in raw milk production, arguing it should not be treated differently from other natural products like spinach, despite past foodborne outbreaks associated with them.
With the trend towards raw milk gaining momentum, Martin suggests that the most prudent action might be for the FDA to regulate it as stringently as pasteurized dairy products.
McAfee agrees, advocating for high testing standards as part of the regulatory framework. Schaffner also supports regulation, though he has reservations about raw milk consumption for children, describing himself as “a raw milk libertarian” concerning adults’ choices.
However, he noted, “There’s already a dependable way of making raw milk safe. It’s called pasteurization. And it works really well.”
