Legislation to ease restrictions on raw, unpasteurized milk is working its way through several state legislatures.
Raw milk, sometimes called “fresh” milk, is sold directly from the animal and has not been pasteurized to kill bacteria and viruses. Pasteurization heats milk to 161 degrees for 15 seconds. Kills bacteria such as salmonella, listeria, campylobacter, and E. coli.
Studies show that people who drink raw milk are 840 times more likely to get sick and 45 times more likely to be hospitalized. In recent decades, 96% of all outbreaks caused by dairy products were caused by raw milk.
Although it is against federal law to sell raw, unpasteurized milk statewide, it is up to states to decide whether sales are allowed within state borders.
iowaville
An Iowa House subcommittee advanced legislation to expand raw milk sales. It is also permitted to sell home-cooked food in grocery stores. These foods, known as cottage foods, are not subject to licensing or food safety inspection.
The bill, House File 2444, was sponsored by Republican Rep. Chad Ingels, who said it was a way to provide “easier access” for raw milk producers to sell their milk in farm stores.
The bill is opposed by the Iowa Environmental Health Association, a group representing Iowa health inspectors. Speaking on behalf of the association, Jefferson Fink said it had “major concerns about many issues” with the bill.
The bill allows home processing or food establishments to sell raw milk products if they are located on a raw milk farm. Current law stipulates that raw milk can only be sold directly to customers from the raw milk farm.
oklahoma bill
A House bill introduced by State Rep. David Hardin would expand where raw milk can be sold through direct sales. The bill passed the House Agriculture Committee 4-2 and moved to the House Oversight Committee before further progress.
State health officials said consumers should understand the risks. The Tulsa Health Department said raw milk may contain bacteria that are removed through pasteurization.
“The biggest risk we’re seeing is with pregnant women. It’s very important to only consume pasteurized dairy products and to give young children only pasteurized dairy products,” said Madison Brillhart, an epidemiologist with the Tulsa Department of Health.
Mary McGonigle-Martin of the nonprofit Stop Foodborne Illness said her son became seriously ill as a child when the raw milk outbreak was identified in 2006. He said this experience changed his family’s perspective and made them advocates for food safety.
She said some families may hear about claimed health benefits without fully understanding the potential risks. “Parents are told it’s healthier, and the benefits are overemphasized, but the risks are not,” she said.
Raw milk is not currently sold in Oklahoma grocery stores, and the expansion under the bill would also apply to direct sales from producers.
michigan bill
A bill that would allow Michigan to sell raw milk directly to consumers is working its way through the state legislature. The bill, HB 5217-5219, introduced by Republican Rep. Matt Maddock, would allow farm-to-consumer sales of raw milk and other pasteurized dairy products.
The bill was considered by the House Government Operations Committee last month and advanced by Republicans without Democratic support. The House Rules Committee heard this during a hearing last week.
One farmer expressed support for the bill, saying it was up to consumers to decide whether to buy pasteurized milk.
Some agricultural experts voiced opposition. Mikaylah Heffernan, legislative liaison for the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, submitted written testimony opposing the bill, highlighting potential safety concerns with selling raw milk.
“Expanding access to raw milk while reducing oversight could lead to serious health problems, potential harm to public health, and put consumers, especially children, who cannot make informed decisions about the food they consume, at unnecessary risk,” she wrote.
Jackie Klippenstein, executive vice president and chief government and industry relations officer for Dairy Farmers of America, also wrote in opposition to the bill.
“When consumers become sick from consuming raw milk, it negatively impacts the entire industry, regardless of the size of the dairy industry or the nature of the incident. These cases not only harm dairy farmers, dairy processors and manufacturers, but also undermine public trust in the dairy products we consume every day. Pasteurization is the most proven and safest way to remove harmful, life-threatening bacteria and other pathogens from the milk supply. Pasteurization provides consumers with confidence that their milk is safe,” she wrote.
Health experts have also raised concerns about the safety of unpasteurized dairy products.
Even if farmers follow all safety guidelines, contamination can still occur, said Dr. Pamela Ruegg, an epidemiologist and veterinarian at Michigan State University.
“Harvesting milk is extremely difficult, which means milking the cows in a milking machine and then transferring the milk to tanks without it being contaminated with bacteria,” Ruegg said. “This applies to both large and small farms, and it applies even if our farmers do a good job of taking steps such as cleaning udders, keeping milking equipment clean and refrigerating milk.”
