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Posts Tagged ‘raw milk’
Sunday, November 20th, 2011
A heated debate over raw milk and federal regulation is heating up in small towns and small farms across Maine. The catalyst for this struggle was a lawsuit by the state government against Dan Brown, a Hancock County farmer.
Brown’s farm currently sells and distributes unpasteurized milk without a state license. Current state law requires licensure in order to sell raw milk, but several Maine towns, include Brown’s hometown of Blue Hills, have passed food sovereignty laws, declaring that food sold to local consumers for household consumption is not subject to state or federal regulation and licensing.
Earlier this month, state officials sued Brown in order to prevent him from selling unpasteurized dairy products. The lawsuit, and the ensuing struggle over municipal power, has divided the agricultural community.
State officials, particularly agricultural officials, maintain that licensing and regulation is necessary to protect the health of the community. A sample of raw milk taken from Brown’s farm, for example, contained bacteria levels significantly higher than the legal limit. In addition, agricultural officials say they are protecting Maine’s dairy industry. A major milk related illness could severely damage the dairy sector, much like Colorado’s listeria outbreak has reduced their cantaloupe sales.
Some raw farmers have also come out in favor of the state policy, citing health concerns as well as the ease of obtaining a state license.
Many Maine farmers, however, see the lawsuit as an intrusion by state officials into local issues. One Penobscot farmer said, “We have asserted the right to choose what food we eat and feed our families.”
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Written by: Justin Ellison / Farm Plus Staff Writer
Tags: dairy farms, Maine, raw milk, usda
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Monday, October 3rd, 2011
New York farm officials are warning against consumption of raw milk in Tompkins County, particularly milk produced at Jerry Dell Farm in Freeville, New York. A series of illnesses have been traced to the farm, reigniting debate over the safety of unpasteurized milk and dairy products.
On September 22, Jerry Dell Farm was informed by officials from the New York Department of Health and Agriculture that two people were sickened after consuming raw milk from their farm. Subsequent testing detected the presence of Campylobacter, a bacterium frequently found in dairy farms. Ingestion of tainted food can cause cramps, fever, diarrhea, and other gastrointestinal distress. Symptoms frequently clear up within five days, but can be serious to individuals with weakened or compromised immune systems.
The discovery has increased debate over the safety of unpasteurized milk products. Many states ban the sale of raw milk entirely, requiring that all dairy products sold to consumers undergo pasteurization to guarantee the destruction of all potential pathogens. New York allows the direct sale of unpasteurized products to consumers, provided that the product be accompanied by a warning that consumption of raw milk could potentially be dangerous.
Many New Yorkers believe that the illnesses that could occur from consuming raw milk outweigh any potential benefits. Supporters of unpasteurized products, however, claim that pasteurization destroys important nutrients. They also claim that raw milk industries help support local farmers.
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Written by: Justin Ellison / Farm Plus Staff Writer
Tags: dairy farms, New York, raw milk
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Friday, August 5th, 2011
Santa Paula, California farmer Sharon Palmer is scheduled to be arraigned this week for unlicensed sale of raw goat milk and other raw dairy products. Palmer’s arrest and arraignment is the result of a yearlong investigation of her Healthy Family Farms in Ventura County.
Palmer is being charged with a series of milk violations, some going back several years. In 2008, she was charged with 16 misdemeanor charges, stemming from her illegal and unlicensed sale of unpasteurized milk. The most recent charges are the result of a yearlong investigation that claims to have linked her farm with the illegal sale of unpasteurized milk at a local farmers market. Overall, Palmer faces up to six years if convicted of all charges.
The case has reignited debates over the pasteurization of dairy products and the safety of consuming unpasteurized milk products. Palmer and her supporters, the sale and production of raw milk is relatively safe. Palmer’s lawyer went as far as to compare his client’s charges with an administrative violation.
Others, however, claim that the consumption of raw milk can be a major health danger. Steve Lyle, a spokesman for the California Department of Food and Agriculture, stated that while the sale of unpasteurized milk is legal in California, it is strictly regulated and requires state inspections ad licensure. Palmer, he claims, knew these requirements and chose to ignore them, exposing California consumers to a series of health dangers.
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Written by: Justin Ellison / Farm Plus Staff Writer
Tags: california, pasteurization, raw milk
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Sunday, June 26th, 2011
A recent outbreak of Q fever in Michigan has been linked to raw milk consumption, health officials reported earlier this week. Q fever is a flulike disease that can be spread from animals to humans. The cause of the illness is the bacteria Coxiella burnettii, which is commonly found in farm animals, but most typically in goats and sheep. Infected animals can easily deposit the bacteria in manure, urine, or milk. As a result, farm workers are usually at risk for contracting the disease.
The spread of Q fever through the consumption of raw milk has reignited debates over the safety of some farm products. Unpasteurized milk, colloquially referred to as raw milk, can spread bacteria and illnesses common in farm animals. The pasteurization process kills nearly all bacteria and foreign bodies in dairy products, rendering them safe for human consumption. However, supporters of raw milk argue that this process can also destroy important nutrients and kill helpful, as well as harmful, bacteria.
Currently, many states prohibit the retail sale of raw milk. In Michigan, where three women contracted Q fever due to consumption of raw milk, its sale is banned, but many consumers and farmers avoid these laws by participating in herd shares, where customers will buy shares of a particular cow or goat, which include dairy products made from these animals (essentially allowing them to purchase raw milk without directly buying it).
In Michigan, these herd shares are not regulated, and the milk from these farms is not tested. Many raw milk advocates argue that legalizing the sale of unpasteurized dairy products will increase the safety of these products by mandating regulation and forcing untested products out of the market. Opponents of raw milk, however, argue that the product itself is fundamentally unsafe and should not be sold at all.
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Written by: Justin Ellison / Farm Plus Staff Writer
Tags: Michigan, Q fever, raw milk
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Sunday, June 19th, 2011
An outbreak of diarrheal illness in Raymond, Wisconsin was traced back to raw milk consumption. Bacteria from the tainted milk sickened sixteen people, both students and school officials, at a school event earlier this month.
The bacteria found, Campylobacter jejuni, is one of the more common causes of diarrhea. In addition, it can cause fever, cramping, vomiting, and bloody stool. In rare instances, Campylobacter jejuni can cause paralysis after the initial symptoms have passed. The bacteria was discovered in the raw milk provided at the event and traced back to a local farm, whose name has not yet been released to the public. The farm in question is still in the good graces of the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture. According to Wisconsin law, raw milk cannot be sold in the state, but it can be legally consumed and given away for free.
The recent outbreak has reignited debate over the role of raw milk. Bills to legalize the sale of raw milk have been passed by the Wisconsin legislature (the most recent one was vetoed by former Governor Jim Doyle). Raw milk has been debated in other state as well. Earlier this year, the Vermont government debated legalizing raw milk sales, and earlier in the year the USDA shut down a Midwestern farm that was illegally selling raw milk across state lines.
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Written by: Justin Ellison / Farm Plus Staff Writer
Tags: raw milk, wisconsin
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Sunday, April 10th, 2011
The Vermont legislature is considering changes to a 2008 state agricultural bill to allow the processing of raw milk. A local farm advocacy group had, until recently, held classes explaining to consumers how to process raw milk into cheese, butter, yogurt, and other dairy products. These classes were shut down on February 10.
The debate over raw milk has been longstanding in the United States. Since the development of pasteurization, regulatory agencies have determined to limit the sale and consumption of raw milk. Pasteurization, supporters claim, kills harmful bacteria and eliminates pathogens in milk, making it safer to consume.
Raw milk supporters, however, argue that the pasteurization process destroys important nutrients and creates a less palatable product overall. Some argue that certain bacterium destroyed in the pasteurization process is beneficial to human health.
Many states, Vermont among them, ban the processing of raw milk and limit its transportation across state lines. The proposed Vermont law would remove bans on processing raw milk and would no longer force farmers to regulate consumers. To date, farmers are prohibited from selling raw milk to consumers they knew would further process it. Limiting these regulations, supporters say, would give consumers freedom to make health choices for themselves.
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Written by: Justin Ellison / Farm Plus Staff Writer
Tags: raw milk, Vermont
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Friday, October 30th, 2009
Foodies are always looking for the most whole way to consume food, but this is not always the safest.
Although it is against regulations, some Wisconsin farmers are in the raw milk sales. This is milk directly from the cow, without any pasteurization. However, officials have closed down raw milk sales at an Elkhorn, Wisconsin farm after two dozen people fell ill from bad milk.
Zinniker Farm Inc., was given an order after as many as 35 people from Walworth, Waukesha and Racine counties fell ill with campylobacter jejuni since August 13. This is a bacterial infection that causes digestive problems.
The disease was traced back to the farm and its cows. Since April state officials have been working to prohibit the sale of all raw milk in Wisconsin.
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Tags: dairy, raw milk, sickness, wisconsin
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Thursday, May 7th, 2009
Raw milk is drawing crowds far away to farms across Wisconsin. Not many farms carry raw milk, but it is a much desired product.
Unpasteurized milk is considered illegal by regulators because it can carry pathogens that can make someone ill or kill them. However, they also believe that it is legal to provide raw milk to the public on a limited scale.
The product is wanted by people who are trying, or have entirely, eliminate process foods from their diets. The raw milk business is a great revenue because people are always looking for an alternative to what is sold in grocery stores.
Linda Conroy, owner of a Sheboygan herbs business, told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that raw milk has given her more energy.
“I have never been sick from it,” she said. “In fact, just the opposite is true. My health is a lot better.”
The only problem is that according to Wisconsin state law, farmers cannot sell or give away raw milk. They can however consume milk from the cows they own. To please the public, farmers often sell shares in their cows to would-be customers and provide raw milk to shareholders for a small fee.
Raw milk is just one of many organic options people are turning to. People want to know where their milk is coming from and that is partly why they consume the milk directly from the organic cows.
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Tags: dairy farm, raw milk, wisconsin
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