So not too long ago, I received an email from a CSA that I’m apart of. The organizer of the CSA sent the email to get support for a bipartisan letter drafted by two members of Congress. This really feels like a step in the right direction to alleviating the impact of the raw milk laws in the United States!
Here’s some background I was given:
“On April 26, 2017 the Real Food Consumer Coalition filed a citizen petition with FDA in support of exempting raw milk farmers from regulatory enforcement if they provided a clear label on their products and instructions for milk pasteurizations. The FDA to this date has failed to complete the review requested in the petition. It is concerning that the federal government continues to interfere with consumers’ freedom of choice by prohibiting the interstate sale of raw milk products.”
Representatives Smucker (R-PA) and Pingree (D-ME) planned to send this letter to the FDA Commissioner. They’re asking the FDA to consider how their aggressive enforcement of this law against the sale and transport of raw milk negatively impacts small farmers.
Basically, Americans deserve to have the choice to drink raw milk or not, and this law gets in the way of that freedom.
Everyone hopes that this Congressional letter will get the FDA to get off their fourth point of contact (Army speak for “move your behind!” although we don’t say behind…). They should pay attention to this citizen petition.
Purported Dangers of Raw Milk
According to the FDA, the dangers of unpasturized or raw milk are:
“Raw milk is milk from cows, sheep, or goats that has not been pasteurized to kill harmful bacteria. This raw, unpasteurized milk can carry dangerous bacteria such as Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria, which are responsible for causing numerous foodborne illnesses.”
Now, I’m not saying that they are completely false, but these types of bacteria sneak in when you aren’t properly handling raw milk. Heck, this happens when you mishandle other types of food too! I think we have the right to make the choice for ourselves. Let’s say I visit a farm in Pennsylvania (raw milk can only be sold for pet use in Maryland). If I decide the farmer properly handles the raw milk, then I should be able to buy from them and come home!
What do you think about all these raw milk laws? I’d love to discuss it in the comments below!
Take Action: https://realfoodcc.com/act-
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