Raw Milk: Science, Economics, Emotions, and Regulations are involved By Sandy Costello, Ph.D.
Penn State Capital Region Dairy Herd Health Educator CARLISLE
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This article provides background on the raw milk debate. This topic is controversial because emotions and economics are involved. Federal and State regulations are developed with the intention of being fair to everyone. In the case of raw milk sales, human health is at risk and regulations are developed to reduce risk of human sickness and death, provide many diverse food choices to people who demand that freedom but have high expectations for safe food, plus financially protect farmers should someone become sick or die from consuming raw milk. Unfortunately ‘one size’ never suits all. Dairy producers are very independent, being owners of small businesses and their ‘own bosses’. Just like any other small business there are regulations that are expected to be followed in order to continue doing business. Raw milk and other niche markets - organic, sale of registered breeding stock, and volume provide methods for farmers with varying herd sizes to increase sale price for their product(s) and satisfy different consumer needs or wants. Despite what some believe, both ‘large’ and ‘small’ dairy producers sell milk for ‘niche’ economic markets. These varying ways of doing business allows good managers, regardless of herd size, to make a sufficient income, continue doing what they been trained for and hopefully love to do, and also feed their neighbors (the other 99% of us). Meanwhile, we have freedom to buy food from grocery stores, local markets, or individual dairy producers with permits to sell milk and products directly from the farm. In exchange, we have variation in cost, can choose different risks for food safety, and have more food choices available.
Definitions:
With respect to the ‘raw milk’ debate and the dairy industry, ‘raw milk’ is used to describe milk soon after it is harvested. Raw milk is used to describe milk and dairy products sold directly from the farm and to small markets or stores without pasteurization. A confusing thing is that the same name is used for milk before it is pasteurized at the milk plant and sold from the grocery store. The ‘raw milk debate’ centers on milk sold directly from farm to consumer without being pasteurized. Farms that sell milk this way are required to have a special permit. This permit ensures that the milk is tested for presence and amount of disease-causing bacteria. The intention is to reduce risk that people who choose to consume unpasteurized product will get sick. Some people, including some physicians, believe raw milk is ‘better’ and has enhanced nutrient value. Many in the ‘scientific community’ based on reading through lots of research studies, believe that consumption of raw milk is riskier, especially for babies, the elderly, pregnant women, and people with low ability to resist disease - like cancer patients and diabetics. It also appears that as many of us have less contact with these bacteria (e.g., less time outdoors, greater use of antibacterial detergents, etc.) we are at greater risk of becoming sick when consuming food products containing disease-causing bacteria.
Many may remember learning about Louis Pasteur in school. There is much written about the nature of his eclectic and scientific achievements. Some consider him to be one of the greatest benefactors of humanity. He is credited with being the first person to develop vaccines for preventing diseases. Another of his great achievements was the discovery and process for heat treating milk to reduce disease risk, called pasteurization. This discovery is considered of great benefit to humanity because it allows us to have access to food that has a lower risk of causing sickness.
The Raw Milk Debate:
The raw milk debate is very prominent right now in the news for many reasons. One is that food safety is a concern to everyone. Many people want no government control over food choices unless it is of direct benefit to us and is in-synch with what we believe. Most people also don’t want to worry when we eat or our loved ones eat that they may get sick or even die. There are enough things to worry about. Many people want to purchase food locally – especially if it benefits our neighbors and friends, and is safe. Unfortunately, there appears to be an increasing number of cases (unrelated to allergies) of food-borne sickness. This may be partially due to increased diagnosis (new and better tests to track cause of disease), increased number of people handling food, increased media attention to food-borne illness, and fewer people working on farms. The risk of sickness due to milk and milk product consumption is much greater when that product is not heat-treated before being consumed.
Federal and state regulations, designed to identify farms that sell raw milk, and to test for bacteria type and level on farms before being sold, are intended to help protect us from getting sick – or worse, while allowing for freedom of food choice.
Sandy Costello is the Penn State Cooperative Extension Educator for Dairy Herd Health serving the Capital Region and based in Cumberland County. Penn State is committed to affirmative action, equal opportunity, and the diversity of its workforce. Penn State Extension in Cumberland County is located at 310 Allen Rd., Suite 601, Carlisle PA 17013, phone 717-240-6500, e-mail CumberlandExt@psu.edu .
