It's Raw Baby

Raw milk that is. For those of you who do not know, raw milk is milk that is taken straight from the udder and bottled (or if you're on the farm into your cup). The fight over the sale of raw milk is getting pretty raw too. It's "Raw Milk Cures" vs. "Raw Milk Can Make You Sick." Now let's see our players' backgrounds:

"Raw Milk Cures": They claim that raw milk has cured ailments and disease. From eczema to arthritis, raw milk was the answer for them. Some of the people who have been making these claims have been illegally buying the milk and would like the rule changed to give the rest of population these "benefits." Technically speaking, raw-milkists can not make health claims unless it is scientifically proven.

Please note: None of their claims have been SCIENTIFICALLY proven, they have anecdotal evidence.

"Raw Milk Can Make You Sick": Milk has been pasteurized for decades now. This is because the process kills off harmful microorganisms that can cause food borne illnesses. Take for instance Campylobacter. These little guys can take up residence on cow's udders, so when the cow is milk it is transferred into the milk. Pasteurizing milk kills off these microorganisms so milk is safe to drink. This side of the fight actually has scientific proof.

Last September there was a Campy outbreak in Wisconsin due to, you guessed it, raw milk. There were over 30 confirmed cases and most were children under the age of 18. If it is illegal to sell raw milk, how could have something like this happen? Go figure that even if something is illegal you can still get it. The farmers that sold this infected milk had a cow share program. A cow-share program is where a farmer can have people who want raw milk "purchase" the cow, but the cow lives on the farm with the farmer. In return these owners get the benefit of having the cow's unpasteurized milk.

Under current law it is illegal to sell raw milk, it is however legal to drink it if you live on the farm that has the cow that produced the milk. The idea behind the current law is that people living on the farm are often exposed to these microorganisms and therefore have built up a tolerance for them.This was the loophole that members of the cow-share program were trying to use. So when some of the people who didn't live on the farm consumed the tainted milk, they got the reverse of the health benefits they were seeking. In fact, they got abdominal cramps, fever, vomiting, and the big "d". One person was actually hospitalized with the infection.

Last week a bill that would allow the sale of raw milk passed the Assembly and it is likely that Gov. Doyle is going to sign it into law.

How do I feel about it? I'm not too thrilled, but I think the public should know what they are getting themselves into. The bill does state that the farmers must post warning signs saying that the raw milk may contain disease causing organisms. They also have to put on the sign that certain populations (young kids, elderly, and women who are pregnant or lactating) should not consume it.

Consider yourselves fully warned.