Supporters of raw milk are intensifying efforts to make the potentially hazardous product more accessible, even as a fresh outbreak—one of at least five in the past year—sickens children in the United States.
Legislative Push Across the States
According to an Associated Press investigation, more than three dozen bills supporting raw milk have been introduced in state legislatures nationwide. A growing number of states are legalizing its sale, and dairy farmers report difficulty keeping it in stock. This momentum is fueled by top government officials and internet influencers. U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. famously drank raw milk at the White House a year ago and promised to end what he called the “aggressive suppression” of the product. Social media posts about raw milk have surged, often promoting unsubstantiated health claims.
Public health officials are alarmed. They have long warned that unpasteurized milk can harbor dangerous pathogens. The current outbreak, linked to raw milk cheddar cheese from California-based Raw Farm, has infected nine people with E. coli, half of them children under five.
Widespread Legislative Activity
In the current legislative session, 18 states—both Democrat- and Republican-controlled—have introduced bills favoring raw milk. The AP analyzed legislation in all 50 states using the bill-tracking software Plural. Over 40 bills introduced by late April aim to ease the purchase, sale, or consumption of raw milk. Some would permit its sale for human consumption, which more than three dozen states already allow. Others seek to regulate or expand existing legal sales. A bipartisan bill in the U.S. House would prevent federal agencies from restricting interstate movement of raw milk between states where its sale is legal.
Rutgers University food science professor Donald Schaffner warned that wider access will likely lead to more outbreaks.
Documented Risks of Raw Milk
Despite its popularity, scientists and public health experts caution against drinking raw milk. The FDA and CDC websites highlight well-documented risks from germs such as campylobacter, listeria, salmonella, and E. coli. A CDC review counted over 200 outbreaks linked to raw milk between 1998 and 2018, sickening more than 2,600 people and hospitalizing 225. Another analysis found that raw dairy products cause 840 times more illnesses and 45 times more hospitalizations than pasteurized versions.
Children are especially vulnerable due to their immature immune systems and high milk consumption, noted Alex O’Brien of the Center for Dairy Research in Madison, Wisconsin. However, adults can also become severely ill. Mari Tardiff, 70, of Ashland, Oregon, was hospitalized for five months after drinking raw milk contaminated with campylobacter in 2008. She developed Guillain-Barré syndrome, required a ventilator, and was temporarily paralyzed. “Your whole life is completely blown apart,” she said.
Supporters Advocate for Regulation
Proponents of raw milk are pleased with its growing availability. Even in states where it cannot be sold for human consumption, consumers can obtain raw milk marketed for pets or join a “herd share,” buying partial ownership in a dairy herd. Farmers who sell it emphasize safety. Ben Beichler of Creambrook Farm in Middlebrook, Virginia, which relies on herd shares, said, “My family and my wife, who’s currently pregnant, drink about a gallon of our own raw milk every single day. So if there’s anybody who has a vested interest in making sure our milk is safe, it is us.” His 150-cow farm conducts regular herd checks and weekly lab tests for common germs.
With raw milk gaining a foothold, stakeholders on all sides now favor regulation. Schaffner compared it to the legalization of cannabis: “If people want it, we should find a way to regulate it and do it safely.”
