News
Raw milk bill passes in South Dakota
A bill that would regulate raw milk in South Dakota has passed the legislature and is expected to be signed by the state’s governor.
Marv Post, president of the South Dakota Dairy Producers, tells Brownfield they were not opposed to the continued sales of raw milk, “We felt that that was an individual’s right. But, we were very concerned about the increased health problems, health risks, with raw milk.”
While the South Dakota Department of Agriculture will come up with rules and regulations for raw milk, Post says, they are concerned that it may allow for levels of E. coli not allowed in pasteurized milk, or drinking water, for that matter, “When the rule-making is done they may allow for 50-parts-per-million of E. coli in it. We think that’s detrimental.”
Post says the commercial dairy industry, which sells only pasteurized milk, may get a black eye in the event of illness or death caused by raw milk consumption and they are especially concerned about the young and elderly who have even greater risk.
Post says their group will work with the department of agriculture in an advisory capacity.
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I am a dairy farmer who drinks raw milk along with my family. We understand the risks. I am in support of allowing the sale of raw milk to those who choose to consume it. No we are not forcing it on any one who does not want it or opposes it. Don’t we have enough regulations in this country that are overbearing, we can’t regulate our selves from everything. As to the argument of the price of milk falling due to an outbreak I find foolish. In October there was a case of raw milk supposedly causing illness in several people at a potluck, Is this the cause for the 35% decrease in Class III milk price since then? No I believe it is manipulated by the milk companies(also known as coops that do little to support the profit of their members in which they were formed to do) that support media companies and politicians alike to drive the scare tactic that we must not allow raw milk sales at all for fear of losing market share, even a small share of it. Every person should be able to choose for themselves what they do with their lives. We can drive cars, we can smoke cigarettes, drink alcohol, and many other things that are more deadly that drinking raw milk. Imagine if Phillip Morris or the Koch Brothers were interested in selling raw milk, It would be legal in all 50 states long ago, probably surpassing pasteurized milk due to its great taste. I have 3 grade school age children who were raised on raw whole milk, all 3 commented after their first day of school that the milk was not as good as cows milk that we had at home. What a sad truth for a multi billion dollar dairy industry to spend all that money manipulating milk and still not making it any better. Have to wonder why per capita consumption is down? Produce what the consumer wants and you will succeed. Let freedom ring, especially on the phone with your politicians and tell them less regulation is what we need along with less lawyers to make us worry.
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I am a farmer in my mid 60’s and, use to help milk cows up to the age of 7, when my dad decided dairy cows are too much work. We do keep a beef cow herd in addition to crops. I have read the article by Greg Henderson and friends, whose opinion that raw milk laws in SD and WVA are being stupid. I have agreed with many articles in ‘ Grazing The Net ‘ for 3 years . However, I am not sure, Mr. Henderson, that these laws are as stupid as they sound. Louis Pastuer said on his death bed something to the effect. ” I fear that I have made a grave mis- take through my pasturization process. ” Further, I believe many people including – yours truly – have become lactose intolerant as result of changes made to milk through pasteurization. I understand the dairy industry at government levels, are attempting to change molecules of milk even further, taking away the ” good properties ” of milk that are present in raw form directly from the cow. It has been said that in the USA, milk properties have been changed to the extent milk has a much more difficult time clabboring in order to create cheese. So I be- lieve more states should follow with their own new milk laws which, could in turn get us back to better health than we currently are .
Drinking Raw Milk
I realize there may be more risk, but I am 67 years of age and have drank raw milk all my life along with many people who drank it years and years ago, so I feel it should be a person’s choice what they want to drink with the understanding the dairy famer is not liable for sickness or symptoms coming from the raw milk. We, dairy farmers, are required to pass certain sanitary and quality regulations under our state law.
Sometimes I wonder if some of the sickness and medical problems people have today
maybe caused by too much processed food.