Advocates for unpasteurized milk are working to expand access to the controversial product nationwide, despite ongoing health concerns and a recent E. coli outbreak that has affected nine people, including several young children.
Legislative efforts supporting raw milk sales have emerged in 18 states during the current session, with more than 40 bills aimed at making unpasteurized dairy products easier to purchase and distribute. Research conducted using bill-tracking software found these measures span both Democratic and Republican-controlled states.
The movement has gained momentum from high-profile supporters and social media campaigns. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. publicly consumed raw milk at the White House last year and has previously vowed to end what he called “aggressive suppression” of the product. Online posts promoting unsubstantiated health benefits of raw milk have increased significantly in recent months.
These developments concern public health authorities, who have consistently cautioned that non-pasteurized dairy can contain harmful bacteria. The latest outbreak, connected to raw milk cheddar cheese produced by California’s Raw Farm, has infected nine individuals with E. coli, with half of those affected being children under age 5.
Current legislative proposals vary in scope. Some bills would authorize human consumption sales in states that currently prohibit it, while others aim to streamline or expand existing legal sales. Over three dozen states already permit raw milk sales for human consumption.
Federal lawmakers are also considering related legislation. A bipartisan House bill would prohibit federal agencies or courts from restricting raw milk transportation between states where sales are already legal.
Donald Schaffner, a food science professor at Rutgers University, warned that increased availability will likely lead to more disease outbreaks.
Medical experts and scientists continue to advise against consuming raw milk. The FDA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention maintain websites documenting risks of severe illness from bacteria including campylobacter, listeria, salmonella, and E. coli.
CDC data shows more than 200 outbreaks linked to unpasteurized milk between 1998 and 2018, affecting over 2,600 people and resulting in 225 hospitalizations. Additional research indicates raw dairy products cause 840 times more illness and 45 times more hospitalizations compared to pasteurized alternatives.
Children face particular vulnerability to these illnesses due to developing immune systems and frequent milk consumption, according to Alex O’Brien, safety and quality coordinator for the Center for Dairy Research in Madison, Wisconsin. However, adults can also experience severe complications.
Mari Tardiff of Ashland, Oregon, spent five months hospitalized after consuming campylobacter-contaminated raw milk in 2008. Medical professionals diagnosed her with Guillain-Barré syndrome resulting from the bacterial infection. She required ventilator support and experienced temporary paralysis and loss of speech.
“Your whole life is completely blown apart,” Tardiff, now 70, reflected.
Raw milk supporters welcome the increasing availability. Even where retail sales for human consumption remain prohibited, consumers can access products marketed for pets or participate in “herd share” programs where they purchase partial ownership in dairy operations.
Producers emphasize their commitment to safety protocols. Ben Beichler of Creambrook Farm in Middlebrook, Virginia, which operates through herd shares, noted his family’s daily consumption of their own product.
“My family and my wife, who’s currently pregnant, drink about a gallon of our own raw milk every single day,” Beichler explained. “So if there’s anybody who has a vested interest in making sure our milk is safe, it is us.”
Beichler described his 150-cow operation’s safety measures, including veterinary oversight, regular herd inspections, and weekly laboratory testing for common pathogens.
As raw milk gains market presence, stakeholders across the debate increasingly support regulatory frameworks.
“It’s kind of like legalization of weed, right?” Schaffner observed. “If people want it, we should find a way to regulate it and do it safely.”
