One Man's Opinion: Raw Milk

 One man’s opinion:  Raw milk.   

- Adam O'Connor

 It has been more than ten years since I started down this path.  Having grown up in the world of agriculture, it wasn’t until I was an adult that I really started to understand the vastness and complexity of it all.  I opened my eyes and tried to learn as much as I could, listening to different ideas that I had never considered before.  It has lead me to a greater understanding of many viewpoints, not just what I knew to be true.  This experience has formed my own opinion on many topics, this is my outlet.  I will make no attempt to hide my own feelings, and will do all I can to reference the base of this knowledge that I have come to acquire.  Through this, maybe we can start to have the conversations that will shape the future of agriculture.  Maybe, just maybe, we can Make Agriculture Great Again. 

The topic of raw milk is a very dividing line for many people.  I have had this discussion (or debate) on both platforms in which I work (Agriculture and paramedicine). While I can see points of both sides of the line, it is my humble opinion that the decision of what one person chooses to feed themselves is the very definition of freedom, and as such should never be infringed upon.  But I’m getting ahead of myself.  Let me break down what I have learned. 

Raw milk has been consumed for the length of recorded time. As long as humans have been able to record history (either evolution or biblical), they have consumed the milk of animals.  These animals have varied widely based upon the region in which they lived, including but not limited to camels, goats, sheep, yaks, water buffalo, and llamas.  The most recent and the focus of this argument: the domesticated cow.  Despite this long, well documented history of milk consumption, it is still a very recent thought that milk in raw form is dangerous. In the later parts of the 19^th century, the study of illness and internal medicine was advancing rapidly.  When it was discovered that some people were becoming ill following the consumption of raw milk, the assumption was made that the milk was the cause of this illness.  Discovering that milk harbors bacteria, a process to rid milk of this bacteria was created; enter pasteurization.  By heating the milk in a specific way for a short period of time, the bacteria are killed, rendering the milk “safe”….. or so we thought. 

The first failure was to think that all bacteria are dangerous.  At that time, advances in medicine were made quickly, standing on the successes of others, and moving on with a speed that can only be compared to the race to space in the 1950s and 60s. Little was known at that time of the benefits of the natural bacteria that live within all living creatures. 

The second failure was the lack of effort to address the cause.  Milk had, after all, been consumed for thousands of years prior with no thought of it being harmful; what changed?  Instead of devoting effort to understanding why THIS milk was suddenly harmful, and rectifying those issues; we discovered a way to allow the failures in production to continue, altering what was a natural product to make us feel safe.  Science and technology have enabled us to hit the bulls-eye on any target.  But what if were aiming at the wrong target…

I will not deny that there are inherent risks with consuming raw milk.  There are risks with consuming anything.  The decrease in quality of food produced, the increase in food additives, and the oft lazy and lackadaisical diet that most Americans have, exposes them to multiple dangers that are not widely discussed.  The most recent salmonella outbreak in peanut butter is only the tip of the iceberg, and even with that, most cases are treated with fluids and anti-diarrhea medications, with no lasting effect.  When compared to the consumption of alcohol, tobacco, vape pens, illicit drugs and even pharmaceutical drugs, illness from food is not nearly as dangerous.  With these products, the consumer is left to choose if the danger is acceptable.  With food, however, we leave it up to government agencies to decide what is safe.

The benefits of raw milk are linked to the very bacteria that so many are afraid of.  The beneficial bacteria have been proven to bolster the human immune system, help balance the digestive biome, and has an increased amount of available vitamins.  People who have switched (slowly) to raw milk, have experienced an increase in general health, and a decrease in frequency and severity of illness.  Specifically, raw milk can reduce the effects of asthma, reduce digestive issues such as GERD and lactose intolerance (yes, I’m serious), and has more than double the available nutrients as pasteurized milk. 

Many states have shown that the production and sales of raw milk can be beneficial in many ways.  Increasing local, family based agriculture economies benefits communities in their entirety. With the average age of farmers ever increasing, these opportunities have opened doors for younger generations to seek and find a promising future in agriculture.  Thanks to former Department of Agriculture head Earl Butz, and his flawed model of “Get big, or get out”, most lasting dairies in today’s landscape are enormous.  The failure within the American economy to raise the price of goods to match the cost of production, was the final nail in the coffin containing the last few family owned and operated dairy farms.  With less than 18 cents of every food dollar actually returning to the farmer, the overwhelming cost of dairy production has pushed it into the category of failing enterprises.  Direct farmer sales of milk and dairy products ensures that more of the price of milk is paid to the farmer, and reestablishes the future of the dairy industry. 

On farm sales of many agriculture products have removed the veil over the food production industry.  An increased interest from consumers, wanting to know where their food comes from, met with a resurgence of small, family run farms has only increased the push for this.  With on farm sales, consumers can not only see everything involved with production, but meet the farmers.  The opportunity for people to meet these passionate, hard-working farmers will only add to the belief that they are consuming the best possible products available.  A farmer who tries to cheat, tries to hide what he or she is doing, will not be in business for very long.  Honest farmers welcome this transparency.

Why shouldn’t it be the responsibility of the individual to decide if they wish to consume raw milk? Some believe they are being protected by strict food regulations.  Some believe that farms are inherently “dirty” and that all products from such a place must be sterilized before they can be consumed.  This lack of knowledge, the disconnect between producer and consumer, the veil that has been placed over the food industry… it will only lead to more questions, more doubt, more deception, and more hard times for those of us who choose to engage in the oldest profession in the world (no, it is not actually prostitution!). The very things that give us life is under attack.  The people who produce these things, are under attack.  It is time for everyone to educate themselves about what they eat, where it comes from, and who produced it.  Support LOCAL Farm Economies.

 

 “Keep your politics out of my pantry”