Raw Milk Demand Grows Despite Concerns

AP reports:

When Jane Ratajczak started buying raw milk for her family about 2 1/2 years ago, some people told her it would kill her.

It didn't. But within four months, her straight hair began to curl.

"Isn't it weird?" Ratajczak said.

Curling claims aside, dairy farmers say demand for unpasteurized milk, or raw milk, is growing. It is spurred by concern about the chemicals, hormones and drugs used in traditional dairy farming, and interest in organic and locally grown foods.

With prices topping $5 per gallon, more dairies are selling raw milk - and finding themselves at odds with public health officials.

The federal government and a majority of states prohibit sales of raw milk to the public, claiming it is responsible for hundreds of people sickened in the past decade with salmonella, E. coli, Listeria monocytogenes and other bacteria.

"Raw milk continues to cause outbreaks year after year," said John Sheehan, who oversees plant and dairy food products for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. "It is a concern for the FDA."

Advocates dispute reports from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other health agencies. They claim raw milk relieves allergies, asthma, autism and digestive disorders.

"Raw milk is like a magic food for children," said Sally Fallon, president of the Weston A. Price Foundation, a nonprofit that advocates consumption of whole, natural foods.

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