Those advocating for the right to sell raw milk in direct farmer-to-consumer sales saw their legislative hopes done in by the veto power of Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle.As Chris Kick reports for Farm and Dairy online, Gov. Doyle vetoed the senate bill yesterday, May 19, 2010 out of concern for the public health and "the safety of his state's dairy industry[.]"
In a released statement Gov. Doyle states, '“I recognize that there are strong feelings on both sides of this matter, but on balance, I must side with the interests of public health and the safety of the dairy industry . . . I am listening to the unanimous voice of public health professionals, including leading doctors at the Marshfield Clinic and Gundersen Lutheran Health System who have found the sale of raw milk to have potentially harmful health effects.”'
The legislation, Senate Bill 434, would allow grade A dairy farm permit holders to sell unpasteurized dairy products, including milk. The sales would be made to consumers on the farm. Farmers would have to obtain a raw milk permit from the Department of Agriculture and Trade and Consumer Protection.
While federal law prohibits interstate sales of raw milk, states have the right to decide for themselves whether or not to allow raw milk sales within the state.
In considering the legislation, Gov. Doyle talked to health professionals, who "'unanimously"' said the sale of raw milk could harmful health effects on people, reports the Wisconsin Ag Connection online.
Indeed, it is worth noting that at this time Utah has seen two different clusters of food-borne illness outbreaks that are linked to raw milk consumption, reports Dawn House for the Salt Lake Tribune online. In one cluster nine cases of Campylobacter infections were reported in Weber, Davis and Cache counties. The other cluster has six cases of Salmonella infection in Utah, Salt Lake and Wasatch counties. All the patients have recovered.
House writes that "[a]ll who became ill reported drinking raw, unpasteurized milk produced at two licensed dairies, said Julia Hall, food-borne epidemiologist for the Utah Department of Health."
Also swaying the governor's opinion is the considerable impact the dairy industry has on Wisconsin's economy. Wisconsin Ag Connection online reports that the governor called the industry "'critical"' to the state's economy and fears "[a]n outbreak of disease from the consumption of raw milk could harm our reputation for providing healthy dairy products, and damage the entire industry[.]"'
To read Chris Kick's article click here.
To read the Wisconsin Ag Connection article, click here.
To read about the illness outbreaks in Utah, click here for the Salt Lake Tribune article.
Posted: 05/20/10
