Overcoming Hurdles for Raw Milk Legalization in Delaware

This article was written by Stephanie Knutsen, the dairy farmer who was instrumental in the successful legalization of raw milk in Delaware.

My journey to the legalization of raw milk in Delaware (DE) is quite unconventional, mainly because raw milk was not on my radar. Raw milk was illegal in DE and in the states around us, with the exception of Pennsylvania. I assumed it was going to remain so for quite some time. I certainly couldn’t make a difference, but wait… I did! Welcome to my story.

I didn’t seek out a legislator to champion the legalization of raw milk, but one found me! I received a phone call explaining that Senator Buckson was hearing from frustrated consumers about the lack of raw milk access in DE. He wanted to sponsor a consumer-driven bill to legalize raw milk sales, but wanted to tour a dairy farm and hear from DE dairy farmers before proceeding further. Little did I know that raw milk research and advocacy was about to take over my life.

We Drank Our Milk Raw, But Was it Safe to Sell to Others?

We have always consumed our own raw milk from G&S Dairy Farms without hesitation. I firmly believe people should have the right to weigh the risks and benefits to choose for themselves which foods to consume and therefore, I supported the idea of legalization. But, how did we feel about selling raw milk ourselves to the public?

I wondered:

• What is the real risk?  

• How many raw milk related illnesses are there?

• Would we be setting ourselves up to lose the farm in a lawsuit while trying to save it with raw milk sales?

• How could we live with ourselves if someone got really sick? 

These were questions I needed answers to.

Raw Milk Connections and Research

I remember sitting at the computer that night and typing “raw milk” into the Google search bar. By midnight I had landed myself on the Raw Milk Institute (RAWMI) website. The next day, I received the first of numerous personal phone calls from RAWMI Chairman Mark McAfee.  I was blown away with the knowledge, support, and guidance that Mark poured into me. RAWMI’s support proved instrumental in this legalization process. I was beginning to build my connections! These connections were a major key to our success story.

Many additional important connections came to me during my countless hours researching data, sifting through the bias on both ends of the spectrum, analyzing CDC datasets, and reaching out to experts across the country.  The more I studied, the more clearly I saw the raw deal that raw milk had been getting! For instance, I had heard that raw milk has "life threatening" risks yet in looking at the data, I could only find 2 confirmed deaths due to raw milk in nearly 20 years. This was despite the fact that millions of people regularly drink raw milk. The CDC estimates there are 3,000 deaths annually from food borne illnesses, yet they have only confirmed 2 deaths related to raw milk in ~20 years so the risks of raw milk were being greatly exaggerated.

With a newfound passion ignited, I no longer questioned if raw milk was a good idea for our farm. I could envision a future in dairy for our children for the first time! I committed myself to making sure that DE, which is referred to as “The First State,” was not going to be known as “The Last State” in regards to raw milk legalization.

Learning From a Failed Legalization Attempt

Once I empowered myself with the knowledge and facts, I needed to gather support. A failed attempt for legalization had been made ten years earlier. A friend, who also happened to be the Senate Policy Director, was able to access the recorded tapes from that failed legislation so we could understand who had opposed it and why.

Ten years ago, dairy farmers were worried someone would get sick and make the industry look bad. The Farm Bureau had been neutral about raw milk legalization, but both the Agriculture Department and Health Department were opposed. This understanding gave us a starting point for building support!

Building a Coalition of Stakeholders

Although there were 44 family dairies in DE during the previous attempt at legalization, there were now only 13 dairies remaining.  I reached out to these 13 family-run dairies in DE to share my research about safe production of raw milk. I also shared that the market for raw milk is growing and creates a path to sustainability for small-scale dairies. This resulted in an overwhelming amount of positive support for raw milk legalization by dairy farmers of Delaware. 

Next was the Farm Bureau, to see if they would potentially be willing to support raw milk legalization instead of keeping their previous “neutral” position. After meeting personally with the Farm Bureau administrator, we reached out to every county Farm Bureau and asked to speak at each of their board meetings. The timing was perfect since every Farm Bureau county hosts a legislative breakfast to inform legislators of upcoming bills and policies affecting farmers.

I presented on raw milk at each of these legislative breakfasts while the bill was still being drafted. The breakfasts allowed me to reach many legislators at once in a personal way. Much of our bi partisan support stemmed from these early face-to-face meetings where legislators could hear the whole story before they even knew about the coming bill. Soon we had every county board and then the state board of the Farm Bureau voting in support for raw milk legalization.

Building Bridges with the Opposition

We knew that the Agriculture Department and Health Department had previously opposed raw milk legalization. Instead of hiding what we were doing, we hoped to bring them along and give them the chance to learn more. This strategy proved successful over and over again.

With farmers and Farm Bureau on board, we were now well-positioned to meet with the Agriculture Department. Despite their longtime stance against raw milk, our Secretary of Agriculture was open to listening. I explained about consumer demand for raw milk, the economic impact to DE dairy farmers, the true risks of illness for carefully produced raw milk, and how we could further reduce health risks through regulations including bacterial testing with on-farm labs to ensure milk meets post-pasteurized standards for bacterial counts. By the end of the meeting, the Secretary of Agriculture was no longer opposed to raw milk legalization. We invited him to have input into the bill language and he eventually became our biggest and most powerful advocate!

We knew the Health Department was likely to be a tougher-sell on supporting raw milk due to entrenched beliefs about raw milk being dangerous. Senator Buckson called a meeting with the Health Department where he shared the “why” behind the legalization bill and mentioned that the bill might be passed due to bipartisan support. The Senator then invited the Health Department to provide input into the bill language to address their concerns. Although I would love to take credit for what happened in that room, all the credit goes to God. Miraculously, the Health Department agreed to be neutral on the bill!

Legalization Success

With farmers, Farm Bureau, and our state agencies on board or at least neutral, we introduced the bill with bi-partisan support in both the house and senate.  I could write a novel about every step of the way and the twists and turns we encountered, including the discovery of Bird Flu crossover to dairy!  Maybe I will someday, but that isn’t the purpose of this piece. We were successful and raw milk is now legal in Delaware!

Keys To Success

For those who want to advocate for legalization in other states or countries, I want to encourage you. Know that YOU can make a difference. Some of the keys to our success were the following.

• Raw milk is no longer just farmer-driven. It is consumer-driven by the countless people and families who deserve access to this special food.

• It was important to do the research and have fact sheets available with real data, including comparisons to other foods.

• It was crucial to reach out to stakeholders early on, especially to those who were opposed. It was scary and would have been easier to ignore the opposition and hope for the best, but with lots of prayer and bravery I sought after conversations with such people.

• An important approach that worked time and time again was to first just listen, show understanding for the concerns, find the common ground and move forward from there. By meeting people where they were, letting them feel validated and heard, and acknowledging that I too had felt that way, we were no longer enemies and we could have meaningful conversations where they were open to learning how my thoughts had changed.

• It was also important to build a strong team. Some of the key players on our team were the bill sponsor (Senator Buckson), his policy director, the agriculture advisor to the governor, Raw Milk Institute, Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund, Pete Kennedy (Weston A Price Foundation), and especially Peg Coleman (who provided scientific backing on risk assessment and valuable information related to the bird flu).

• I learned that emails proved to have very little impact and personal interaction was the winning ticket. My advice is to build as much support as possible early on, even before bill writing is complete.

• And lastly but most importantly pray! I saw God’s hand at work in this so many times and drew strength from that when I felt weary. He slayed some mighty giants for us along the way and I have to give him the praise and glory. Don’t be complacent. I knew very little about raw milk and look at what was accomplished. You can make a difference! If I could do it, you definitely can too!

RAWMI Annual Report for 2023-24

The Raw Milk Institute (RAWMI) is on a mission to improve the safety and quality of raw milk and raw milk products through farmer training, rigorous raw milk standards, raw milk research, and improving consumer education.

In 2023, RAWMI was awarded a 5th grant for $45k from the Regenerative Agriculture Foundation (RAF) to further our work. RAWMI matches an economic benefit of stewardship of pastures and soils to high value raw dairy products for consumers. Safe raw milk from pastured cows can sustain the farm financially while the grazing improves the soils.

With the 5th grant from RAF, RAWMI was able to accomplish much towards the overall goal of universal access to safe raw milk. Over the last year, RAWMI accomplished the following.

Farmer Training and Mentoring

• Trained over 150 farmers, legislators, university professors, and consumers on raw milk benefits and risk management

• Prepared and presented an intensive full day World Class, Low-Risk Raw Milk training course for farmers in conjunction with Northeast Texas Community College in Mount Pleasant, Texas

• Prepared and presented a 1.5-hour Thriving with Raw Milk webinar for farmers in conjunction with Iowa State University in support of Iowa’s recent legalization of raw milk

• Prepared and presented a 2-day intensive Raw Milk Risk Management training course in Oregon in conjunction with Cast Iron Farm and Godspeed Hollow

• Prepared and presented a 1-hour talk about The Quest for Raw Milk from Grass to Glass in conjunction with Dairy Day at Holcombe-Jimison Farmstead Museum in New Jersey

• Prepared and presented a 1-hour talk about The Return of a Nourishing Tradition at Ringoes Grange in New Jersey

• Prepared and presented a 1-hour Got Raw Milk? discussion at University of North Carolina School of Law in conjunction with the Conservation and Agricultural Law Foundation

• LISTED eleven new farms who each went through the process of developing an individualized Risk Assessment and Management Plan (RAMP) for managing the health and hygiene of their unique farms

  • Fiat Farm in Bethel, Minnesota

  • Hillside Springs Homestead in Poultney, Vermont

  • ACM Grace Hill in Washington, Iowa

  • Flowered Cow Dairy in Penfield, Illinois

  • LanaRosa Dairy in Leicester, New York

  • Shady Paddock Farm in Paige, Texas

  • The Lucky Star in Iowa City, Iowa

  • Whispering Willows Farm and Dairy in Thompson’s Station, Tennessee

  • Lomah Texas in Dallas-Fort Worth area

  • Anonymous Goat Dairy in British Columbia, Canada

  • Chapman Family Farms & Dairy in Morrill, Nebraska

• Served as the raw milk hotline for farmers in need across the USA and Canada

• Provided one-on-one mentoring in the production of low-risk raw milk to over 50 additional farms in California, Colorado, Kansas, Kentucky, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Wisconsin, British Columbia Canada, New Brunswick Canada, Quebec Canada, and Portugal

• Hosted quarterly meetings for LISTED farmers, which allow the farmers to stay up-to-date on the latest lessons learned for safe raw milk

 Raw Milk Research

• Amassed hundreds of raw milk test data from RAWMI LISTED farms 

• Attended the International Milk Genomics Consortium Conference

• Worked with researchers from Spectacular Labs and Kraken Labs who are developing on-farm technology for pathogen testing 

Education for Raw Milk Legalization

• Developed raw milk legalization policy brief as a resource for legislators, policy makers, and legalization advocates

• Worked towards increased legal access to raw milk in Wisconsin, Delaware, Louisiana, Minnesota, South Africa, and Canada (with Canadian Artisan Dairy Alliance)

• Successfully advocated for legalization of raw milk in Iowa and Albuquerque, New Mexico

 Raw Milk Educational Materials

• Published 9 content pieces on the RAWMI website

  • Managing Pathogen Risks from Fresh Cows and Does

  • Iowa: The Path to Legalization of Raw Milk

  • Managing the Increased Risks of Calf-Sharing on Raw Milk Farms

  • Texas Raw Milk Training: for World-Class, Low-Risk Raw Milk

  • New Raw Milk Research from the 2023 IMGC Symposium

  • Albuquerque New Mexico: Another Victory for Raw Milk Legalization

  • New Raw Milk Research: Suppression of Pathogens in Properly Refrigerated Raw Milk

  • FDA Demonstrates Bias Against Raw Milk in Unfounded Raw Cheese Recall

  • Avian Flu and Raw Milk – A Common Sense Approach

• Published Farmers Can Thrive in the Emerging Raw Milk Market in The Natural Farmer Newspaper

• Continued work on an extensive book about raw milk risk management

• Wrote a 40+ page introductory training booklet for farmers titled Essential Principles for Low-Risk Raw Milk

 Supporting Testing for Low-Risk Raw Milk

• Provided on-farm lab sponsorships to 11 farms

  • Flat Creek Acres in Montana

  • 57 Farm Store in Wisconsin

  • Flowered Cow Dairy in Illinois

  • Shady Paddock Farm in Texas

  • Lomah Texas in in Texas

  • Lucky Star Farm in Iowa

  • ACM Grace Hill in Iowa

  • Chapman Family Farms in Nebraska

  • Towering Oaks Farm in North Carolina

  • Anonymous farm in British Columbia Canada

  • Raising Arrows in Nebraska 

Raw Milk Legalization Guidance

The Raw Milk Institute is frequently asked to weigh in on legalization of raw milk in various states and countries.  To that end, we have developed the following policy brief as a reference for legislators, policy makers, and legalization advocates.

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Raw Milk Legalization Policy Brief

Executive Summary

Consumers are demanding increased access to raw milk as a fundamental, health-supporting food. Raw milk can be produced as a low-risk food when farmers 1) are well-trained, 2) use specialized practices for mitigating risks on their unique farms, and 3) perform ongoing bacterial testing of their milk to ensure high standards. 

The Raw Milk Institute is in support of increased legalization. Raw milk is already legal in over half the states in the USA as well as many European countries including the United Kingdom, France, Italy, and Switzerland. Raw milk provides a pathway to economic viability for failing family farms when they focus on quality instead of quantity.

Raw Milk Risk Management Works

There is no such thing as a perfectly safe food. A CDC analysis of foodborne illnesses showed that a wide range of foods including meats and vegetables are known to have the potential for causing foodborne illnesses, with chicken, pork, and seeded vegetables topping the list. Pasteurized milk is not perfectly safe, either, and is implicated in foodborne illnesses and outbreaks every year.[1] 

Nonetheless, only raw milk is targeted by government regulators as a food to be completely avoided. Many foods, including raw milk, warrant concern for pathogens if not managed appropriately. Two studies have shown that raw milk can be carefully produced as a low-risk food.  

• Recent Trends in Unpasteurized Fluid Milk Outbreaks, Legalization, and Consumption in the United States (PLOS One 2018)

The authors concluded that, “Controlling for growth in population and consumption, the [raw milk] outbreak rate has effectively decreased by 74% since 2005.” The study suggested that the improving food safety record is the result of expanded safety training for raw milk dairy producers.[2]

• Raw Milk Producers with High Levels of Hygiene and Safety (Cambridge Journal of Epidemiology and Infection 2020)

Data show that raw milk being intentionally produced for human consumption is fundamentally different from pre-pasteurized milk that is taken from bulk tanks. It was concluded that "raw milk can be produced with a high level of hygiene and safety.” This paper provides further proof that, with farmer training, careful production practices, and ongoing testing, low-risk raw milk is achievable. [3]

Benefits of Raw Milk

• Immune System Support: Like breastmilk, raw milk supports strong immune systems. Large epidemiological studies have found that raw milk consumption is correlated with lower rates of asthma, eczema, allergies, ear infections, fevers, and respiratory infections.[4-6]

• Improved Digestion: Pasteurized milk is a top food allergen and difficult to digest. Raw milk is unlikely to induce allergies and it facilitates production of lactase enzyme in the intestinal tract. Thus, many people who are lactose intolerant have no issues digesting raw milk.

• Sustainable Pathway for Family Farms: Instead of continuing to struggle to make ends meet, raw milk farmers can thrive by selling directly to good-paying customers.

Legalization Guidelines

When raw milk is illegal, the demand will be supplied by neighboring states/countries as well as a black market where farmers are less likely to use recommended production practices. Regulatory agencies can improve the safety of raw milk in the following ways.

• Ensure there are legal pathways to raw milk access, such as retail sales, herd shares, delivery, and/or on-farm sales.

• Require raw milk farmers to attend training, such as the Raw Milk Institute’s 4-Hour Risk Management Training (which is freely available online).[7]

• Require that all dairy animals be free of Tuberculosis, Brucellosis, and Johne’s.

• Ensure that raw milk from multiple farms cannot be commingled.

• Recommend that raw milk be chilled to <40°F within an hour after milking and maintained at <40°F in storage and transport.

• Require farmers to test their milk at least once per month, at either an on-farm lab or an offsite lab, with the goal of achieving a 3-month rolling average of:

  • <15,000 cfu/mL for Standard Plate Count

  • <10 cfu/mL for coliforms

References

1. CDC MMWR (2018). Surveillance for Foodborne Disease Outbreaks — United States, 2009–2015.   https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/67/ss/ss6710a1.htm

2. Whitehead, J., & Lake, B. (2018). “Recent Trends in Unpasteurized Fluid Milk Outbreaks, Legalization, and Consumption in the United States.” PLoS currents, 10, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6140832/

3. Berge, A C, and T Baars. “Raw milk producers with high levels of hygiene and safety.” Epidemiology and infection vol. 148 e14.  31 Jan. 2020, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32000877/

4. Loss, Georg et al. “The protective effect of farm milk consumption on childhood asthma and atopy: the GABRIELA study.” The Journal of allergy and clinical immunology vol. 128,4 (2011): 766-773.e4. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21875744/

5. Brick, Tabea et al. “The Beneficial Effect of Farm Milk Consumption on Asthma, Allergies, and Infections: From Meta-Analysis of Evidence to Clinical Trial.” The journal of allergy and clinical immunology. In practice vol. 8,3 (2020): 878-889.e3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31770653/

6. Loss, Georg et al. “Consumption of unprocessed cow's milk protects infants from common respiratory infections.” The Journal of allergy and clinical immunology vol. 135,1 (2015): 56-62. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25441645/

7. Raw Milk Institute (2021). Raw Milk Risk Management Training Videos. https://vimeo.com/showcase/8619574

Albuquerque New Mexico: Another Victory for Raw Milk Legalization

For many years, raw milk has been legal throughout the state of New Mexico with one exception: Albuquerque, the largest city in the state.  Nearly 560,000 people live in Albuquerque, and it is home to over a quarter of the population of the entire state.  Families living in smaller cities all across the state such as Las Cruces, Silver City, Santa Fe, Taos, and Los Alamos have been able to buy raw milk in grocery stores. Yet the families of Albuquerque were denied easy access to raw milk and had to drive outside city limits in order to get this most essential of foods. It was time for change.

Enter Lissa Knudsen, a cheesemonger and breastfeeding advocate with a passion for creating healthy foods. Lissa set out on a mission to legalize raw milk in Albuquerque. As a Public Health graduate student focusing on lactation, Lissa recognizes the innumerable immunity boosting benefits of raw milk. She also supports local artisanal cheesemaking as an important part of building local character with nourishing, unique foods.

For over half a year, Lissa worked diligently to build the connections and support needed to bring raw milk legalization to fruition. She advocated for raw milk with the City Council and Mayor Keller, enlisted the help of the Raw Milk Institute, organized public support, and kept pushing to bring raw milk legalization to the forefront. The Mayor’s office went all in, with Diane Dolan (Government Affairs Manager) working to overcome the longstanding opposition to raw milk within the city government.

Because of the diligence of Lissa and Diane, Albuquerque’s new Raw Milk Ordinance was introduced to City Council in the Finance and Government Operations (FGO) Committee in October 2023. The Ordinance removes Albuquerque’s raw milk prohibition, allowing for easy access to raw milk in grocery stores and farmers markets. Local raw milk dairy farmer Erica DeSmet stole the show by joining the web-meeting while being out in the pasture with her favorite cows. The Ordinance barely squeaked through the FGO Committee on a 3-to-2 vote, and then it was off to the full City Council for consideration.

De Smet Dairy operates just south of Albuquerque in Bosque Farms, NM (image from New Mexico Magazine)

Finally, this week, the Albuquerque City Council was slated to vote on the Raw Milk Ordinance. Five hours into the meeting, after 10pm at night, the City Council finally reached the Raw Milk Ordinance agenda item.  Lissa and The Mouse Hole Cheese Shop gave compelling comments alongside Mark McAfee and Sarah Smith from Raw Milk Institute, all urging the City Council to allow raw milk in Albuquerque. There was only a small show of opposition, from a vegan City Council member, and then it was smooth sailing to victory with a 7-to-2 vote! The final step to enactment is for the Mayor to sign the Bill; we are encouraged by the fact that it was the Mayor who proposed this legislation to the Council.

The barriers to raw milk in Albuquerque have now been broken down. Just as in other places where raw milk has been legalized, it required diligence, persistence, and passion in order to make it happen. No longer will Albuquerque be a raw milk desert. Instead, families and farmers can mutually thrive with low-risk raw milk.

THRIVING with Raw Milk Webinar: FREE Video Seminar with Focus on Iowa

Whereas farmers producing milk for the pasteurized market often struggle to make ends meet, raw milk farms are thriving. Iowa’s new law presents a unique opportunity for farmers to move into an expanding market by implementing intentional practices and higher standards to produce low-risk raw milk.

Raw milk presents a unique farmstead product that brings all the added value back to the farmer with an incentive to work on quality. By selling directly to consumers, raw milk farmers are able to obtain greater financial rewards for their work, while consumers benefit from the improved flavor and nutrition. It’s a win for both farmers and consumers!

Watch Our FREE 1.5 Hour Seminar

Below is our 1.5 hour video seminar, Thriving with Raw Milk, presented by:

• Mark McAfee - Raw Milk Institute President and Founder

• Sarah Smith - Raw Milk Institute Vice President

• Joseph Heckman, PhD - Raw Milk Institute Board Member and Soil Scientist from Rutgers

• Esther Arkfeld - Iowa Dairy Farmer and Advocate for Raw Milk Legalization

• Fred Hall - Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Dairy Field Specialist

• Senator Jason Schultz - Legislative Sponsor of Bill to Legalize Raw Milk in Iowa

This Raw Milk Institute seminar focuses on:

• Iowa’s new raw milk law

• How raw milk farms are thriving

• Health benefits of raw milk

• Benefits of selling raw milk

• Safety and risks of raw milk

• Introduction to raw milk risk management

• Building a successful raw milk market

Iowa: The Path to Legalization of Raw Milk

After a 17-year battle, raw milk is now legal in Iowa.  The recent legalization efforts to get this passed into law through the Iowa legislature were led by Esther Arkfeld and her group, Iowa for Fresh Milk.

Esther is a homeschooling mother and small-scale dairy farmer who was mentored by the Raw Milk Institute. Esther’s De Melkerij micro-dairy achieved Listing status in the Fall of 2022. This allowed Esther to use her own farm as an example of how low-risk raw milk can be achieved.   

For the many others who are still fighting for legal raw milk elsewhere, we wanted to share with you Esther’s tips on how she was able to shepherd this legislation through successfully.  The following is an interview with Esther.  

What was the status of raw milk in Iowa previously?

Before this law was passed it was illegal to sell raw milk in our state.  We were 1 of 7 states in our country who still made this illegal.

What does the new law change with regards to raw milk in Iowa?

With the new law, as of July 1st farm-to-direct-consumer transactions are now legal.  Raw milk farmers can have up to 10 milking animals and they must perform bacterial tests monthly. Consumers can either pick up from the farmer or the farmer may deliver.  

How will this law change things for your family's farm?

We have operated as a herdshare for the last year. Even though Iowa did not have a law for or against herd shares, it was at times a bit worrisome. The new law will be a huge relief in a sense. We will be able to advertise and speak of our business more freely.  Our family looks forward to the opportunity to normalize the raw milk conversation and share our products with our local community.

What were the most successful strategies you used towards getting raw milk legalized?

I believe there were several important things that made us successful.

Persistence was key. Because we had been fighting this for 17 long years and came back each year, the legislature realized we were NOT going away. As a matter of fact, our voices were only growing louder as we gained more supporters each year.

Very clear "Call To Action" campaigns for our supporters were another important part of the strategy. When we sent out "Call To Action" alerts by email or on social media, we explained briefly what needed to be done and why.

We made the actions easier to accomplish by giving template verbiage for people to use (and personalize if they wished) and also gave them email addresses of legislators that needed to be contacted. This in turn made it easier for our supporters to accomplish because they could cut and paste and customize as they needed. 

How did you gather legislator support?

Education on raw milk standards was part of our success.  Legislators were simply not aware of the current data in regards to raw milk.  They weren't aware of ways one could produce low-risk raw milk and weren't aware of the health benefits.  Because I was a RAWMI certified farmer, not only was I able to show them research data, statistics, and Pubmed articles but also my own data and test results from my farm.  By educating them on the current research and data we were able to build legislator support.

Our grassroots efforts allowed us to reach legislators across the state. When we did "Call To Action" campaigns, volunteers would reach out to their local legislators to ask for their support. As more emails and calls came to their desks, the legislators began to realize that this affected their local constituents. People across the state also attended legislative meetings in their local areas which allowed them to meet with their legislator in person. 

The grassroot efforts were critical in this area. Their calls, emails, in-person meetings were vital. Then, as some of us went to the capitol to meet with legislators in person they would already be aware of the topic and know someone in their local community that this would impact. This really legitimized the issue. We also built a relationship with a lobbyist from Americans For Prosperity, Tyler, who supported us. 

How did you gather grassroots support?

We gathered grassroot support through a variety of ways. First, we continued to encourage our community that had been fighting this from the early days. We talked to our neighbors and used social media as well as email campaigns. Most people, even if they did not consume raw milk themselves, couldn't understand why this was such an issue. Many saw this as government overreach and supported our cause.

Were any groups working in opposition to you? 

Every lobbyist at the capitol who had remotely anything to do with our food system was registered as opposed except 1. This was an uphill battle but in the end the peoples' voices drowned them out. We were heard, and we won.

More Tips for Success from Esther

A quote that really stuck with me during this fight is, "Freedom requires participation" by Joel Salatin. 

Get involved with your local legislators, even if you don't like politics. Go to events that they may be hosting and make it a point to introduce yourself. Then ask them where they stand on the issue. If they aren't sure or seem to be opposed, ask them why. 

Kindly ask them what information you could provide that may answer their questions. Build this relationship.  In turn it legitimizes your issue.

Speak to other supporters within your area and across your state and encourage them to do the same.  Your voice matters and this issue matters. 

And remember in all of this, honey goes down better than vinegar. 

Another tip is to reach out to the folks at Raw Milk Institute, Weston A Price/Real Milk, and Americans For Prosperity.  I cannot say enough about their support during this fight.  Having them in our corner made a huge impact.  They helped with resources, data, reviewed the language of the bill, and testified in favor of our cause. 

RAWMI Annual Report for 2022-23

The Raw Milk Institute (RAWMI) is on a mission to improve the safety and quality of raw milk and raw milk products through farmer training, rigorous raw milk standards, raw milk research, and improving consumer education.

In 2022, RAWMI was awarded a 4th grant for $50k from the Regenerative Agriculture Foundation (RAF) to further our work. RAWMI matches an economic benefit of stewardship of pastures and soils to high value raw dairy products for consumers. Safe raw milk from pastured cows can sustain the farm financially while the grazing improves the soils.

With the 4th grant from RAF, RAWMI was able to accomplish much towards the overall goal of universal access to safe raw milk. Over the last year, RAWMI:

• Trained over 150 farmers, legislators, university professors, and consumers on raw milk benefits and risk management

• Prepared and presented an intensive 4-hour training course on Raw Milk Risk Management for farmers and regulators in two Montana locations

• Met in-person with state and local regulators in Montana in support of newly-legalized raw milk

• Coordinated with Northeast Texas Community College in preparation for a Raw Milk Risk Management Training Workshop in Texas for Fall 2023

• LISTED five new farms in Iowa, Michigan, Montana, and North Carolina, who each went through the process of developing an individualized Risk Assessment and Management Plan (RAMP) for managing the health and hygiene of their unique farms

• Served as the raw milk hotline for farmers in need across the USA and Canada

• Provided one-on-one mentoring in the production of low-risk raw milk to over 40 additional farms in Wisconsin, Ohio, North Carolina, Oregon, Minnesota, New York, Kansas, Virginia, Illinois, Iowa, Tennessee, Alaska, North Dakota, Indiana, Utah, Missouri, California, Michigan, Montana, Texas, Idaho, Vermont, Washington, Oregon, Ontario Canada, British Columbia Canada, Dorset England, Beirut Lebanon, and Telengana India

• Hosted quarterly meetings for LISTED farmers, which allow the farmers to stay up-to-date on the latest lessons learned for safe raw milk

• Amassed hundreds of raw milk test data from RAWMI LISTED farms 

• Attended the International Milk Genomics Consortium Conference

• Worked with researchers from Spectacular Labs who are developing on-farm technology for pathogen testing

• Worked towards increased legal access to raw milk in Iowa, Wisconsin, and Canada (with Canadian Artisan Dairy Alliance)

• Wrote 4 articles on Raw Milk Risk Management strategies which were published in Graze magazine

• Published 7 content pieces on the RAWMI website

• Began work on two books about raw milk, one focused on risk management and the other as a children’s book about raw milk

• Developed additional on-farm lab training materials and provided on-farm lab sponsorships to 12 farms

Raw Milk Training

RAWMI taught about raw milk health benefits and safety in the United States and Canada with in-person and web-based training. Whenever RAWMI teaches about raw milk risk management, soil and conditions management are emphasized as key elements in creating healthy, sustainable farms.

RAWMI trained over 150 farmers, legislators, university professors, university students, and consumers in association with the following:

• Montana’s Alternative Energy Resources Organization (AERO) 

• Canadian Artisan Dairy Alliance (CADA)

• Rutgers University

• Wild Willow Farm and Education Center of San Diego

Raw Milk Support in Montana

RAWMI continued to provide support and resources for the recent legalization of raw milk in Montana.  When the Local Food Choice Act (SB199) legalized raw milk in Montana, it also prevented the Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) from imposing any standards for the production of raw milk. Following an outbreak of Campylobacter that was tied to a raw dairy farm, RAWMI became heavily involved to make sure that raw milk farmers learn important risk management strategies to allow both farmers and consumers to thrive in Montana.

With a small-stipend to cover travel expenses from AERO Montana, in September 2022 RAWMI taught Raw Milk Risk Management Training courses in Big Timber and Avon Montana.  These courses were attended by dozens of farmers and several state regulators. RAWMI also met with state regulators at DPHHS to discuss ways to help Montana farmers have access to the information they need in order to produce low-risk raw milk. 

Raw Milk Support in Texas

RAWMI is collaborating with Northeast Texas Community College in preparation for teaching a Raw Milk Risk Management course near Dallas TX. This training course is scheduled for September 2023 and will be aimed at helping Texas raw milk farmers learn risk management strategies for producing low-risk raw milk.  The training class will include a 4-hour classroom session followed by a visit to a local raw milk farm.

Farmer Mentoring  

RAWMI provided one-on-one mentoring and troubleshooting support for low-risk raw milk production for over 40 farmers across the United States, Canada, and internationally. This included helping farmers optimize their raw milk production, overcome problems in their milk systems and testing, and learn more about successful business practices.  This mentorship benefited farmers in the following locations:

RAWMI LISTED Farms

RAWMI LISTED farmers are dedicated to producing clean, safe raw milk. The RAWMI listing process involves the development of individualized Risk Assessment and Management Plans (RAMPs) for managing the health and hygiene of each unique farm. RAWMI LISTED farms submit test data monthly to show that they are in compliance with RAWMI Common Standards, which target a rolling three-month average of <5,000 standard plate count (SPC) and <10 coliforms per ml of raw milk.

In the last year, RAWMI LISTED the following five farms:

• De Melkerij in Harlan, Iowa

• Milk House Farm in Corunna, Michigan

• Seven Seasons Farm in Oxford, North Carolina

• Dancing Feathers Farm in Bloomingdale, Michigan

• Wildflower Raw Milk in Avon, Montana

To-date, RAWMI has LISTED 34 farms, and there are currently 27 active LISTED farms in the United States and Canada.

RAWMI provided continuing support to all LISTED farmers to enable sustained excellence in low-risk raw milk. This included quarterly meetings for LISTED farmers, which allow the farmers to stay up-to-date on the latest lessons learned for safe raw milk, exchange ideas for improvements, and collaborate with the RAWMI Board of directors.

Raw Milk Immediate Help Hotline

RAWMI provided immediate support for numerous farmers in need. This included helping farmers troubleshoot elevated bacteria counts, equipment problems, unexpected test results, etc.  This service was provided to farmers across the USA and Canada, including in Oregon, Iowa, Virginia, Wisconsin, Amish communities, and more. 

Raw Milk Research and Science

RAWMI’s mission includes supporting raw milk research and science. Through this work, RAWMI helps raw milk become safer and more accepted by regulatory agencies.

Raw Milk Bacterial Test Data

RAWMI LISTED farmers test their milk at least monthly for coliforms and Standard Plate Count (SPC). These tests provide a way to measure the amount of bacteria present in the milk, as well as providing a measure of the overall hygiene and cleanliness of the milk. Monthly testing serves as a useful confirmation step for ensuring that raw milk is being produced in a way that discourages pathogen growth and is therefore low-risk.

Test data from LISTED farms is submitted to RAWMI monthly. RAWMI amassed over 1,100 test data from RAWMI LISTED farms over the last year.  Below are averages of all RAWMI data amassed thus far.

This data can be used for raw milk research and demonstrates that low-risk raw milk is achievable on both small-scale and large-scale raw dairy farms.

International Milk Genomics Consortium

RAWMI attended the 19th International Milk Genomics Consortium (IMGC) conference at UC Davis. The IMGC provides access to the most leading-edge studies on milk genomics from PhD researchers across the world.

Development of On-Farm Pathogen Testing Technology

On-farm pathogen testing for raw milk has been considered too risky due to the potential for cross-contamination and inadvertent pathogen release.  However, researchers from Spectacular Labs are developing new technology for rapid on-farm pathogen testing. RAWMI continued collaborating with Spectacular Labs towards the development of pathogen tests that could be used on-site by farmers as part of an overall risk reduction strategy.

Raw Dairy Legalization and Support

RAWMI worked towards increased legal access to raw milk in Iowa, Wisconsin, and Canada.  This included providing references, support, training, and advocacy for proposed legislation in conjunction with lawmakers and farmers. RAWMI also collaborated with the Canadian Artisan Dairy Alliance, who is working towards legalization of raw milk in Canada.

Raw Dairy Educational Outreach

RAWMI created educational materials and articles for raw milk consumers and the general public. The following four articles were published in Graze magazine. This will help RAWMI’s training reach farmers who do not utilize the internet, such as Amish farmers.

• Managing the Conditions for Low-Risk Raw Milk

• Udder Preparation for Low-Risk Raw Milk

• Rapid Chilling of Raw Milk Lowers Pathogen Risk and Improves Shelf-Life

• Milk from “Fresh Cows” Presents a High Risk of Pathogens

RAWMI published the following articles and videos to the RAWMI website and social media:

• Video: On-Farm Raw Milk Testing with Charm Sciences Peel Plates

• Low-Risk Raw Milk for Montana

• A Caution About Bleach and Chlorinated Sanitizers for Milking Equipment and Bottles

• How to Clean Your Milking Equipment for Low-Risk Raw Milk

RAWMI also began work on two books about raw milk, one focused on risk management and the other as a children’s book about Henry Coit’s contributions to safe raw milk.  

On-Farm Lab Training and Sponsorships

Frequent bacterial testing of raw milk is one of the pillars of producing low-risk raw milk. However, milk testing costs can be an ongoing financial burden which make small-scale farmers hesitant to test their milk often. On-farm testing is a great solution to this dilemma.

On-farm lab testing is a powerful tool for raw milk farmers.  It allows for frequent testing, so farmers can better identify issues before they turn into big problems, and it also helps immeasurably with troubleshooting when needed.  On-farm labs require an initial investment of $800-$1,000, but once the lab is in-place the cost per test is only $1-$3.

With RAWMI’s sponsorship, the following twelve additional farms were able to build their own on-farm labs for testing coliforms and Standard Plate Count.

• Alaska – Rady Family Farmstead

• Iowa – De Melkerij

• Michigan – Dancing Feathers

• Minnesota – Fiat Farm

• Montana – Wildflower Raw Milk

• North Carolina – Seven Seasons Farm

• Tennessee – Whispering Willows

• Texas – CT Ranch

• Texas – Hebrews Farm

• Texas – Hoof and Feather

• Utah – Briar Patch Creamery

• Vermont – Between the Trees

• British Columbia Canada Farm

Welcoming 3 More Farms to the RAWMI Community!

The Raw Milk Institute (RAWMI) sends a warm welcome to three more farmers who have joined our Listing program! RAWMI offers free mentoring to all dairy farmers. Whether they are milking one cow, a handful of goats, or a large herd, the principles of safe raw milk production form a foundational toolset that benefits all dairy farmers and their customers. 

Some of the farmers we mentor choose to keep it casual, and are satisfied to just ask us a few questions before continuing their raw milk journeys. There is another set of farmers, though, that is not content to just dip their toes in the water; they want to dive right in and take their entire milk process to the next level. 

For these farmers, we offer our (free) RAWMI Listing program, wherein we assist farmers in developing their own unique on-farm Risk Analysis and Management Plan, documenting their processes with written Standard Sanitary Operating Procedures, and identifying the Critical Control Points that are essential to their production of safe raw milk. RAWMI Listed farmers test their milk at least monthly for ongoing assurance that their processes are working well to produce low-risk raw milk. RAWMI Listing is the gold standard for raw milk producers.

Three farms have recently completed the RAWMI Listing process, and we extend them a warm welcome into our growing community!

De Melkerij - Herd Share in Harlan, Iowa

De Melkerij (“The Dairy” in Dutch) is a micro-dairy owned and operated by Esther Arkfeld in rural Iowa.  Esther is pioneering for legalization of raw milk in Iowa, and she has worked hard to be a model farm that will demonstrate what safe raw milk production looks like as the state moves towards their next legislative session.  Esther implements risk-reduction practices to make sure her milk is low-risk, and she utilizes an on-farm lab to test her milk frequently as a verification step that her practices are working well.

Natural living and accessibility to nutritionally dense foods are at the core of what the Arkfeld family homestead is all about. Esther focuses on the health of her Jersey and Guernsey cows with rotational grazing and a natural diet.  She believes that getting back to nature and allowing her animals to live the life they were naturally created for, ultimately allows them to produce healthy and delicious milk. Esther also produces grass fed beef, free-range eggs, raw honey, and herbal products.   We welcome Esther to the RAWMI Community!
 
You can learn more about De Melkerij here:

• https://www.rawmilkinstitute.org/listed-farmers/#melk

Dancing Feathers Farm - Herd Share in Bloomingdale, Michigan

Dancing Feathers Farm is a 14-acre, first-generation regenerative farm in Southwest Michigan. Owner Jen Buck is a former Army combat medic, and her farm is the first hand-milking farm to achieve RAWMI Listing.  During Jen’s mentoring program with the Raw Milk Institute, we advised her that it was going to be a challenge to get consistent bacteria counts with hand-milking.  Jen rose to the challenge by building an on-farm lab and working hard to develop a system that works well and consistently meets the RAWMI Common Standards.   

Jen places immense value on standardized processes and providing the healthiest, happiest lives possible for her family, animals, and community. Jordan (Jen’s husband) is a union carpenter and the creative genius behind the forward-thinking, eco-friendly improvements on their farm. Together with their two children, the Bucks adhere to earth-and-animal friendly processes so Dancing Feathers Farm can provide the highest quality raw goat milk to herd share members. Besides raw goat milk, Dancing Feathers Farm also produces eggs, flowers, and vegetables. 

 You can learn more about Dancing Feathers Farm here:

• http://dancingfeathersfarm.com/

• https://www.rawmilkinstitute.org/listed-farmers/#dancingfeathers

Seven Seasons Farm - Pet Milk in Oxford, North Carolina

Seven Seasons Farm is a raw milk micro dairy located in Oxford, North Carolina.  Owners Chad and Chrissy Wilkins are dedicated to producing healthy milk with their herd of Jersey cows and Saanen goats.  The Wilkins’ rotationally graze their cow and goat herds on nearly 20 acres of lush natural pastures. Seven Seasons Farm offers raw milk as a pet treat, and is registered with the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services as a pet food manufacturer. 

Chad and Chrissy are passionate about the health and well-being of their animals.  They believe that well-cared for animals will provide more-nourishing final products.  With an on-farm lab, Seven Seasons Farm is able to test every lot of raw milk produced on the farm.  This ensures that every bottle of raw milk produced by Seven Seasons Farm falls within the standards for coliform and SPC as established by the Raw Milk Institute.  In addition to raw milk, Chad and Chrissy also produce high quality produce, pork, beef, and eggs.   

You can learn more about Seven Seasons Farm here:

• https://www.rawmilkinstitute.org/listed-farmers/#seven

• www.sevenseasonsfarm.com 

Low-Risk Raw Milk for Montana

The Raw Milk Institute and AERO have partnered for low-risk raw milk in Montana through farmer training and advocacy. 

Raw Milk Becomes Legal in Montana

After close to 50 years of raw milk prohibition, Montana passed the Local Food Choice Act (SB199) in 2021 as mostly a Food Freedom and Sovereignty act. Under SB199, small dairies in the state could legally produce and sell raw milk with practically no involvement from regulators. This was good news for farmers and consumers alike, who had repeatedly tried to change Montana’s raw milk laws to allow for legal access to this important nourishing food.  

A growing body of evidence shows that drinking raw milk is associated with decreased rates of asthma, allergies, eczema, ear infections, fever, and respiratory infections. Whereas, pasteurized milk is a top food allergen and difficult to digest, raw milk is actually a health-supporting food with rich therapeutic potential that is easily digested by most consumers, even many of those who are considered to be lactose intolerant.   

Raw Milk Institute Receives an Urgent Call from Montana

Unsanitary milking equipment at raw milk dairy in Montana

SB199 opened up new possibilities for raw milk farmers and consumers. However, SB199 essentially tied the hands of the state’s Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS), who were not allowed to impose any standards for the production of raw milk. Soon after the passage of SB199, the Raw Milk Institute (RAWMI) received an urgent call from a dairy farmer in Montana whose raw milk was suspected to be the cause of an outbreak of campylobacter illness.   

In response, Mark McAfee, Chairman of RAWMI, traveled to Montana in Fall 2021 to assist the dairy and investigate the potential causes for the outbreak.  Mark quickly discovered that the farmer had substantial biofilm build up on milk machine systems and inadequate training in what it takes to produce low-risk raw milk.  While in Montana, Mark also met with AERO representatives to discuss SB199 and raw milk. AERO was working to ensure that Montana farmers had the resources they needed to successfully operate under the Local Food Choice Act. 

No Standards or Training = Potential Peril for Legality of Raw Milk in Montana

If poorly produced, foodborne illnesses are a real risk for raw milk, yet these risks can be mitigated through careful production practices. Ideally, the careful production practices are combined with periodic bacterial testing with the goal of achieving low coliform and Standard Plate Count bacteria test results (as published in the RAWMI Common Standards).   

Since Montana legalized raw milk but provided no standards or training for how to produce low-risk raw milk, the Fall 2021 campylobacter outbreak was unfortunately a predictable scenario. History has shown that repeated raw milk-related illness outbreaks will cause government agencies to ban raw milk outright or create difficult restrictions. In order to ensure both consumer safety and continued raw milk legalization, it was imperative that farmers in Montana gain access to training and resources for producing low-risk raw milk.  

With Freedom Comes Responsibility

With the freedom to produce raw milk comes the responsibility to make sure that raw milk is safe to drink.  Mark founded RAWMI in 2011, on a quest for safe raw milk that started after the raw milk from his own farm (Organic Pastures) was implicated in foodborne illnesses. As a former paramedic, Mark was committed to providing health-supporting foods for his customers, and those illness outbreaks were a huge wake-up call to learn more and do better. 

The Raw Milk Institute was founded in order to learn more and teach others the best ways to produce raw milk that would be both safe and nutritious. From 2011-2012, RAWMI worked to establish the Common Standards for safe raw milk by consulting with a diverse international group of medical doctors, epidemiologists, nutritional consultants, veterinarians, food safety scientists, raw milk farmers, and raw milk consumers.

Since that time, RAWMI’s Common Standards have influenced raw milk regulations in many states across the USA. The effectiveness of these standards has been demonstrated in two peer-reviewed research papers by researchers from Canada and Europe which have found that carefully produced raw milk is a low-risk food which is fundamentally different from pre-pasteurized milk. The implementation of the RAWMI Common Standards has led to a significant reduction in raw milk-related illnesses and outbreaks. RAWMI has trained hundreds of farmers in these methods, and the Common Standards have been voluntarily adopted by farmers in many states and countries around the world.  

Paving the Way for Low-Risk Raw Milk in Montana

In the wake of the campylobacter outbreak, AERO enthusiastically welcomed RAWMI to travel to Montana in order to train farmers in the production of low-risk raw milk. AERO even offered to cover the travel expenses for this work, through a grant from Western Extension Risk Management Education. 

The valuable partnership between RAWMI and AERO came to fruition in mid-September.  Mark McAfee and Sarah Smith (RAWMI Director and Board Secretary) traveled to Montana to teach two farmer training classes and meet with state regulators. Sam Blomquist from AERO did all of the on-site coordination by arranging the class locations and farm visits, taking registrations, and setting up meetings with regulators.  

Raw Milk Risk Management Training in Montana

On September 14th and 16th 2022, Mark and Sarah from RAWMI taught Raw Milk Risk Management training courses in Big Timber and Avon Montana to dozens of attendees. These training workshops focused on the benefits of raw milk, grass-to-glass identification of risks, development of a risk management plan, and lessons learned from other raw milk dairies. (For those who weren’t able to attend one of our Risk Management Classes in-person, there is an online version here.)

After a morning classroom portion, each training day ended with a visit to a nearby farm that produces raw milk. RAWMI extends a big thanks to Allison Cooley, from Hoof and Leaf Creamery in Big Timber, and Bobbi McIntosh, from McIntosh Ranch in Avon, for hosting the on-farm visits for the class attendees. Bobbi is the first Montana raw milk producer to have completed RAWMI’s (free) LISTING program. The on-farm visits gave the class attendees to opportunity to see risk management principles in action, including the use of on-farm labs for inexpensive bacterial testing of raw milk.

Feedback from the attendees of the training workshops included the following:

“It was excellent on EVERY topic. Thank you SO much.”

“I really learned a lot about the benefits of raw milk as well as a lot of great info on safe practices.”

“[We got] to talk about the whole process from 'grass to glass' and how important it all is.”

Bridging the Gap Between Regulators and Farmers

Given that SB199 does not allow the state health department to impose any standards for raw milk production, regulators are stuck between a rock and a hard place in wanting to ensure that raw milk will be safe for consumers in Montana.  

RAWMI and AERO met with state regulators at DPHHS to discuss ways to help Montana farmers have access to the information they need in order to produce low-risk raw milk.  Additionally, several local and state regulators attended the training classes in Montana in order to learn more with the mutual goal that raw milk will be safe and freely available for both farmers and consumers. 

Helping to Keep Raw Milk Legal and Safe in Montana

RAWMI has been pleased to partner with AERO for the good of raw milk farmers and consumers in Montana. Several farmers who attended the RAWMI training class have expressed interest RAWMI’s LISTING program and grants for farmers to build their own on-farm labs.  RAWMI extends a big thanks to AERO for sponsoring and coordinating this important step for safe, low-risk raw milk in Montana.

Annual Report for Raw Milk Institute

The Raw Milk Institute (RAWMI) is on a mission to improve the safety and quality of raw milk and raw milk products through farmer training, rigorous raw milk standards, raw milk research, and improving consumer education.

In 2020, RAWMI was awarded a 2nd grant from the Regenerative Agriculture Foundation (RAF) to further our work. RAWMI matches an economic benefit of stewardship of pastures and soils to high value raw dairy products for consumers. Safe raw milk from pastured cows can sustain the farm financially while the grazing improves the soils.

With the 2nd grant from RAF, RAWMI was able to accomplish much towards the overall goal of universal access to safe raw milk. With the unique challenges of 2020, RAWMI was able to adapt to the changing conditions and successfully develop new models for training and outreach.

Over the last year, RAWMI:

• Gave 14 raw milk training presentations (via Zoom)

• Trained over 500 farmers, legislators, university professors, and consumers on raw milk benefits and risk management (via Zoom)

• Prepared and presented an intensive 4.5 hour training course on Raw Milk Risk Management, for the Ohio Ecological Food and Farming Association (OEFFA)

• LISTED six new farms, who went through the process of developing an individualized Risk Assessment and Management Plan (RAMP) for managing the health and hygiene of their unique farms

• Provided one-on-one mentoring in the production of low-risk raw milk to over 25 additional farms in California, Michigan, Virginia, Michigan, Panama, Argentina, South Dakota, Hawaii, Montana, Washington, Tennessee, North Dakota, Oregon, Connecticut, and British Columbia

• Hosted quarterly meetings for LISTED farmers, which allow the farmers to stay up-to-date on the latest lessons learned for safe raw milk

• Amassed hundreds of raw milk test data from RAWMI LISTED farms 

• Attended and sponsored International Milk Genomics Consortium Conference (via Zoom)

• Collaborated with raw milk researchers in better understanding trends in raw milk-related outbreaks and illnesses

• Worked towards legalization of interstate raw butter and increased legal access to raw milk in Oregon and South Carolina

• Published 20 content pieces on the RAWMI website

• Provided on-farm lab grants to 4 farms

• Provided scholarships for OEFFA training to 10 farmers

Raw Milk Training

RAWMI taught about raw milk health benefits and safety throughout the United States. Whenever RAWMI teaches about raw milk risk management, soil and conditions management are emphasized as key elements in creating healthy, sustainable farms.

Dairy animals grazing on pastures provide a critical link to the soil biome and restorative farm practices. Pasture-based dairy farms produce healthy soils that are rehabilitated and renewed through the cycle of returning organic carbon to the soil in the form of plants biomass and manure. The resulting food that is harvested by either the animals or the farmer is rich in nutritional elements needed for human health.

Via Zoom, raw milk training was presented to over 500 farmers, legislators, university professors, and consumers in association with the following:

• Ohio Ecological Food and Farming Association

• Take Back Your Health Symposium

• Village Fitness and Physical Therapy

• Andrew Columbini (Los Angeles blogger)

• Pennsylvania Grazer’s Convention

• Mid-Atlantic Agriculture Convention

Attendees at RAWMI’s training classes provided feedback such as the following.

“I so enjoyed the RAWMI training yesterday. It was quite energizing to be surrounded virtually with like-minded individuals wanting to produce exceptionally high quality raw milk. For me, the combination of technical information and anecdotes is very effective for explaining why the RAWMI methods are important and how they solve a raw milk producer challenges. I came away with practical solutions to increase the quality/value of our milk and farm. Thank you."

“I left the Zoom meeting with a very clear understanding of what we are doing right and where we need to make changes. Beyond that, though, I left inspired to pursue excellence and cast a clear vision to everyone who is joining me in this endeavor.” 

 “The information was also rich and informative. I learned a ton and the systematic way you presented it was easy to follow and comprehensive.” 

“I cannot wait to move forward with you in becoming RAWMI Listed. We will be making some changes as we form our RAMP plan. We have already adjusted our milk chilling and have seen an improvement in flavor and longevity.” 

“Thank you for all you do. I have no doubt history will look back at the RAWMI as having played a crucial role in reforming raw milk production, health, and nutrition.”

“Excellent presentation that every single person who dairies for themselves and their family should take and learn from. Thank you very much.”

“This has been excellent!  ONLINE was so helpful as it’s hard to travel and be away.”

Farmer Mentoring  

RAWMI worked with individual farmers across the United States, Canada, and South America. RAWMI provided one-on-one mentoring and troubleshooting support for low-risk raw milk production, including helping farmers optimize their raw milk production, overcome problems in their milk systems and testing, and learn more about successful business practices.  This mentorship benefited farmers in:

• California

• Michigan

• Virginia

• Wyoming

• Panama

• Argentina

• South Dakota

• Hawaii

• Montana

• Washington

• Tennessee

• North Dakota

• Oregon

• Connecticut

• British Columbia

RAWMI LISTED Farms

RAWMI LISTED farmers are dedicated to producing clean, safe raw milk. The RAWMI listing process involves the development of individualized Risk Assessment and Management Plans (RAMPs) for managing the health and hygiene of each unique farm. RAWMI LISTED farms submit test data monthly to show that they are in compliance with RAWMI Common Standards, which target a rolling three-month average of <5,000 standard plate count (SPC) and <10 coliforms per ml of raw milk.

In the last year, RAWMI LISTED five more farms, in Virginia, Michigan, Kansas, and Wisconsin. To-date, RAWMI has LISTED 25 farms, and there are currently 20 active LISTED farms in the United States and Canada

RAWMI provided continuing support to all LISTED farmers to enable sustained excellence in low-risk raw milk. This included quarterly meetings for LISTED farmers, which allow the farmers to stay up-to-date on the latest lessons learned for safe raw milk, exchange ideas for improvements, and collaborate with the RAWMI Board of directors.  

RAWMI also sponsored general raw milk educational outreach and advertising through social media. This outreach specifically targeted regions across the United States where RAWMI LISTED dairies are located, to connect consumers to LISTED farmers. 

Raw Milk Research and Science

RAWMI’s mission includes supporting raw milk research and science. RAWMI LISTED farmers test their milk at least monthly for coliforms and Standard Plate Count (SPC). These tests provide a way to measure the amount of bacteria present in the milk, as well as providing a measure of the overall hygiene and cleanliness of the milk. Monthly testing serves as a useful confirmation step for ensuring that raw milk is being produced in a way that discourages pathogen growth and is therefore low-risk.

Test data from LISTED farms is submitted to RAWMI monthly. RAWMI amassed hundreds of test data from RAWMI LISTED farms over the last year.  This data can be used for raw milk research. 

RAWMI was a sponsor of the 17th International Milk Genomics Consortium (IMGC) and attended the virtual IMGC conference. As part of that conference, RAWMI is now engaged with international research and relationships with PhD researchers across the world. The IMGC provides access to the most leading-edge studies on milk genomics.

One of the studies presented at the conference this year was related to the loss of allergy-protective capacity of raw milk due to heating.  This study “tested the various heat-treated milk samples for their native protein profile and their allergy-protective capacity... the allergy-protective effect of raw cow's milk is lost after heating milk for 30 min at 65 °C [149 °F] or higher. This loss of protection coincided with a reduction in native immunologically active whey proteins.” The whey protein in raw milk provides protection from allergies, asthma, and inflammation.  When heated above 149 °F, these properties are dramatically reduced or eliminated. This finding is an important confirmation of the unique beneficial properties of whole, unprocessed raw milk. 

Raw Dairy Legalization and Support

RAWMI collaborated with the Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund (FTCLDF) towards the legalization of raw butter. Raw butter is an exceptionally nutritious food. For instance, the enzyme alkaline phosphatase (ALP) is found in the butter fat membrane that covers fat globules. ALP decreases inflammation in the body; it is associated with good health and less chronic illness, such as cardiovascular disease and Type-2 diabetes. Raw milk has 4% butter fat, but raw butter contains 86% fat and thus it is very high in alkaline phosphatase.  ALP enzyme is destroyed by pasteurization. The case for legalization of raw butter is currently going through the court system.  

RAWMI is also working towards legalization of raw milk in specific states.  RAWMI provided testimony to lawmakers in Oregon and South Carolina. Furthermore, RAWMI worked with the Organic Farmers Association and the National Farmers Union to create national policies for raw milk. 

Raw Dairy Educational Outreach

RAWMI created numerous educational materials and articles for raw milk consumers and the general public. 20 articles were published to the RAWMI website and social media, with a wide array of topics including:

• How to find a good raw milk farmer

• Immunity, the immune system, and raw milk

• Factory farms vs. sustainable local farms during COVID-19

• Raw milk, asthma, and lung health

• Advice for farmers considering the switch to raw milk

• Two types of raw milk

• Why humans drink raw milk

• Raw milk udder preparation

• Soil fertility and pastures for high-quality raw milk

• Why raw milk standards matter

• Raw milk and lactose intolerance

On-Farm Lab Sponsorships

RAWMI sponsored four farms in building on-farm labs for raw milk bacterial testing. On-farm lab testing is a powerful tool for raw milk farmers. It allows for frequent testing, so farmers can better identify issues before they turn into big problems, and it also helps immeasurably with troubleshooting when needed. On-farm labs require an initial investment of $800-$1,000, but once the lab is in-place the cost per test is only $1-$3. With RAWMI’s sponsorship, four farms were able to build their own on-farm labs for testing coliforms and Standard Plate Count.