In today’s unpredictable world, many dairy farmers are interested in selling raw milk. Due to the domino-effect of changes in the supply chain due to COVID19, many dairy farms are having to dump their milk. The dairy processing industry which was previously supplying milk to schools and restaurants cannot rapidly adapt to bottling and delivering milk for retail sales. Selling raw milk may seem like a good alternative to many of these dairy farms, but in actuality this would be a complex change requiring a large amount of forethought and precaution.

Demand for raw milk is increasing in recent years as consumers learn about raw milk’s significant health benefits. Raw milk consumption has been correlated to decreased rates of asthma, allergies, eczema, ear infections, fever, and respiratory infections. Raw milk consumption has also been correlated with improved lung health, and many consumers who are lactose intolerant can actually consume raw milk with no problems. Plus, raw milk tastes great! Raw milk’s deliciousness is one of the main drivers for why consumers choose raw milk over pasteurized milk.

It’s Not a Trivial Change

Switching from producing milk intended for pasteurization to raw milk intended for direct human consumption requires a huge shift in mindset and practices. Studies have shown that up to 24% of pre-pasteurized milk contains pathogens, whereas raw milk from well-trained farmers is very unlikely to contain pathogens.

Chart from “Two Types of Raw Milk” by the British Columbia Fresh Milk Project

Farmers who produce low-risk raw milk carefully manage the cleanliness and hygiene of the farm as a whole from grass-to-glass. From the health of the herd, to cleanliness of the milking parlor, to the specific cleaning processes for the milk line, to ensuring rapid milk chilling, to regularly testing their milk, and everything in between, raw milk farmers have to be dedicated to taking their farm management to the next level in order to ensure that their raw milk is safe to consume.

For dairy farmers who are considering the switch to raw milk production, here are some specific guidelines for producing safe raw milk.

Cleanliness

Cleanliness is of paramount importance in producing raw milk. Your whole milking system, from udders to bottling, must be cleaned exceptionally well, or else there is a much higher likelihood that the milk will end up tainted with pathogens.

Udder preparation and cleaning is of particular importance, since dirty udders are the most probable source for pathogens in milk. Udders need to be clean and dry at milking. For raw milk production, udder prep typically includes:

brushing and/or cleaning the udders to make sure they are hygienic
using a clean rag and towel for each cow/doe
applying iodine-based teat dip, which is left on for at least 30 seconds
wiping off the teat dip with a clean, dry towel
stripping each teat with clean hands or gloves, and inspecting the milk to look for any signs of clotting, blood, etc.

(More details on udder prep are given here.)

Special care needs to be taken to ensure that the milking system, chiller, and tank are cleaned frequently and thoroughly. Typically, the milking system needs to be cleaned after each milking with cool/tepid water first, followed by very hot alkaline cleaner, and then finished with hot acidic cleaner. Milk tanks need to be cleaned frequently, including complete disassembly and cleaning of the tank valve.

Milk bottling should ideally occur in a clean, uncluttered room with smooth washable walls and floor. Care should be taken to ensure that the milk bottling room is kept clean and is not contaminated with manure or other filth.

Herd Health

Herd health is very important in raw milk production, as unhealthy animals are more likely to develop infection and mastitis which increases the likelihood of having pathogens in the milk. Your raw milk herd must be verified to be free of tuberculosis, brucellosis, and Johne’s disease. Biosecurity must be carefully managed to ensure that the herd does not come into contact with other animals (wild or domesticated) that may be carrying disease.

Rapid Chilling and Maintaining the Cold Chain

Under ideal growth conditions, bacteria counts double every 20 minutes. Increased bacterial counts are associated with faster milk souring as well as greater presence of pathogens. Decreased temperatures slow bacterial growth dramatically, and thus it is quite important to make sure that raw milk is rapidly chilled to slow bacterial growth. Ideally, raw milk should be chilled to 38F within an hour of milking. Keep raw milk cold throughout the bottling process and all the way through customer receipt of the milk.

Preventing Cross Contamination

Be aware that other farm animals such as chickens, rodents, birds, and pigs can pose a pathogen threat. For instance, chickens may carry salmonella and campylobacter, and cows/does that lie down in chicken manure may end up with pathogen contamination on their udders. Your milking herd should be kept separate from pigs and chickens. Chickens and birds should be kept out of the milking barn.

Milk stacking occurs when milk from subsequent milkings is placed in the same tank. Milk stacking is to be avoided as much as possible because it increases the likelihood of having bacterial problems. One bad batch can contaminate the rest. Additionally, milk stacking raises the temperature of the previously-cooled milk, making it more likely to support bacterial growth.

If your farm will produce both pasteurized and raw milk, you’ll need to take special care to ensure that the pasteurized milk is kept completely separated from raw milk. Pasteurized milk provides an ideal growth environment for pathogenic Listeria mono be can because there is no beneficial bacteria present to outcompete the Listeria.

Regular Testing

Don’t make the mistake of assuming that, just because your family can drink your raw milk with no problems, there are no pathogens present. Farm families have robust immune systems due to repeated exposure to the farm environment, so they are less likely to become ill from raw milk. However, if you are selling raw milk to the public, you may end up with customers who have weak or impaired immune systems. These customers will have a much lower threshold for illness from pathogens than farm families.

Testing is an important part of safe raw milk production. Testing provides a verification step that the practices and procedures are working well to produce low-risk raw milk. According to the Raw Milk Institute (RAWMI) Common Standards, raw milk should be tested regularly for coliforms and standard plate count. These tests provide a good indication of the hygiene, cleanliness, and handling of the milk. The Common Standards call for <10 coliforms/mL and <5,000 for SPC.

Take Care of Your Market

Selling to people versus selling to a processor: It’s an entirely different and very rewarding world. If you get it right, you’ll become a trusted brand and be beloved.

As farmers who want to switch into the raw dairy market, besides following high standards for cleanliness and farm management, one of the biggest changes for you will be selling directly to people, kids, and families. You will no longer sell to a processor. The families you provide raw milk to trust you, and you’d better do an outstanding job!

Building a market for raw milk does not just happen. Selling to a processor doesn’t require answering questions from end consumers or developing close consumer relationships. You’ll have to work hard to develop each relationship with your consumers, and be prepared to answer lots of questions. You must be interested in answering these questions and carefully researching to assure that the most current and accurate information is provided. All of this needs to be done with a warm smile :) and some compassion.

As we say at RAWMI, “You don’t sell raw milk. You teach it”. If you teach enough, you can sell enough. It’s all about making that consumer connection with very high quality and safety.

That means you become both a teacher and a producer. If consumers don’t know what is so great about raw milk... they won’t buy it. Why would they? They must learn first, then the sale is a done deal. Knowledge is gained and trust is earned before a sale is completed.

Welcome to world of raw milk and directly nourishing people.

Advice for Farmers Considering the Switch to Raw Milk