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
