Michigan Raw Milk Farmer on a Mission to Heal

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We’re giving a big “Welcome!” to Michigan’s Six S Dairy, the 21st farm to become LISTED by the Raw Milk Institute. Jenny and Brent Skelonc, along with their four children, have been farming at Six S Dairy since 2008. They produce raw milk as well as pasture-raised beef, pork, chicken and eggs.

Farming to Improve Their Family’s Health

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Jenny and Brent embarked on farming after their youngest daughter was born with a rare genetic syndrome. In striving to give their daughter the best possible health, Jenny and Brent realized that living on a farm would be the healthiest environment for her. Indeed, multiple studies have shown that living on a traditional farm is healthier for kids, and is associated with lower rates of asthma and allergies. The Six S Dairy revolves around raising their animals well, with plenty of pasture, fresh air, and sunshine.

Living on a farm sets the stage for better health, and being nourished by well-produced farm fresh foods is even more critical. In making it a priority to keep their youngest daughter healthy, the whole family switched to a nutrient-rich real food diet centered around fresh foods from their own farm. In doing so, they experienced obvious health improvements including better immune systems.

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Raw Milk Heals

Once the Skelonc family started producing and drinking raw milk in 2017, they saw that their twins’ 14-year battle with severe eczema ended almost instantly! Their experience confirms the studies which have shown that raw milk consumption is specifically associated with reduced rates of eczema.

Dedication to Low-Risk Raw Milk

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Six S Dairy operates as a herdshare in Sand Lake, Michigan, providing raw milk to dozens of families every week. Six S Dairy takes the safety of their raw milk seriously.  Having been mentored by Edwin Shank from The Family Cow dairy in Pennsylvania, Six S Dairy has their own on-farm lab where they can test their raw milk to ensure it is being produced in a way that discourages pathogen growth. They test their milk every day to ensure it has low bacterial counts.

Six S Dairy has worked diligently to become LISTED by the Raw Milk Institute by developing their own Risk Analysis and Management Plan. They will be a great addition to the Raw Milk Institute’s community of dedicated farmers.

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Udder Preparation for Raw Milk

Raw milk that is carefully and intentionally produced for direct human consumption is a low-risk food.  Udder preparation is one of the most important steps for producing clean, safe raw milk. If you don’t properly clean the udders and teats, dirt and manure contamination can contribute pathogenic bacteria into the milk. With proper cleaning and preparation of the udders and teats, the risk of pathogenic bacteria in the milk is dramatically reduced.

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Manage the Environment

Got dirty, muddy udders? If so, that’s a sign that your farm conditions have some room for improvement. If you manage the farm environment properly, that will go a long way towards ensuring that your animals’ udders are fairly clean before even stepping into the milking parlor. The following are some important environmental factors to manage.

Clean and Dry Resting Places

If your animals are given a relatively clean and dry place to rest, they will be less likely to get filthy on a regular basis. Your individual farm will have its own unique challenges depending on the weather and landscape. Some examples of optimal resting areas are well-managed rotational pastures, compost bed packs in the barn, or other areas that are high, dry, and shaded.

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Calves and Kids

Be aware that your animals’ offspring (calves, kids, etc.) can be a source of pathogens. Just like human babies, these animal babies explore the world with their mouths and can then directly transfer harmful bacteria to the udders. Animal babies have immature immune systems and are also more likely to harbor pathogens themselves. For low-risk raw milk production, ideally the calves/kids will be bottlefed and not allowed access to their mother’s udders. 

Chickens, Pigs, and Other Livestock

Poultry and livestock on the farm can be sources of pathogens as well.  For instance, if a cow lies down in a pasture with fresh chicken manure, her udders can become contaminated with salmonella or campylobacter pathogens. Ideally, the milk animals should be kept separately from other animals to reduce the pathogen risk.

Poultry should not be allowed into the milking parlor. Some raw milk farms choose to purposely rotate their chickens through the pastures after the cows/goats have moved through the pasture to ensure they are not sharing the space simultaneously.  If your chickens do share pastures with your milk animals, extra care will need to be taken to ensure the udders are properly cleaned before milking.    

Hair Management

Depending on the animal, there may be excess hair around the udders and teats. This hair can make it more difficult to properly clean the area before milking.  Regularly trimming the hair is one method for ensuring that proper cleaning can be achieved.

Additionally, the long tails on cows can become a source of contamination during milking when the cow switches her tail. Trimming the hair at the end of the tail is a good method for reducing this risk.  

Manure Management

Manure in the milking parlor can become a source of pathogen contamination, especially for cows which have much messier manure than goats and sheep. The milking parlor should be cleaned of manure on a daily basis before, during, and after milking. Giving cows a brief standing period or walk before leading them into the milking parlor is another method for reducing the amount of manure in the milking parlor.

Pre-Milking Udder Preparation

The end goal of udder preparation is for the udder to be clean and dry at the time of milking. A basic procedure to achieve this is as follows.

1.       Clean the udder and teats

2.       Pre-dip each teat in an iodine- or hydrogen peroxide-based teat dip

3.       Wipe off the teat dip

4.       Strip each teat and inspect the milk

5.       Apply the milking machine

6.       After milking, apply iodine-based post-dip to each teat

Each farm has its own unique challenges. There is no one procedure that will work perfectly for all farmers at all times. Here are some specific pointers that may help you in developing your own best udder preparation procedures.

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Clean the Udder and Teats

If the udder and teats are very dirty, such as caked with mud or manure, you may need to do a wet soapy wash of the area first. There is no need to wet down the whole animal, as that will make it more likely for contamination to drip down onto the udders. Remember that wetness will allow bacteria to migrate from one area to another, and any bacteria is likely to end up at the low point which is the teats. If you must wash the udder and teats, make sure to dry them well before proceeding with the damp cloth wiping steps below. 

If the environment has been managed well, the udder and teats will probably be relatively clean when the animal enters the milking parlor. Use a clean, damp cloth to wipe off the teats and udder. Make sure to wipe from the teats outward, so that the teats are the cleanest parts. Using white cloths will allow you to easily see whether there is still any dirt or filth coming off the teats/udder.

Make sure to use a new cloth for each animal, and you may even need to use multiple cloths per animal to make sure the teats are well-cleaned. Have a separate bucket to place the soiled cloths into, so they don’t contaminate the clean cloths.

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Pre-dip Teats in Iodine- or Hydrogen Peroxide-Based Teat Dip

After cleaning the udder and teats, pre-dip the teats. Both iodine and hydrogen peroxide-based teat dips are approved for organic milk production.

Iodine-based teat dips have been used successfully since the 1960’s and have a longer shelf life than hydrogen peroxide-based dips. Because iodine-based teat dips have a thicker consistency, care needs to be taken to ensure that the pre-dip is properly wiped off before milking. Iodine-based teat dips are currently quite expensive.

Hydrogen peroxide-based teat dips are much less expensive than iodine-based dips, but they also have somewhat less effectiveness in preventing mastitis. Hydrogen peroxide-based teat dips have a thinner consistency and thus can work well in spray applications. Care needs to be taken to ensure that the spray is applied to all sides of the teats.

Make sure to leave the pre-dip on for at least 30 seconds so that it has appropriate time to sanitize the teats. Beware not to dip dirty udders into your teat dip, else you may end up contaminating the whole cup! 

Once the teat dip has been on for at least 30 seconds, wipe off the teat dip with a clean, dry cloth.

Dip Then Strip, or Strip Then Dip?

It does not appear to matter whether you strip the teats and then pre-dip, or dip first and then strip the teats. Data from the National Mastitis Council has shown that there is “no significant difference in the monthly rate of clinical mastitis, new subclinical cases or milk per cow per day" whether the teats are stripped-then-dipped or dipped-then-stripped. Either way, the important thing is to build consistency and stick with your procedures. 

Strip Each Teat and Inspect the Milk

Using clean or gloved hands, manually strip a few squirts of milk out of each teat. Inspect the milk for any signs of coagulation, stringiness, blood, etc. If there is anything abnormal, the milk is best discarded or used for some other purpose rather than direct human consumption.

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Apply the Milking Machine

Once the teats have been cleaned, dipped, stripped, and dried, you are ready to apply the milking machine. Manage the milk claws such that they never touch the ground, and are quickly applied to the teats once the vacuum is turned on.

After Milking, Apply Iodine-Based Post-Dip

Once the milking is done, apply an iodine-based post-dip to the teats. This will help to seal the teat orifice against bacteria. Try to ensure that the animals remain standing for at least 30 minutes after applying the post-dip; this will allow the dip to fully dry before there is any potential contamination from lying down.

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Example Udder Prep Video

Here is a video example of udder preparation, so you can see some of the principles of proper udder preparation in action. Remember that each farm is unique, and there is no solitary procedure that will work perfectly for all farmers at all times.

Why Humans Drink (RAW) Milk

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Why Did Ancient Humans Start Consuming Milk From Other Mammals?

10,000 years ago, early humans spent much of their time hunting, gathering, or fishing for food. Obtaining food was the dominant preoccupation of their lives. Imagine the reality for humans living prior to the advent of civilization. You can picture them living in crude shelters, wearing animal skins and using few tools. It was not like a 14-day survival challenge where they could call for a medic and be rescued. Eating and surviving were lifelong challenges.

You can hear the crying of babies and children that were hungry. Those cries are universal and have not changed over the millennia. The natural instinct to provide for the next generation was a compelling mandate which drove instinctual and natural innovation.

Early humans nursed their young, just as all mammals do. Nursing provided optimal nutrition for babies to survive and thrive. Breastmilk is a form of raw milk, serving as a complete food source that is perfectly designed to sustain life.

People observed animals in the wild nursing their young just as they nursed their own young. By capturing goats and aurochs (ancestral cow breeds), the people were able to collect their milk in pottery vessels. These humans would have learned quickly that milk from other animals was a complete, nutritious food. Being purposely designed to sustain life like no other food, this raw milk provided a steady source of readily available food for ancient humans.

Without refrigeration, any milk that wasn’t consumed quickly would naturally ferment into cheese curd and whey. The milk storage vessels likely contained bacteria cultures from previous milkings, and hence the culturing process was naturally reinforced with these bacteria.  The resultant curds could be stored and consumed over time. Curd contained a complete set of microbiome-friendly nutrients, and would be easy to digest due to its biodiversity. The humans could now bring along with them a portable supply of steady food. As long as they had sunshine, water, grass or shrubbery, and a mammal, they had food.  

Scientists have ample evidence that humans began drinking raw milk from animals at least 10,000 years ago. The evidence for the early use of animal milk is found in ancient clay pottery vessels, dental remains of Neolithic humans, and bone analysis of animal remains. Ancient baby bottles provide evidence that milk from animals was used to feed human infants at least 8,000 years ago.

The origin and dispersal of domestic livestock species in the Fertile Crescent. (Zeder, Melinda)

The origin and dispersal of domestic livestock species in the Fertile Crescent. (Zeder, Melinda)

These agriculture-based civilizations were so successful that they spread across the Mediterranean region, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East over the next few thousand years. Humanity continued to domesticate additional species of animals; throughout history, many species have been utilized for their milk including camels, cows, goats, sheep, donkeys, horses, water buffalo, reindeer, and other mammals.

Those who consumed milk had a competitive advantage over those that did not have a steady source of readily available food.  This steady supply of food allowed for settlements and communities to develop. People no longer had to spend most of their time acquiring food, and could instead use their brain power to drive the development of sophisticated structures and towns. Domesticated animals became high value assets. As civilization advanced, those that owned milking mammals became wealthy and became the source of food for communities.

Selection of late Bronze/early Iron Age feeding vessels.(J Dunne, et al.)

Selection of late Bronze/early Iron Age feeding vessels.(J Dunne, et al.)

Lactase and Genetic Adaptations for Milk

The domestication of mammals and consumption of their raw milk provided a source of biodiverse colonies of bacteria for the human gut. When people began drinking raw milk at least 10,000 years ago, these biodiverse bacteria began the genomic adaptation for lactase production and lactase persistence genes. Lactase is the enzyme responsible for breaking down lactose into digestible form. 

Humans who first began to consume milk from other mammals had not yet developed the lactase persistence gene. Nonetheless, they likely would have been able to readily digest raw milk because it facilitates the production of lactase enzyme in the intestinal tract. Archaeological evidence shows that humans were consuming raw milk for thousands of years before the widespread appearance of the lactase-persistence gene. This has led many researchers to the probably erroneous conclusion that Neolithic humans must have been fermenting or culturing milk to reduce or remove its lactose content.  

In reality, “lactose-intolerance” is primarily pasteurization intolerance.  Since raw milk facilitates the production of lactase, it is not likely that there were widespread issues with lactose intolerance in Neolithic populations. In all likelihood, these early populations would have been able to consume milk in its fresh form straight from the mammals, as well as in the lacto-fermented curds and whey which would form quickly without refrigeration.  

Stone carving at the ancient Sumerian temple of Ninhursag showing typical dairy activities. (Dorling Kindersley, The Visual Dictionary of Ancient Civilizations)

Stone carving at the ancient Sumerian temple of Ninhursag showing typical dairy activities. (Dorling Kindersley, The Visual Dictionary of Ancient Civilizations)

The competitive advantage provided by raw milk is not to be understated. Raw milk allowed humans to thrive in conditions where survival would have been difficult. It allowed them to migrate and proliferate from region to region with a steady supply of food. Those populations that consumed milk further adapted by developing lactase-persistence genes. Scientists now believe that the lactase-persistence genes were spread through natural selection. This means that the reproductive capacity and/or survivability of ancient raw milk drinkers was substantially increased compared to non-milk-drinking populations. The lactase-persistence genes would have facilitated the easy digestion of milk in many forms, including boiled or cooked milk. There is current evidence of lactase persistence genes in people from regions of Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. However, even those without the lactase-persistent gene can generally digest raw milk because of the raw milk bacteria that create lactase for the human gut. 

Pasteurization: A Technological Solution to a Manmade Problem

A 19th century illustration of "swill milk" being produced: a sickly cow being milked while held up by ropes. (Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Weekly)

A 19th century illustration of "swill milk" being produced: a sickly cow being milked while held up by ropes. (Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Weekly)

By the mid-1800’s in America, some raw milk production had shifted away from farms and into highly-populated cities. Big cities did not have pastures or clean water, and the cows in city dairies were kept in filthy conditions with poor nutrition and poor animal health. Many of these cows were fed byproducts from alcohol distilleries, leading to illness in the cows. Raw milk, which had been safely consumed by humans for nearly 10,000 years, had become a source of deadly diseases such as tuberculosis, typhoid, diphtheria, and scarlet fever. 

In the late 1800's, it was recognized that raw milk being produced in these conditions was dangerous, and two solutions were proposed.  Pasteurization was one of the solutions which was proposed to eliminate pathogenic bacteria in the milk coming from these filthy conditions. The other solution was to actually produce the milk in hygienic conditions with healthy animals.  

It was known that raw milk was a superior source of nutrition for infants and children, so the American Association of Medical Milk Commissions (AAMMC) was established in the late 1800's to ensure a safe supply of hygienic raw milk. The AAMMC was in operation for nearly a century, certifying medical raw milk for use in hospitals and for feeding infants and children.  

Pasteurization was ushered in to address filthy conditions and unhealthy cows in cities.  It answered the question of how to commercialize dirty milk, rather than spending the time and energy it would take to produce clean milk from healthy cows. Clearly, over time, the pasteurization movement gained traction and became the standard for ensuring "safe" milk, yet pasteurization is known to degrade and damage many of the nutrients in milk. 

Raw Milk’s Role in 2020

Now, in 2020, we are in a time of widespread immune depression, comorbidities, and compromised health. For most Americans, the competitive advantage of raw milk consumption has never been a reality. Raw milk’s immune-building properties and microbiome friendly traits have been forgotten. 

Instead, we live in the age of immune-destructive pharmaceuticals and antibiotics. Although life-saving  in certain applications, these drugs also depress and damage the immune system and gut microbiome. Antibiotic resistance is now responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands of people every year in the USA alone. Furthermore, pasteurized milk is now recognized as a top food allergen and difficult to digest.  

Raw milk is an innate part of our healthy immune history, and is largely missing in our sterile, sugar-laden, preservative-laced, antibiotic-abusing modern diets and medical culture.  Safe raw milk has been rediscovered by those who study history and know the role of raw milk as a nourishing whole food.  Raw milk that is carefully and intentionally produced for direct human consumption is wholly different from milk being produced for pasteurization.  

So, the next time that someone says, “milk is for cows and not for humans,” share with them the intricate link between civilization and raw milk, and the competitive advantage that raw milk provided to humanity for 10,000 years. Many of these misinformed humans are in dire need of gut microbiome rescue like never before. Reach out to them with love, compassion and humanity. They need our support, nourishment, and education.    

Advice for Farmers Considering the Switch to Raw Milk

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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.

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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

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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:

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  • 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.

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(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. 

We’re Here to Help

If you want more information on switching to raw milk production, please don't hesitate to ask. The Raw Milk Institute (RAWMI) trains and mentors farmers in the production of low-risk raw milk. RAWMI is a non-profit organization, so our training and mentoring is FREE for farmers. We also have brochures that can help with educating consumers about the benefits of raw milk. We'd be happy to help you in making sure you get off to a good start with raw milk. You can email us at contact@rawmilkinstitute.org.

Immunity, the Immune System, and Raw Milk

Four Variables for Pathogenic Illness

Masks, social distancing, handwashing, testing: in the last few months, America has awoken to a whole new reality with an awareness that a compromised immune system is risky and dangerous. We are now talking about immune systems and compromised immunity like never before.  Yet, we haven’t been talking about host immunity, and why people have compromised immune systems.

We are the HOST and we have an immune system that protects us if it is strong. Bacterial, fungal, and viral pathogens need a host to survive and thrive, yet pathogens do not cause illness in every host. Scientists and doctors agree that in order for a pathogen to cause illness, four variables must align:

  • A pathogen must be present

  • The pathogen must be virulent and capable of producing harmful effects

  • The pathogen load must be high enough

  • The HOST  must be susceptible to the pathogen

Misplaced Focus on Compromised Immune Systems

Health professionals and the news media have avoided  discussion of our host immune systems, which naturally protect us all the time from pathogenic threats. Instead, they talk about how people with compromised immune systems and comorbidities (such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, and obesity) are being disproportionally affected by COVID19. Our American lifestyle and diet has predisposed large swaths of our population to having compromised immune systems and comorbidities.

Masks and social distancing aim to reduce the pathogen load, yet this narrative neglects the superior aim of strengthening the host. We have little  control over the strength of the COVID19 pathogen, and we can’t live behind masks forever, as we attempt to reduce pathogen load by social distancing and mask wearing  But what we can do is strengthen the host, and that means strengthening our own immune systems.

The best way to immunity is through

strong immune systems.

It is rare that healthy people with strong immune systems are significantly sickened by COVID19. As more and more antibody testing is performed on broad sectors of our population, it is being found that huge numbers of people already have COVID19 antibodies, even though they had no idea that they’d been exposed.  COVID19 has already become part of their adaptive immune response. “Herd immunity” is building whether we stand six feet apart, wash our hands or wear a mask….it is happening whether we like it or not.  The bigger question is: Are Americans up to facing this HOST threat?

Immune System Primer

The immune system is our body’s defense system that protects us from foreign invaders such as pathogenic bacteria and viruses. Immunity is developed by the immune system, and provides protection against illness from specific pathogens. Immunity from specific illnesses is achieved through both the innate and adaptive immune systems.

Image from MicrobeNotes.com

Image from MicrobeNotes.com

The innate immune system is a rapid–response, whole body protective system that blocks, controls, neutralizes and eliminates pathogenic threats. Elements of the innate immune system include our skin, white blood cells, killer T cells, the gut microbiome, mucus producing cells, tear duct lactoferrin, mucus membranes, lymphocytes, phagocytes, MAST cells, and cytokines. Our innate immune systems  protect us all the time if they are strong and functioning well. The very last thing you would ever want to do is injure or disable this system. Yet, that is exactly what we do whenever we take symptom relief medications which block mucus production or other natural systems that protect us. Antibiotics have been abused so badly that we now have tens of thousands of people that die every year from antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Our first-world innate immune systems and microbiomes have been damaged and  can no longer protect us.

The adaptive immune system is a slow-response system that creates specific immunity after the innate immune system has been the first line of defense. The adaptive immune system creates a long-term memory of the invader, thereby producing specialized antibodies against each specific invader. Antibodies can be likened to battle-hardened, experienced warriors who are ready to quickly protect against any similar attack that may come your way in the future. 

Vaccines aim to trick the body by introducing dead or weakened pathogens in an attempt to trigger the adaptive immune system to produce antibodies. It is possible to create immunity to a pathogen through vaccination and allowing antibodies to be created by your body’s adaptive immune response. Sometimes this works and sometimes it does not.

Creating antibodies means you must go to battle. Going into battle with a weak immune system is a serious risk! Having a strong, adaptive and resilient immune system is a powerful barrier to protect against bacterial, viral, and other threats.

We Damage Our Immune Systems

At the foundation of the immune system is the gut microbiome, which houses 70-80% of the immune system. In America we have embraced all sorts of things that weaken the gut microbiome: antibiotics, preservatives, GMOs, Roundup residues, high sugar diets, highly processed foods….these are all destructive to the gut microbiome and therefore they compromise the immune system. For instance, antibiotics weaken the innate immune system by disrupting the gut microbiome such that neutrophils and white blood cells are no longer able to react properly when threats arise. Antibiotics also weaken the adaptive immune system by reducing immunity to subsequent infection. Food additives such as preservatives effect immune cells and the inflammatory response, thus contributing to the development of comorbidities. Over the longer life experience, exposure to these foods and threats often manifests as chronic disease including diabetes, obesity, arthritis, asthma, whole body inflammation, heart disease etc.

Raw Milk and Milk Kefir Strengthen the Immune System

Nutrition is of prime importance in strengthening the immune system. Raw milk plays a very important part in building and strengthening both the innate and adaptive immune systems. Studies performed in Europe have shown that children who drink raw milk have decreased rates of asthma, allergies, eczema, ear infections, fever, and respiratory infections. These benefits are likely related to the active immune factors, biodiversity, prebiotics, intact protective proteins and other elements found in raw milk. Pasteurized milk does not confer these protective properties because the beneficial raw proteins and enzyme-based elements are denatured and inactivated by heat. Raw milk also contains antibodies which can be beneficial for the immune system.

Raw milk kefir is packed full of biodiversity and contains immune factors from the raw milk. Raw milk kefir is a powerful immune-building food which has been shown to stimulate and modulate the immune system, have a beneficial effect on the composition of the gut microbiome, and reduce allergies. Fermented milk has also been shown to reduce the duration of respiratory infections and colds in the elderly.

Raw Milk Is Similar to Breastmilk

Researchers have likened the protective effects of raw milk to those of breastmilk. Breastmilk is raw milk! Many “agents with beneficial anti-microbial or immune-modulatory effects are shared in bovine and human milk, such as immunoglobulins, cytokines, growth factors, lactoferrin, oligosaccharides, and milk fat globule membranes.”

A recent study of breastmilk from mothers with COVID19 in New York found that the breastmilk contained antibodies to COVID19. This means that infants of mothers infected with COVID19 would receive immunity-building properties directly through breastmilk. Similar effects have been demonstrated with hyperimmune cow’s milk, which has been shown to contain specific antibodies that may boost the immune system. When cows are purposely exposed to pathogens during the dry period, their colostrum contains antibodies to those pathogens for their calves at birth. Research at UC Davis is now investigating whether hyper-immune milk can be produced to protect humans from COVID19.

Raw milk is the first food of life. Its role is not just nourishment; raw milk protects the baby by building the immune system and contributing to a powerful gut microbiome. Over thousands of years of evolution, raw milk has been tested and refined by the trials of successive generations which allow only the best to thrive. The numerous immune system factors present in raw milk intentionally strengthen the baby’s weak immune system, with elements needed for both the innate and adaptive immune systems.

Personal Responsibility for Our Immune Systems

Personal responsibility is critical in building strong immune systems. A strong gut microbiome should be the goal of anyone looking for long-term immune system strength and the subsequent immunity that this brings. Doctors cannot help us with this. We must take responsibility for our own health by purposely building and keeping our immune systems strong. We can care for our gut microbiomes by providing them with whole foods which nourish our biodiversity. Like breastmilk, raw milk and raw milk kefir are self-contained immune system building super foods. Four variables must align in order for a pathogen to make you sick. You have control over the HOST variable and perhaps can reduce the load variable. You are very much in charge of your health and your ability to adapt to all threats, today and into the future.  Drink up your delicious raw milk and thrive!

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Factory Farms vs. Sustainable Local Farms During COVID19

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Milk is Being Dumped While Stores are Selling Out

Mother Nature has her ways of giving us advice. Sometimes that advice is subtle and sometimes it is brutal.  This time she was pretty direct, and she did not mix her signals.  Consolidated, centralized food systems have not been able to adapt to the rapid changes brought on by the COVID19 pandemic.

The Standard American Diet and its production, processing, logistics and delivery systems have failed.  American farmers that serve this highly consolidated food system are dumping 3 million gallons of milk per day; meanwhile American supermarkets are stripped clean of dairy products. The dairy processing industry which was previously supplying milk to schools and restaurants cannot rapidly adapt to bottling and delivering milk for retail sales.

For many years, the demand for fluid pasteurized milk has been dropping at a rate of ~1% per year. During this long decline, bottling plants have been closed and cheese plants have been opened. When America was asked to stay at home in response to COVID19, much of the food service industry was stopped, restaurants were idled, and schools were closed.

At home, kids wanted cereal and needed three meals every day. They wanted milk! The demand for milk raged upwards. Yet the supermarkets could not meet that demand. Panic-buying made matters even worse, with store shelves remaining sporadically empty for weeks, and even now milk is being rationed in many places.

Meanwhile, dairymen are dumping truckloads of milk. The market price of milk is dropping like a rock from $18 per hundredweight (CWT) to $14 CWT or even lower. The break-even price for dairymen is around $18-$20 CWT. Thus, dairies are continuing to fail at an unprecedented rate while stores are not able to meet the demand for milk.  It is an unmitigated disaster.

“Get Big or Get Out”

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This is the 50 year old story of “Get Big or Get Out”. This philosophy of feeding the world and starving the American farmer was started in the early 1970’s by Earl Butz, who was Secretary of Agriculture under Nixon. Butz’s idea was that the most efficient farmers would overtake the smaller farmers, prices would drop, and supply would increase.

This structure concentrates power into the hands of a few aiming at cheap food for all, with an abundance which America would then export into the world markets. We would feed the world.  This design has become part of the America farm culture and has led to a massive decline in the number of dairies.  

Massive Decline in Number of Small Dairies

In 1940, America had over 4 million dairy farms. By the late 1990’s, that number had dropped to just over 100,000 dairies in the USA. Currently, there are only about 30,000 dairies left, and we are losing an additional 5% of dairies every year.   

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According to USDA data, there has been a sharp decline in the number of dairies with 30-200 cows; meanwhile, the number of large dairy farms is increasing. From 1992-2012, “the number of dairy farms with at least 1,000 cows more than tripled.” One future-thinking dairy leader has projected that America will have only 100 dairies in 20 years. America would still have its 9+ million cows, but those cows would be contained in massive concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) with 90,000 cows each.

Consumer polls clearly indicate that consumers don’t want their milk coming from 90,000 cow massive CAFO operations. The environmental impact from large CAFO operations is devastating. The manure lagoons are the size of lakes and the smell is horrendous. There are no pastures. The feedlots go on and on forever!  This system has many flaws, and more of those flaws showed themselves to the world in the last 6 weeks during the COVID19 pandemic.

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Consolidated Food Systems Lack Resilience and Adaptability

COVID19 has demonstrated that a consolidated food system fails the American public in times of crisis. Consolidated massive operations and their logistics can not adapt and they are not resilient. These operations cannot adjust to changing market conditions and they fail when the consumer demands change. The consolidated milk industry failed to meet the needs of Americans because it was not able to respond and adapt in the face of rapid change. Similar issues have arisen in consolidated vegetable industries and meat industries during this crisis.

The food chain stress test has been performed. The results are in and America’s big food systems have failed miserably.  This has become a serious threat to American national food security!

Food security is seriously jeopardized with milk going to just a handful of milk processors. That’s the future of “Get Big or Get Out” and it is smelly, ugly, and does not work to serve America. Additionally, with so much of this system relying on imports and exports, when countries close their borders, this system cannot function.

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Consumer Connected Farmers Are Thriving

The local farmer-to-consumer system has also been tested during this time of crisis, and the results have been quite different. Farmers who sell directly to consumers are thriving. The comparison of this market to the CAFO-driven market is dramatic.  

Farmer–to-consumer sales are highly adaptive and resilient, because the farmers are connected to their consumers. They know and hear one another!  Farmers can adjust quickly to changes in consumer demand. During the COVID19 pandemic, many dairy farmers who sell directly to consumers saw a huge increase in the demand for milk. They were able to meet this demand by diverting milk which would have been used to make butter and cheese into bottled milk instead. Both the farmers and consumers benefited from this ability of the farmers to adapt to the changing demand.

Farmers who sell directly to consumers produce fresh foods which are unprocessed or less-processed. These fresh foods support and build immune systems through nourishing healthy gut biomes. Up to 80% of the immune system makes its home in our gut and is powered by a biodiversity of bacteria and the whole foods that feed them. These foods come from sundrenched rich soils and local ethical farmers that connect directly to consumers. This food system is thriving and growing.

In contrast, highly processed foods with long shelf life, which are filled with preservatives and antibiotics, are destructive to the gut biome. Consumers have begun to understand this.

Within the dairy community, farms such as cow share programs, micro dairies that produce raw milk, and dairies with their own processing plants have been able to quickly adapt and respond to the changing demand from consumers and stores. These food systems are responsive, adaptive, nutritionally rich, and economically alive.

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You Vote With Your Food Dollars

America must make a decision about its fate. Food systems are very much a part of our America. Will America thrive, be resilient and adapt to threats? Will America continue to become even more economically, environmentally, and immunologically compromised and depressed? Or will America embrace smaller local farms who produce nourishing whole foods? Will America embrace disease-prevention and whole food nutrition? Will it build or suppress its innate and adaptive immune systems?

Each dollar spent on food directs America’s future. Where we direct our food dollars is a very personal question. Will we have healthy children or not?  Will we take personal responsibility for our own health with whole food nutrition or will we continue to vote for “Get Big or Get Out”?   

The food system stress test results are in. Let’s move beyond “Get Big or Get Out.”  Let’s invest in illness prevention with farm-direct local, unprocessed, whole foods that build our immunity. It’s a personal gut microbiome choice. Let’s adapt and become resilient. The alternative is a dead end.

Meet a Renegade Wisconsin Raw Milk Dairy Farmer!

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We’re giving a big “Welcome!” to Wisconsin’s Grassway Organics, the latest farm to become LISTED by the Raw Milk Institute. Chaz and Meghan Self have been farming at Grassway Organics since 2016, producing raw milk as well as pasture-raised chickens and eggs, beef, turkeys, and hogs. They’ve also innovated with “Pizza on the Farm,” where they serve up wood fired pizzas to their local community.

Although Wisconsin is the Dairy State, dairy farms all over Wisconsin are failing at an unprecedented rate. The state lost 773 dairies in 2019 alone! Conventional dairies are floundering amidst low prices that make it nearly impossible to break even. Like many other dairy farmers, Chaz and Meghan Self have found that producing raw milk provides a way to stay viable while providing a product that consumers are clamoring for. With raw milk’s extensive health benefits, and increasing evidence that raw milk can be produced safely, more and more consumers are choosing to drink raw milk.

Even though consumers are demanding raw milk, Wisconsin’s laws make it very difficult to produce raw milk. By law, only “incidental sales” of raw milk are allowed in Wisconsin. Chaz and Meghan Self are hoping to lead a change, thereby allowing healthy, low-risk raw milk to move into the mainstream in Wisconsin.

Grassway Organics has worked diligently to become LISTED by the Raw Milk Institute, developing their own Risk Assessment and Management Plan and even building their own on-farm lab for bacteria testing. They are testing their milk frequently to ensure that it meets the RAWMI Common Standards for low-risk raw milk. Grassway Organics will be a great addition to the Raw Milk Institute’s community of farmers.

FAQ About Raw Milk and COVID19

RAW MILK RISK MANAGEMENT WORKS!

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There is a growing body of evidence that raw milk is a low-risk food when it is produced carefully and intentionally. Previous papers, such as “Recent Trends in Unpasteurized Fluid Milk Outbreaks, Legalization, and Consumption in the United States,” have shown that the rate of raw milk related outbreaks is decreasing, meanwhile the consumption of raw milk is increasing.

In a new paper published in the January 2020 Journal of Epidemiology and Infection, Cat Berge and Ton Baars have investigated the use of intentional raw milk production and testing practices in the USA, Canada, and Germany. Berge and Baars compared test data from raw milk intended for pasteurization to test data from the Raw Milk Institute, the German Vorzugsmilch system, and the British Columbia Herdshare Association. The test 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! This is great news, since raw milk has been shown to have protective effects against asthma, allergies, eczema, respiratory infections, ear infections, and fevers.

RAWMI Ripple - January 2020

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January 2020 Edition

Dear Friend,

Welcome to the January 2020 edition of the Raw Milk Institute (RAWMI) Ripple. Herein you'll find information about the latest in the world of raw milk, including a new meta-analysis on the protective health effects of raw milk, the Interstate Milk Freedom Act, RAWMI training, and additional resources for raw milk education.

Meta-Analysis of Raw Milk Effects on Asthma, Allergies, and Infections

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A recent issue of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice published a peer-reviewed meta-analysis of eight health studies related to raw milk. A meta-analysis is a quantitative statistical analysis which combines the results of multiple scientific studies, thereby allowing the researchers to derive overall conclusions about that body of research.

The November 2019 paper, titled “The Beneficial Effect of Farm Milk Consumption on Asthma, Allergies, and Infections: From Meta-Analysis of Evidence to Clinical Trial” was written by a team of researchers from the Netherlands and Germany. The meta-analysis concluded that, when taken as a whole, the body of data from the previous studies shows that raw milk consumption in childhood has a protective effect on asthma, current wheeze, allergic rhinitis (hay fever), and atopic sensitization (allergies to environmental triggers).

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When the previous raw milk studies were criticized, the detractors instead attributed the protective health effects to the farm environment rather than raw milk. However, the 2019 meta-analysis shows differently: “The effect particularly on asthma was observed not only in children raised on farms (OR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.58-0.82) but also in children living in rural areas but not on a farm (OR, 0.60; 95% CI, 0.48-0.74). This demonstrates that the effect of farm milk consumption is independent of other farm exposures and that children not living on a farm can theoretically profit from this effect.” 

Interstate Milk Freedom Act HR 5410

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It is currently illegal to sell raw milk across state lines in the United States. The FDA’s ban on interstate raw milk harms small farms as well as informed consumers, who purposely seek out raw milk for its health benefits and superb taste. The Interstate Milk Freedom Act HR 5410 seeks to prohibit federal interference with the interstate sale of raw milk. This bipartisan bill was sponsored by Representatives Thomas Massie (Republican from Kentucky) and Chellie Pingree (Democrat from Maine).

“Federal agencies, such as the FDA, that are part of the executive branch do not and should not have the power to shut down trade between peaceful farmers and willing consumers. It is Congress’s job to legislate,” said Rep. Massie. “Our Interstate Milk Freedom Act would make it easier for families to buy milk of their choice by reversing the criminalization of specific dairy farmers.”

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“So many people across the country want to make sure their food is fresh and local—including fruits, vegetables, and even their milk,” said Rep. Pingree. “Raw milk is currently the only food banned for interstate commerce—an onerous regulation that hurts small farmers for selling milk straight from their cows to the consumer.”

It is time for the ban on interstate raw milk to be overturned. Ask your representatives to support HR 5410.

Northeast USA RAWMI Training

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Studies have shown that raw milk has superb nutrition and protective health effects, but raw milk needs to be carefully and intentionally produced in order to ensure that it is a low-risk food. Through education, outreach, and research, RAWMI is working towards universal access to safe raw milk for everyone.

Earlier this month, RAWMI held raw milk training sessions at Rutgers University, the Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA) Massachusetts, and NOFA New York. These presentations focused on raw milk benefits as well as risk management for the production of safe, low-risk raw milk. 50 dairy farmers attended these three training sessions.

On February 6, 2020, RAWMI will be providing a 3&1/2 hour presentation on raw milk risk management at the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA) conference in Lancaster Pennsylvania. Mark McAfee, Sarah Smith, Dr. Joseph Heckman, and Edwin Shank will be presenting at this event.

International Milk Genomics Consortium Conference

The 16th International Milk Genomics Consortium (IMGC) Symposium was held on November 12-14, 2019 in Aarhus Denmark. This conference focused on milk and health from a sustainability perspective, with a wide variety of presentation topics including environmental challenges in milk production, effects of breastmilk and ruminant milk on the gut microbiome, structure and function of milk, and the superb nutrition of whole foods versus supplements.

The Raw Milk Institute was an official sponsor of this IMGC Symposium and provided sponsorship to Dr. Joanne Whitehead in attending to present her peer-reviewed, published raw milk risk analysis poster depicting the positive impact of “high standards, farmer training and frequent testing” on raw milk risk reduction.

New Resources for Raw Milk Education

The Raw Milk Institute has developed several new resources for educating people about raw milk.

RAWMI’s letter to medical professionals about the benefits and safety of raw milk provides a comprehensive summary of the latest science on the nutritional and health benefits of raw milk, therapeutic use of raw milk, the negative impacts of pasteurization, and the safety of raw milk.

In response to a request from RAWMI LISTED farmers, RAWMI has also developed a new trifold brochure about the benefits of raw milk. This brochure can be used at the point-of-sale or online to increase awareness of the benefits of raw milk. Email sarah@rawmilkinstitute.org if you want to make use of this brochure.

LISTED Farmers Quarterly Meeting

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RAWMI LISTED farmers are able to connect and share with other raw milk farmers during quarterly video conferences. At the most recent video conference, farmers from 11 RAWMI LISTED dairies discussed issues including challenges to exclusive grass-feeding, recent problems and lessons learned, marketing, and the erosion of the “organic” label.

Ancient Baby Bottles Reveal Ruminant Milk Being Fed to Children

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Raw milk has been nourishing children for millennia! The oldest baby bottle-like vessel found thus far is nearly 8,000 years old. Recently, three independent lipid analyses of residue from ancient baby bottles has been performed. These analyses have provided evidence that ruminant milk (such as cow, sheep, or goat milk) was being fed to children thousands of years ago.

Take care all of you RAWMI producers, consumers and all of you interested in raw milk!