Under current law in North Carolina, selling raw (unpasteurized) milk for human consumption is illegal. That may soon change, however, as a bill in the North Carolina House of Representatives would amend the law’s current language prohibiting the sale of raw milk.
HB 609 is sponsored by state Reps. Matthew Winslow, R-Franklin; Dennis Riddell, R-Alamance; Jay Adams, R-Catawba; and Jeffrey McNeely, R-Iredell.
“I support the bill,” Adams told the Carolina Journal. “We raised our kids on raw milk, and they are very healthy adults now.”
The Food and Drug Protection Division, under the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDA&CS), regulates Grade A milk within the state. Due to significant public health concerns, the division opposes the sale of raw milk.
“North Carolina law already permits the personal consumption of raw milk through herd-share agreements under GS § 106-266.35,” wrote Donald Bryson, CEO of the John Locke Foundation, in a recent op-ed. “Herd-shares are legal in five states, including Colorado and Tennessee.”
According to NCDA&CS, raw milk can contain various harmful bacteria, including Salmonella, E. coli, Listeria, Campylobacter, and Brucella, which can lead to serious illness and, in some cases, death. These pathogens pose particular risks to pregnant women, infants, young children, the elderly, and individuals with weakened immune systems.
“Raw milk is a significant public health risk as there is absolutely no way to ensure the safety of raw milk,” Steve Troxler, commissioner of NCDA&CS, told the Carolina Journal. “Even with our best efforts and diligent work, foodborne illnesses, stillbirths, and miscarriages will occur in North Carolina if we allow the retail sales of raw milk.”
Bryson pointed out the irony of banning raw milk, yet not applying the same logic to raw seafood, rare steak, or bagged lettuce. Leafy greens are among the leading causes of foodborne illness, according to a 2013 study by the US Centers for Disease Control.
Concerns have intensified following the discovery that highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has been detected in raw milk from infected dairy cows, according to NCDA&CS. In several instances across the US, pets, especially cats, have become ill and died after consuming raw milk provided by their owners. While selling raw milk labeled for animal consumption, commonly referred to as “pet milk,” remains legal in North Carolina, the department continues to express concern over its safety and the potential risks it poses to animals and humans.
“Legislators do not have to decide whether raw milk exists in North Carolina because it already does,” continued Bryson. “They must decide whether to continue pushing it underground or create a legal, monitored framework for its sale.”
Bryson also points out that legalizing the sale of raw milk would provide an economic opportunity for farmers currently facing the repercussions of tariffs and the ensuing trade war.
“NC HB 609 gives small dairy farmers a fighting chance,” Winslow told the Carolina Journal. “Right now, they’re forced to waste valuable milk every day while consumers are denied the freedom to choose a natural product they trust. We don’t ban sushi, we don’t ban raw oysters — so why are we banning raw milk? This bill is about supporting local agriculture.”