Mark McAfee, founder and CEO of raw milk dairy Organic Pastures, will speak Saturday August 28th at 2 pm at the Altadena Community Center, located at 730 E. Altadena Drive in Altadena. McAfee is a compelling and lively speaker and the owner of the first raw dairy in California with certified organic pasture land. I heard him speak before and some of the stories he tells of raids by overzealous government agents are right out of a Western. This talk is simply not to be missed. The event is open to the public, free and Organic Pastures milk will be availiable for tasting. For more information contact [email protected].
To read more about McAfee and his dairy, see this article by the Rodale Institute, “Simple, complex and raw: the amazing success of Organic Pastures Dairy.”
Raw milk is nothing more or less then a cow’s body fluids. Raw milk has been known to spread: typhoid, diphtheria, brucellosis, campylobacter, E. coli, Listeria, Salmonella, Yersinia spp., strep throat, scarlet fever, staphylococcus, rabies, Bacillus cereus, Coxiella burnetii, Mycobacterium avium and tuberculosis. Studies of milk from cows has shown that 30% to 60% of the samples have one or more of these pathogenic bacteria.
In 1985, an outbreak of listeria was linked to soft cheese made from raw milk produced in Los Angeles Of the 142 cases reported, 93 were in pregnant women or their children. There were 48 deaths, including 20 fetuses.
Since 1973, 394 cases of salmonella have been reported in Los Angeles County. Of these, 101 (25.6%) were consumers of raw milk. Molecular fingerprinting identified the strain of bacteria in ill persons as the same as that found in raw milk samples.
Interesting that you mention the bacteria that infects spinach. It comes from cattle, usually dairy cattle when their effluent is used as a fertilizer in adjacent fields.
As for the difference between “selling” raw milk and giving it away it is a legal technicality. Most laws are intended to regulate business practices not gifts. I truly hope you don’t think getting shot by a gun that was a gift would be harmless whereas being shot by a gun that you purchased might just kill you.
The simple fact remains that raw milk is a health risk and both the CDC and the FDA have a legal responsibility to regulate it. This is not a case of runaway federal government going outside their constitutional responsibilities as some here have framed it. Congress passed legislation giving both the CDC and the FDA the responsibility to regulate and control dangerous products. If you truly think you can present a good argument that: A) Raw milk is not dangerous. And/or B) That the federal government does not have the legal and constitutional responsibility to protect citizens from dangerous food products. Then I suggest that you contact your congress and begin by convincing him.
The fda has a legal responsibility to regulate their harmful prescription drugs killing thousands of people yearly.Yet they seem to be getting away with deaths yearly.
The 1985 outbreak was identified as a “bathtub cheese” the kind of raw milk intended to be pasterized.Just shows how headlines are misleading until you find out all of the facts.It was unregulated milk intended for pasterization.
Todays standards would make it alot more safer than decades ago as long as the farmers are following the right procedures.
It seems to me the produce that has sickend many is not illegal (spinach peanut butter)and is on the shelves and is still legal today.
I wish the prescription drug (or for that matter supplements) issue was simple black and white. It is not. All medicines have side effects and all individuals are different with different outcomes when they take a medicine or supplement. Most legal drugs provide more value then harm but all can be abused and all of them can harm you. The common aspirin probably kills more people every year then any prescripton drug. Every NSAID is deadly and kills thousands every year. Arguably these drugs and all drugs are used/tolerated in spite of their possible side effects BECAUSE they do more good then harm. Can that simple statement be made about raw milk??? WHat is the “good” that raw milk provides society?
By the way spinach is indeed a dangerous plant because it is eaten raw (catch the irony there). I will not eat spinach or eat at salad bars because of the risks. Peanut butter is safe. The recent problem related to peanut butter was because of something “added” to the peanut butter.
Organic pastures used to be the largest distributor of clean wholesome, 100% grass fed raw milk. THEY HAVE RECENTLY CHANGED THIS FACT. Without their customers knowledge or approval, they started feeding their cows CORN! They’re also using so called “organic mineral supplement”. As most health advocates know, corn is horribly unhealthy and will in turn make the milk an unhealthy source of sugar (weight gain). This company has turned against it’s customers and is hoping that the customers won’t notice. Check out their website for verification that this product is now poisoned with CORN and artificial supplements. Their products are no longer clean, their cows are no longer 100% grass fed. Please post something warning their customers that Organic Pastures has gone to the dark side. Thank you.