‘We’ve legalized marijuana, but we have restrictions for getting raw milk. That needs to change,’ said Rep. Kellie Deeter, co-sponsor of the proposed law.
Two Ohio state lawmakers have introduced a bill that would make it easier for people to buy raw milk, describing it as a “matter of liberty.”
Earlier this month, state Reps. Kellie Deeter and Levi Dean, both Republicans, introduced House Bill 406, which would allow farmers to sell raw milk directly to customers. The proposed legislation would not permit retail sales or deliveries.
“We’ve legalized marijuana, but we have restrictions for getting raw milk. That needs to change, and that is the purpose of this bill,” Deeter told The Epoch Times.
Ohioans should be “free to choose whether they want to drink raw milk or not,” Dean told The Epoch Times.
“We live in a state where you can choose to drink alcohol, you can choose to use tobacco, you can choose to use marijuana, and all of those are perfectly legal, but yet, raw milk is too dangerous for us, apparently,” Dean said.
“It makes no sense that the government would say all of these things are fine, but raw milk is a step too far.”
The Food and Drug Administration defines raw milk as “milk from cows, sheep, or goats that has not been pasteurized to kill harmful bacteria.”
Pasteurization involves heating a liquid product to kill bacteria, including Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria.
The FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that drinking raw milk is risky.
Selling raw milk is illegal in Ohio unless the user signs a herd share agreement, which involves buying a share of a cow or a herd for their boarding and management. Consumers can also buy the product from farms and stores that label it as “pet milk” and not for human consumption.
The proposed bill would require customers to sign a liability waiver stating that they understand the risks of drinking unpasteurized milk. Sellers would be required to test once a month for harmful bacteria that can be found in raw milk and discard batches that test positive.
Raw milk sellers would get a license through the state’s Director of Agriculture. Dairy farmers in Ohio must already follow this regulation, which includes inspections of their facilities.
The consumption of raw milk is growing in the United States. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has said he drinks raw milk daily.
The Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement, which encourages people to eat locally produced food and avoid ultra-processed food, has contributed to the popularity of raw milk consumption.
