Readers of our recent series on raw milk … see part 1 here and part 2 here … learned that real raw milk is a nutrient-dense and safe component of a nourishing diet. There is growing interest in the healthy properties of real milk and new studies proving the benefits of consuming raw milk vs. pasteurized, homogenized milk.

But is it legal? The Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund explains that consumption of raw milk is legal but state-by-state legislation on distribution varies along the spectrum from illegal, to legal as pet food, to legal from farms only, to legal in a retail setting. See this chart provided by the Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund: State-by-State Review of Raw Milk Laws.

But the federal government prohibits the sale of raw milk across state lines. Viewers of our recent screening of Farmageddon learned that the FDA and USDA allocate a great deal of their resources in regulating raw milk interstate commerce, sometimes in extreme, heavy-handed ways.

What can we do? The good news is that a bill has been introduced to the 112th Congress by a group of representatives. House Bill HR 1830, if passed, would allow the interstate shipment of raw milk for human consumption. Please visit the Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund’s HR 1830 petition page to make your voice heard!!

/ce