Raw milk is growing in popularity and is already being produced at a number of farms throughout Pennsylvania.
Farmers can obtain a raw milk permit that allows them to produce certain raw milk products, but a lawmaker wants to expand on that.
Wholesome Dairy Farm in Earl Township specializes in raw milk products.
“I sell a lot of milk,” said owner Mark Lopez. “I sell a lot of pasteurized yogurt and kefir here also.”
Soon, though, Lopez could expand his raw milk products to yogurt and kefir if a bill proposed by state Rep. Dave Zimmerman of the 99th District is passed.
“A dairy farmer can produce and sell raw milk, and he can also manufacture raw milk or cheese, but that’s the only two products on the current Pennsylvania raw milk license,” Rep. Zimmerman told 69 News.
His legislation would expand raw milk products to yogurts, cottage cheese and kefir, which he believes could help give dairy farms a financial boost.
“Right now, there’s a huge boom — not only Pennsylvania, but across the country — on food items that have a more natural organic, less processing, no chemicals,” he said.
But raw milk, which does not go through the pasteurization process, comes with warnings from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The FDA says raw milk can carry dangerous bacteria such as salmonella, E. coli and listeria. As of recently, the organization is warning it has found raw milk samples that tested positive for traces of bird flu.
Lopez says he and other farmers who go through the strict raw milk permit process get yearly inspections from both local and federal inspectors, helping to ensure their products are safe and sanitary.
“As long you harvest it in a clean way and you store it in a clean way, it’s going to be sanitary,” said Lopez. “You won’t have any problems.”
Zimmerman’s bill is now headed to the House Agriculture Committee for consideration.
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