Sale of RFK Jr.'s Beloved Raw Milk Suspended at Farm in Home State After Bird Flu Detected

[riversedge]

Source: daily beast



DON’T CRY OVER SPILLED RAW MILK

Liam Archacki Published 12.03.24 11:55AM EST

Thomas Machowicz/Reuters

A California farm’s distribution of raw dairy products has been suspended by the state’s department of food and agriculture after bird flu was detected in its unpasteurized milk, according to Axios. Last week, Raw Farm had voluntarily recalled two batches of its milk that had tested positive for the H5N1 viral strain, before state regulators stepped in. “All Raw Farm operations are currently under quarantine, from herds to bottled product, which means that all raw milk product distribution is suspended,” Steve Lyle, a spokesperson for the CDFA, said in a Monday statement to Axios. No illnesses have so far been linked to the affected batches. The news comes in the home state of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Donald Trump’s pick for secretary of health and human services and one of the highest-profile advocates of the health benefits of drinking raw milk. A wave of support for raw milk consumption, coming from right-wing figures as well as online wellness influencers, has corresponded to rising demand for unpasteurized dairy, despite officials warning about the potential health risks, The Associated Press reported earlier this year.




Read more: https://www.thedailybeast.com/distribution-of-robert-f-kennedy-jrs-beloved-raw-milk-suspended-in-california-after-bird-flu-detected/

[Bernardo de La Paz]

1. I read something about the owner of the farm is expected to advise ReffingKjr if he is approved. Not sure of details. nt

[muriel_volestrangler]

4. Could have been my post of CNN

California suspends distribution of Raw Farm raw milk products after bird flu detection

Distribution of Raw Farm raw milk products has been suspended after bird flu virus was found in milk samples, the California Department of Food and Agriculture said.
...
California health officials previously warned consumers not to drink two lots of recalled Raw Farm products — lot code 20241119 with a best-by date of 12/07/2024 and lot code 20241109 with a best-by date of November 27 — after testing identified bird flu virus in the milk.
...
As bird flu has spread among poultry and cattle in the US this year, raw milk has seen a new wave of interest and some high-profile supporters, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President-elect Donald Trump’s choice to lead the US Department of Health and Human Services.

Raw milk was on a laundry list of items that faced “aggressive suppression” by the US Food and Drug Administration, Kennedy said in a post on X in October. In a fact sheet shared with CNN on Monday, Raw Farm said its CEO, Mark McAfee, “has been asked by the RFK transition team to apply for the position of ‘FDA advisor on Raw Milk Policy and Standards Development.’ ” CNN has reached out to the Trump transition team for comment.

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/12/02/health/raw-farm-raw-milk-products-distribution-suspended-california/index.html

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100219784064

[Bernardo de La Paz]

5. Mark McAfee is the one. Thanks. . . . . nt

[FSogol]

2. Drink up MAGAts! It's what you voted for.

[Bleacher Creature]

3. If only there was a process to remove harmful viruses from milk.

[Akakoji]

6. You have to start with the mammal.

It's extremely rare that a well husbanded animal given proper space and treatment becomes infected with viruses. If they do they are typically culled from a herd. A lot are vaccinated as well. But transmission of bird flu virus to cows is growing rapidly, and several cases of human infection have been reported. None deadly at this point but who knows. But pasteurization does actually kill avian flu viruses in dairy products even from infected cows. Remember the 1918 flu epidemic that killed millions of people? That was caused by an avian virus, so it's not like we don't know how to prevent it from happening. There are no symptoms of bird flu virus in humans, just symptoms of the flu. Bird flu virus can cause nasty flu symptoms, especially respiratory ones, but hey guess what vaccinations are adjusted regularly to prevent the flu. Too bad so many people refuse to get vaccinated! That's far worse than the concern about someone getting sick from contaminated milk.

[patphil]

7. There's a reason milk is pasteurized. Raw milk can contain any number of serious pathogens.

Pasteurization has been commonly done for well over 100 years. Although raw milk can be consumed, and, if closely monitored, is usually safe to drink, there are dozens of different diseases that can be traced back to contaminated milk.
Pasteurization also extends the shelf life of milk.
The beneficial effects of raw milk vs pasteurized milk are probably limited to taste, and the belief that it's better for you, nothing more.

https://www.fda.gov/food/buy-store-serve-safe-food/raw-milk-misconceptions-and-danger-raw-milk-consumption

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_raw_milk_debate

I think the benefit of raw milk is mostly a perception that it's better, not that there's much in the line of proof that it is.

[riversedge]

11. I grew up on raw milk, living on a family dairy farm in WI. I only switched

because I went to college after HS---and actually like the taste of 2% better.
I recall even when going home for weekends--the raw milk was just to "heavy" for me--too much cream for me. Just my take on it.

[ShazzieB]

8. Good.

Drinking raw milk is the dumbest idea ever, imo, and giving it to kids is heinous. Right up there with refusing to get vaxxed/not vaxxing your kids.

It's horrifying to me that so many people seem to be saying, "Fuck science! Let's go back to the 'good old days' when men were men, and making it to the age of 5 without being killed by a dread disease was, well, a lot less common than it has become since we figured out how to sanitize milk and prevent those diseases with vaccines! Who needs all that protection! Bring on the germs!"

[Captain Zero]

13. Of course they will show up for healthcare if their kids get the flu

nt

[pfitz59]

9. Science and regulations

keep us alive. Unpasteurized dairy is a killer. Proven time and again.

[Rebl2]

14. Almost killed my grandma

back in the 1930’s from what my mother told me. Don’t know how she survived it. Never got that part of the story.

[purr-rat beauty]

10. We don't even need to drink another animal's milk

granted I have enjoyed chocolate milk, or milkshakes, or eggnog, ultimately it is not needed.

so why make it dangerous to consume it!?!?

[Rebl2]

15. Milk and

foods like ice cream and yogurt don’t agree with me anyway. Had no problem with it as a child or young adult, but had to quit eating and drinking dairy in my thirties.

[wolfie001]

12. I can't imagine how horrific those owners are

Worse than the Westboro Baptist Church clown show. CEO Mark McAfee is a shit person. Just like his raw milk products

[Hassin Bin Sober]

16. Another liberal plot to shut down a healthy alternative.

You know it’s coming 3,2,1…

[Akakoji]

17. No, it's been said for several decades now

On Instagram and other socials they are claiming it's a political hit job, tagging RFK Jr. Trump and Weston A Price leadership .

[melm00se]

18. Raw milk really shouldn't be for mass consumption

I have bought and used it for at home cheese making but part of that process is a low and slow pasteurizing as the normal pasteurization jacks up the chemistry a bit and can make cheesemaking a little problematic.

[Mz Pip]

19. Way back in the '50s

I lived on a farm in very rural Nebraska. It was pretty primitive but one thing we did have was a pasteurizer.