The pasteurized versus unpasteurized milk debate has been ongoing for almost a century. As the only county in New Mexico that refused to allow raw milk sales, Bernalillo County has been leading the resistance against raw milk in the state until recently.
In 1924, pasteurization of milk became federal policy, however, interstate commerce of unpasteurized dairy products became illegal by federal legislation in 1987. A 2011 New Mexico state statute allows raw milk to be sold in every county, however, Bernalillo County had opted not to allow the sale of raw milk.
Recently county commissioners voted 5-0 to change the county’s food code ordinance. Farmers in the unincorporated areas of Bernalillo County can now sell raw milk.
Defenders of raw milk say the nutritional value of milk is destroyed when it is heated and that pasteurized milk is causing significant health problems. The raw milk renaissance taking place in the U.S. asks the question — should anyone’s rights be limited to unpasteurized, unprocessed food?
“Pasteurization of raw milk was a miracle, but it was technology designed to solve an 18th century problem, which was overcrowding on farms, overcrowding in cities, unhygienic conditions, lack of running water and refrigeration,” said Bernalillo Commissioner Eric Olivas.
“Most of agriculture has really consolidated into these large industrial producers owned by one or two companies that control most of the production,” he explained. “This is an opportunity to give a little bit of power back to our local farmers and local producers that do maintain high standards and employ local people and that really contribute to the local food system and the local environment.”
Olivas said the state has rigorous testing and instruction requirements to make sure that raw milk is produced safely.
“It is really just a consumer choice. We advocate for choice in many ways, whether it’s a woman’s right to choose or choose what’s right for our body,” Olivas said. “We live in a free society where individuals are able to choose the right choice for them. It’s a no-brainer for me. It’s an economic issue. It’s a choice issue, and a safety issue and I think we can check all three of those boxes, do it well, and support our local producers.”
Milk that is being produced to be pasteurized has very different standards than milk that is produced for direct human consumption. Conventional dairy farms are not typically set up to produce healthy raw milk that does not need to be boiled to be safe.
According to the Humane League, an animal protection organization dedicated to ending the abuse of animals used for food, the majority of factory-farmed cows don’t go outside during their milk production years. Often, they are confined to indoor sheds that are filthy and overcrowded. They’re denied grazing, have nowhere to lie comfortably, don’t nurse their young or live in social herds with their calves.
Sarah Smith of the Raw Milk Institute, an international organization dedicated to promoting and supporting the safe and hygienic production of raw milk, said the key to safe raw milk is educating farmers in how to produce low risk raw milk and conducting educational outreach for the public to learn more about the benefits of raw milk.
Large epidemiological studies have shown that raw milk consumption is correlated with lower rates of asthma, eczema, allergies, ear infections, fevers, and respiratory infections, she said. It is also easier to digest and is associated with better gut and immune system health.
“One of the biggest hurdles is that the federal government in the United States is still kind of stuck in an old mindset that is looking at raw milk as a dangerous food. The problem has to do with manmade errors,” Smith said. “They won’t change their mindset on this or at least they haven’t so far and are continuing to tell people that raw milk is unsafe.”
It is a large hurdle for producers to overcome the mindset, she said.
“The milk processing industry is where the money is being made in dairy and they have very strong allies and a lot of political clout and power behind them, Smith said. “That is pushing against raw milk for sure.”
Removing the pasteurization process can help the small dairy farmer reduce costs and improve the customer relations, she added.
“A lot of farmers who are struggling to produce pasteurized milk, they can have a much more rewarding life if they’re producing raw milk,” she said. “They get to connect with their consumers directly instead of just the milk truck. They get to know the families that are relying on them.”