Raw Milk In Wisconsin Is Illegal And Making People Sick, Says State
This just in from the State of Wisconsin:
Thirteen confirmed cases of illness in southeastern Wisconsin have been linked to consumption of unpasteurized milk, public health officials said today, and they cautioned residents to discard any unpasteurized milk they have in their homes.
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services and the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection said individuals have tested positive for campylobacter jejuni, a bacterial infection that causes gastro-intestinal symptoms and fever and that occasionally leads to severe complications. There are other people in the same households who are ill, but those test results are not yet available, officials said.
The onset of illness was Aug. 14-20. All victims had consumed raw milk or been in households where someone else consumed raw milk and became ill. Campylobacter can be passed between people as well as being contracted directly from contaminated food.
Campylobacter jejuni bacteria cause nausea, diarrhea, abdominal cramping, fever and vomiting. Rarely, it can lead to temporary arthritis or paralysis, generally after the initial symptoms have disappeared.
Anyone who has these symptoms and has recently consumed unpasteurized milk or dairy products should contact their doctor. To prevent spreading Campylobacter bacteria, follow proper hand-washing procedures and wash down bathroom and kitchen surfaces with an antibacterial agent.
Selling or distributing raw milk and raw milk products is illegal in Wisconsin.
I live in WI and have been looking for Raw milk to buy for a while now. Just the other day found out its illegal. This is ridiculous. The symptoms mentioned in the article above are mild and no reason to dump all raw milk.
Our freedom and right to 'pursue happiness' in this regard has been taken from us.
Processed milk is missing all the ingredients that my children need for healthy teeth and bones. I guess I will have to buy myself a cow.
So you want your kids to have healty teeth and bones, but let me guess...they're not vaccinated for polio either? Funny how people like you claim to be so healty, but disregard some of the most important safeguards for your children.
Alathea claims that campylobacter poisoninh is "mild." And asserts that the right to ingest enteric microbes and get sick is a "freedom and right to pursue happiness." These comments cannot stand as facts.
Research has long shown that C. jejuni infections that appear mild can later cause health problems such as myocarditis, Crohn's disease, arthritis, and more. The extent of this relationship is still being evaluated, in the meantime we must expect public health officials to take a strong stand on this.
Freedom? I don't want to pay for health insurance for people who disregard the simplest and most basic laws of microbial transmission. I'm tired of paying for other people's fetishes that lead to illness. Raw milk is one of the silliest food fetishes ever. Why don't you crusade for raw beef?
All people in the country, where i was from in east Europe drink raw milk every day and nobody never died or got sick. Raw milk makes your heals system strong and save you from many deasises. Why shod people spend so much money to buy not organik vitamin pillows and calciym if everythin that they need is in raw milk.
Medical researches show, shat people, who were drinking raw milk not so often get influenza, stomach illneses, food poisoning and heart disease...
I live in Wisconsin and heard about this. When all these cows were tested, my understanding is NONE of them had anything wrong with their milk. Sounds all kind of odd to me.
I think that the state is worried that too many people are seeing the benifits of raw milk and the bigger organic companies are concerned about losing business. It has been around forever. If I lived closer, I would buy raw milk from someone.
It is a choice that any person should have -- if we can have to choice for abortion - we should also have the choice for what milk we drink...it is our choice!!!
Jen is right, that is exactly what happened. We were one of the ones that were sick. The cows did test negative and the farm is very clean. Our son is autistic and when he started drinking raw milk 5 yrs ago his autistic behaviors disappeared. He is allergic to the protein in milk, when he consumes raw milk the live digestive enzymes allows his body to digest it. Since last summer we have bought organic milk from the store and all of our family has noticed the autistic traits coming back. Not to mention we have had more colds and sickness in the last season than I can remember. He is allergic to nuts, soy, and rice milk gives him sores on his tounge. People have been drinking raw milk for thousands of years, it is a risk you take, like with any thing, peanut butter from unsanitary factories, tainted meat that goes undetected, etc. Until you have a child who has severe issues you will never understand.
Marios_Mom said on: March 9, 2010, 9:45 pm
At one time, I too, was a believer in pasteurized milk. But, then I EDUCATED myself because I had a reason. Here is what I know...More than 1,500 people became ill from drinking raw milk between 1993 and 2006, the most recent data available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Of those, 185 were hospitalized and two died. WOW!! Two people died in 13 years from drinking raw milk. yet every year in the US 5,000 people die from foodborne illnesses from the very things we think are safe because we buy them in a supermarket? I NOW AM A FIRM BELIEVER IN... the less man touches it, the healthier it is. We are not talking about pulling up to any farm on the road and asking if you can buy milk. It is a researched and educated decision made in the best interest of you and your family. Not grain fed cows, but pasture fed animals, clean farms. Farms that will allow customers to come anytime they choose because they have NOTHING to hide. I do not understand WHY there is a debate? No one will be forced to drink it if they don't want to. My son also has autism, and drank Almond Milk for over 2 years. could not handle milk until he started to drink "RAW MILK". Not only does his body handle it, he is healthier. During the Winter he has a constant cold. 6 months ago, he started to drink raw milk and this winter he has had 1 mild cold. My other children also are constantly sick throughout the winter months and haven't been sick once this winter. THANK YOU FOR THE RAW MILK!! OUR EDUCATED CHOICE!