FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Ohio Department of Health
Selling and Shipping Raw Dairy Products into Ohio is Illegal
REYNOLDSBURG, Ohio (March 1, 2006) — Ohio Department of Agriculture Director Fred L. Dailey is cautioning consumers to avoid falling prey to direct or deceptive online sales of unpasteurized raw milk products, which are not allowed to be sold or offered for sale in Ohio.
“I strongly urge consumers to drink only milk that has been properly pasteurized at a licensed and inspected facility,” said Dailey. “You could be putting yourself or your family at risk by consuming raw milk.”


Dailey recently sent a letter to a California company that illegally shipped raw milk into the state warning Organic Pastures Dairy Company, LLC that they may not distribute raw dairy products in Ohio marked for pet consumption or human consumption.
Consumption of raw milk products is discouraged not only by the Ohio Department of Agriculture, but also by the Food and Drug Administration, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and the American Medical Association. Raw milk can harbor dangerous pathogenic organisms that can cause diseases such as brucellosis, campylobacterosis, salmonellosis, and tuberculosis. Pathogens such as Listeria monocytogenes and E. coli O157:H7 can also be introduced during and after milking and have been responsible for foodborne disease outbreaks.
Under Ohio law, the sale of raw milk from cows or goats directly to consumers is illegal. Ohio’s dairy laws do not prohibit dairy farmers from selling milk directly to consumers, provided they meet pasteurization and other requirements and become a licensed and inspected milk processor.
The Ohio Department of Agriculture’s Dairy Division helps to ensure that milk and dairy products are wholesome and safe for consumption. The division inspects, licenses, and maintains records on Ohio’s 2,559 Grade A milk producers, 1,014 manufacture milk producers, as well as milk haulers, milk
processors, milk transfer stations, and milk receiving stations in Ohio. Licensing and inspecting these facilities helps to ensure the sanitary production, processing, and transportation of these products.
Media Contact: LeeAnne Mizer, ODA Communications, 614-752-9817