Georgia Lawmakers Consider Legalizing Raw Milk
Raw milk has the potential to ease the dairy crisis for family farms and artisan producers across the country. Government regulations continue to outlaw unpasteurized milk and punish producers despite raw milk posing no greater threat to health than other raw foods we regularly purchase. Dairy advocates have been fighting for the right to raw milk for decades and in Georgia, lawmakers have begun to listen.
Raw milk has been an issue of farmers’ rights for decades. While foods like sushi, raw oysters, and runny eggs pose the same risks of bacterial growth, raw milk has remained out of farmers markets and off of grocery shelves. In the state of Georgia, lawmakers are currently considering legalizing the distribution and sale of raw milk which is currently only available in pet food. Growing concern over how much of that milk is ending up in glasses for human consumption have pushed lawmakers to reconsider the statewide ban of raw milk. The legalization of raw milk would allow for its production and sale to be regulated, as well as provide additional opportunities for small dairy producers to access a higher-paying, niche market.
