FDA’s War Against Raw Milk

May 10, 2011

An Amish farmer is in trouble for distributing raw milk in interstate commerce. If the Leahy bill passes, raw milk “desperados” like him could go to jail for ten years!

Last month the Justice Department, at the request of the US Food and Drug Administration, filed a complaint for permanent injunction against Daniel L. Allgyer, owner of the Rainbow Acres Farm, in Kinzers, PA, for distributing unpasteurized (or “raw”) milk for human consumption in interstate commerce.

They claim that Allyger violated federal law by failing to provide the label information required by law—resulting in “misbranding.” During an inspection of Rainbow Acres Farm, FDA investigators determined that the farm was producing, packaging, selling, and distributing unpasteurized and unlabeled milk for human consumption in interstate commerce. Under federal law, milk can be sold in interstate commerce only if it is pasteurized and in “final package form.”

Whether Allgyer violated federal law or not, FDA has been on a rampage against raw milk for quite some time, and the agency is motivated by its irrational bias against raw milk

According to the FDA press release, “Drinking raw milk is dangerous and shouldn’t be consumed under any circumstances.” But this runs contrary to the scientific data. As the Weston A. Price Foundation notes, raw milk has a proven safety record; it has many health benefits—protecting against infection, diarrhea, rickets, tooth decay, and tuberculosis; and there are tremendous potential economic benefits as well.

FDA’s assertion that raw milk is dangerous and puts consumers at risk—despite the abundant evidence to the contrary—has convinced the Justice Department to go after Allgyer for “misbranding.” If the newly revived Leahy bill passes, the Justice Department will be able to sentence raw milk producers, like David Allgyer of Rainbow Farms, to up to ten years in prison. If you have not already done so, please review our Action Alert on the Leahy bill and contact your senators and congressional representative today!