NEWS: CDC issues warning about raw milk on March 18, 2016 following multi-state listeria outbreak causing one death and two hospitalizations. More information: Food Safety News and CDC's Raw Milk Website.
Raw milk is milk from cows, sheep or goats that has not been pasteurized to kill harmful germs, including bacteria and viruses. Pasteurization is a process that heats milk to a certain temperature for a set period of time to kill these harmful microbes. Raw milk and products made from unpasteurized milk including yogurt, pudding, ice cream, frozen yogurt and processed cheeses are sold in Vermont. The VVMA, the American Academy of Pediatrics and other groups oppose the sale of raw milk because it may contain dangerous bacteria that can pose serious health risks. Legislation to expand the sale of raw milk continues to be introduced and passed, despite the opposition and testimony against it by the VVMA and other groups, including the Vermont Department of Health.
The information below was compiled in opposition to the legislation passed in May of 2015 to expand the sale of raw milk. We will update this webpage when/if additional legislation is introduced.
It's important that your legislators hear from veterinarians about this important public health issue! Contact your legislators today. To find your legislators and how to contact them, click here.
If you have any questions, please contact VVMA's Government Relations Committee Chair Dr. David Hyde, Ryegate Small Animal Clinic, at 802-633-3660 or email@example.com, One Health Committee Chair Dr. Eileen Wolfe, Orleans Veterinary Service, at 802-754-6625 or firstname.lastname@example.org, or VVMA Executive Director Kathy Finnie at 802-878-6888 or email@example.com.