I definitely agree it tastes way better!

Awesome! Must be so nice to be able to get it so affordably.

I will look into all this – I definitely want to make sure I have my facts straight since that is what I encourage others to do! I do think it’s extremely important for raw milk consumers to know their farmer and like you said, to know that it’s not a simple answer of “raw milk is good”, because I do understand that’s not always necessarily the case. It’s that way with anything we eat. The more you can buy locally and know your farmer and their practices, the more you can be assured that what you’re eating is clean and safe.

Commercial beef cattle and commercial dairy cattle are entirely different ballgames. Honestly, you’ll never visit a farm cleaner than the average dairy! Their farms, cattle, equipment, and milking parlors are inspected regularly (True in MO, I’m sure other states as well!). Many dairy cattle graze a lot. Most don’t, but if they aren’t grazing they are getting the BEST feed of any animal in our food chain. As horse owners (horses must have premium hay) we’re constantly fighting dairy farmers for the best, cleanest, highest nutrition hay. Cows fed great feed produce more milk, so their diets aren’t corn, but a correct, forage based diet that will keep them healthy for as long as possible (Because dairy cows are EXPENSIVE, it’s cheaper to invest in the long term health of one good producer than buy one and feed in such a way that she produces less milk for a shorter span) You’d never, ever see a dairy cow in a pen of standing manure- money motivates, and farmers don’t get paid for milk that tests contaminated, or milk produced after a failed surprise inspection.

I do drink raw milk, but I really worry about people who buy it from “underground” sources. Who is inspecting backyard operations? Do you know how to spot a pasture that hasn’t been rotated properly? His cows may be on pasture 24/7, but if he’s not moving them from pasture to pasture at the appropriate time, and resting or treating his pasture properly- the source of your milk is actually grazing on her own fecal matter and the parasites living in it!

That’s scary to me. I’d drink pasteurized if that was my only option. You are much safer buying “for your pet” from a commercial dairy than a “non-pro” dairy. Thankfully Missouri does authorize dairies to sell raw milk. But there are only two in the state because the inspection process is so rigorous, and limitations on how they can sell is so strict that it’s hard to market!

I think as consumers our focus should be on demanding that the USDA set up a standard by which a farm CAN be licensed to sell raw milk, and labeling that would allow the milk to be sold next to pasteurized milk in grocery stores.

Sorry I wrote a book!!! lol. It’s hard to explain, and I think not as simple as “raw milk is good, commercial milk is bad”!

Oh, I’m glad to hear that, Kasey! Makes me happy to see that people are willing to think for themselves!