FDA Plans Raw Milk Shutdown. Please Share This With Your Farmer ASAP

The Weston Price Foundation has responded with this important Action Alert.

On June 6, the FDA wrote to all state public health and agriculture agencies advising them on the need to “collectively work to address new developments related to the presence of High Pathogenic Avian Influenza A H5N1 (HPAI H5N1) in dairy cattle.”

Although admitting that  “. . . we do not know at this time if the HPAI H5N1 virus can be transmitted to humans through consumption of raw milk and products made from raw milk from infected cows,” the agency recommends that health and agriculture departments “Distribute messaging to the public about the health risks of consuming raw milk and raw milk products” and “[i]mplement a surveillance testing program in your state to identify the presence of HPAI H5N1 virus in dairy herds that might be engaged in producing raw milk for intrastate saleThe FDA and USDA will provide “technical assistance” in sampling and testing.

Their motive is clearly stated: “For states that permit the sale of raw milk within their state, use regulatory authorities or implement other measures, as appropriate, to stop the sale of raw milk that may present a risk to consumers.”

We can assume from this memo that raw milk farmers will be receiving visits from officials wanting to test their milk for a non-existent virus using a bogus testing method, just as they have done for flocks of chickens.

Fortunately, some chicken farmers have avoided this testing and prevented the slaughter of their animals by insisting that inspectors fill out two questionnaires.

1. Inspector Information form to obtain the names and contact information of those visiting their farm (below).
2. Questionnaire for Inspector, which asks for proof of successful isolation of the bird flu virus, proof of contagious nature of the bird flu virus, type of test that will be used and contact information of the lab that will be doing the testing (below).

Obviously, no inspector will be able to provide the information requested on the form, information that is the farmer’s right to have.  The hope is that they will leave and never come back–as they have with astute chicken farmers.

ACTION TO TAKE: Please share these forms with your raw milk producer.  We hope that these measures will prevent the FDA’s planned shutdown of raw milk farmers.

Sincerely yours,

Sally Fallon Morell, President

The Weston A. Price Foundation