Dive Summary:
- A proposed rule change on raw milk sales by the Illinois Department of Public Health would limit on-farm sales to 100 gallons per month, require additional equipment for Grade A certification, require dairy farms to maintain a log of customer names and numbers, and ban "herd-sharing" schemes.
- The rules were published in January, but the rule-making will likely take six more months to conclude.
- Raw milk advocates maintain that it is healthier and tastes better than pasteurized milk, but the state, which bans the retail sale of raw milk, says it is trying to limit widespread distribution and establish a system to easily track anyone who may be caught in an unfortunate disease outbreak.
From the article:
... In its “Health Beat” series on its website, the Illinois Department of Public Health warns people in the Land of Lincoln of the dangers of consuming milk that is not pasteurized, saying: “Illness due to these bacteria can lead to diarrhea, stomach cramps, fever, headache and vomiting. These symptoms typically last anywhere from several hours to a week or more but most healthy people will recover. Illness acquired outside the United States can include flu-like illness, recurring fever, night sweats and cough. These illnesses can become serious and medical attention should be sought.” ...
