Author Pam Killeen on raw milk safety

POSITION PAPER ON THE DEBATE OVER RAW MILK SAFETY
PRESS CONFERENCE, QUEEN’S PARK, TORONTO, ON

Nov. 18, 2008 at Queen's Park, Toronto

November 18, 2008
Pam Killeen (author, raw milk consumer)
Email: pam@pamkilleen.com

The opposite of dirty milk is not pasteurized milk.
The opposite of dirty milk is clean milk.

“Approximately 100 years ago, pasteurization was introduced as a way to combat tuberculosis, infant diarrhea and other diseases caused by poor animal nutrition and dirty production methods. However, today, thanks to advancements in science and technology, refrigerated trucks, stainless steel tanks, milking machines and inspection methods make it possible to produce local, safe, clean raw milk. Consumers of raw milk here in Ontario are asking that the laws surrounding the ban of raw milk be revised in order to reflect this 21st century reality.

Even before mandatory pasteurization laws were established, public health officials recognized that there were dramatic hygienic differences between the animal husbandry practices of grass-feeding and stall-feeding dairy cattle. According to a statement published in the American Journal of Public Health in 1928 (American J Public Health 18:634,1928):

Newcastle University study reveals advantages of organic dairy farming

This study from Newcastle University in Britain, was published in May 2008. This study does not, however, address differences between pasteurized and raw milk; maybe next year. Here’s part of what they say in their press release:

Pasture and hay are a cow's natural diet.

“The Nafferton Ecological Farming Group [at Newcastle University] study found that grazing cows on organic farms in the UK produce milk which contains significantly higher beneficial fatty acids, antioxidants and vitamins than their conventional ‘high input’ counterparts.

During the summer months, one of the beneficial fats in particular – conjugated linoleic acid, or CLA9 – was found to be 60% higher.