Are WI Farmers Getting a Raw Deal on Raw Milk?
MADISON, Wis. – With dairy prices depressed and dairymen looking for new ways to sell directly to consumers, some Wisconsin farmers are banking on raw milk as an answer. Currently, the state bars the sale of raw or unpasteurized milk to the general public. That could change if a bill making its way through the legislature passes. Scott Trautman, a family farmer in Stoughton, Wis., would like to sell raw milk to make his organic farming operation more profitable. “I cannot fathom that nature got it wrong, that innately these cows produce a biohazard that only pasteurization can cure.” Trautman expects lawmakers to take up the bill when they return to Madison in January. “Probably in the next session in January, there’s going to be hearings on it and then there will be a vote on it, and that will legalize raw milk.” Trautman went on to say the real issue at play with raw milk sales is personal freedom. “A lot of this comes down to the ability to make choices for yourself, and the governm
