Marla Hardee Milling

Special to The News Record & Sentinel

A new bill under debate in the North Carolina house would, if passed, allow for the sale of raw milk in the state. The primary sponsors include Rep. Michele Presnell (R-Yancey), Rep. Jon Hardister (R-Guilford), Rep. John Ager (D-Buncombe), and Rep. Pricey Harrison (D-Guilford).

The ball on this new bill started rolling several weeks ago when Kimberly Ramsey, of Jewel Hill Farm in Marshall, says she and her husband, Ernest Ramsey, contacted Presnell when they were unable to get testing for milk produced by their cows. They planned to distribute the milk as part of Herdshare Agreements, which became legal on October 1 in North Carolina.

Presnell represents Madison County.

Kimberly explained how a herdshare works: “If you want access to raw milk, you can buy into my herd. I can sell you a portion of my herd. You pay me back monthly for boarding, feeding, milking and vet care. You’re not actually buying the milk. You are supporting your cow and in return you get the milk.”

They wanted to get their milk tested, and that’s when they ran into a roadblock. None of the labs that test milk for co-ops and Grade-A dairies would touch their milk.

Ernest, who is the nephew of the late famed N.C. legislator Liston Ramsey, said “Somebody is standing on the tail of this herdshare law and trying to make it fail, and that’s not right.”

He called Presnell, and she decided to pay a visit to their farm. “About five weeks ago, she spent three to four hours with us,” said Kimberly. “She met our cows, saw how we handle our milk, and heard our plea.”

Upon returning to Raleigh, Kimberly said Presnell discovered “there is a move afoot to repeal the herdshare law.” Presnell introduced the HB 103 bill Feb 19 to allow for the sale of raw milk. Standards listed on the bill include testing for levels of bacteria, making sure animals are free from tuberculosis and test negative on annual brucellosis tests and that milk is produced in compliance with requirements recommended by the U.S. Public Health/Food and Drug Administration.

“In the worst case scenario, we hope to save the herdshare law,” said Kimberly. “The best case would be retail sales of raw milk.”

Is raw milk healthy?

Leah McGrath, dietitian for the Ingle’s grocery store chain, gives a quick no when asked if raw milk is healthy.

“I don’t think raw milk is safe and recent food borne illness outbreaks linked to sale of raw milk continue to occur. It is not worth the risk, and there is no nutritional benefit.”

The American Academy of Pediatrics is one group that sounds an alarm about the risks of raw milk products. In an official statement on its website, the AAP advises pregnant women, infants and children to consume only pasteurized milk, cheese and other milk products.

Mary Glodé, MD, A co-author of the AAP policy statement, wrote: “Raw milk poses a significant health risk, since the process of obtaining fresh milk from cows and goats can be fraught with risks of contamination both while milking the animals and during storage.”

The CDC also warns against the consumption of raw milk, stating on its website: “Raw milk can make you very sick or even kill you. That’s because it can contain harmful germs, such as brucella, campylobacter, cryptosporidium, e. coli, listeria and salmonella.

On the other side of the aisle, raw milk proponents claim it’s a healthier choice citing beneficial bacteria, enzymes and amino acids from milk produced by healthy, grass-fed cows.

Kimberly Ramsey says they have invested in thousands of dollars of equipment as well as ice blankets, sanitized coolers and books detailing the safe handling of raw milk to ensure the safety of their milk.

“Last week, we bought an incubator and a whole system for us to test our milk. We will be able to do it for our own peace of mind,” she said. “We’ve heard from labs who say they don’t want to be responsible telling us our milk is safe. I would always respond by saying we’re not asking you to determine if the milk is safe. I just want the bacterial counts. I just want the actual numbers. Then we can apply that to industry standards and see if it’s safe.”

For now, the Ramseys are in a state of limbo as they wait to see if the raw milk bill makes its way through the N.C. House and then on to the N.C. Senate and governor’s desk. If not, they hope the Herdshare Agreement will remain law and that they will be able to secure third party testing of their milk.

Updates on the progress of the bill can be found at www.ncleg.gov.