Farmers, legislators and organization representatives from across the state gathered at the state Capitol Wednesday to discuss an issue close to the heart of America’s Dairyland: the sale of unpasteurized milk.
The approximately four-hour-long hearing before the state Senate Committee on Financial Institutions and Rural Issues was scheduled after state Sen. Glenn Grothman, R-West Bend, authored state Senate bill 236, which would allow state dairy farmers to sell unpasteurized milk directly from their farms.
The bill requires potential sellers to register with the state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection and lists five specific requirements for the sale of milk, including providing a clean container and clearly marking the milk as unpasteurized.
Raw milk proponents have long held unpasteurized milk as a healthier alternative to pasteurized milk, which is superheated to kill potential pathogens. Critics of the new bill, including many representatives from the dairy industry, express concern non-treated milk could foster harmful food borne pathogens that would threaten consumer health and possibly sour consumers to the dairy industry.
Representatives in opposition, who made up the majority of speakers, came from organizations ranging from the Wisconsin Nurses Association to the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association and the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation.
One dairy farmer compared the sale of unpasteurized milk to consumers playing “Russian roulette,” in his written testimony.
State Rep. Dave Murphy, R-Greenville, who was the assembly author of the bill, maintained in his written testimony the bill would only be “enabling legislation,” and would not force anyone to buy the unpasteurized milk.
A second hearing on the bill is scheduled for Sept. 16 in Eau Claire, Wis.
