Jurriën timber
A bill in the Arkansas Legislature that would allow the sale of unpasteurized, raw milk has been approved by a House committee.
With the approval from the Agriculture, Forestry & Economic Development Committee, House Bill 1048 now advances to the the state’s full House of Representatives for consideration. State Sen. Alan Clark, R-Lonsdale, and state representatives Mary Bentley, R-Perryville, Cameron Cooper, R-Romance, and Wayne Long, R-Bradford, filed the bill on Nov. 20.
If approved by the legislature and signed into law by the governor, the bill would amend the language of a 2013 law that only allows farmers to sell limited quantities of unpasteurized milk directly from their farms while clearly labeling the product as unpasteurized.
If passed, the bill would allow anyoneto sell up to 500 gallons of raw milk per month, regardless of whether they were the farmer who produced it or were simply reselling raw milk they purchased elsewhere.
The bill would allow raw milk sales at farmers’ markets or delivery from the farm.
The bill was filed after a North Little Rock market, Me & McGee, was turned in to the Arkansas Department of Health for selling raw milk under the guise that it was for pet consumption.
The sale of raw milk on an interstate basis is prohibited by federal law because of health concerns. Public health officials from virtually all 50 states say raw milk is dangerous because it can contain harmful bacteria including E. coli, Salmonella, Listeria and Campylobacter. Pasteurization kills bacteria and viruses in raw milk by heating it to 165 degrees for 15 seconds.
(To sign up for a free subscription to Food Safety News,click here)