I happened to be perusing some of the bills that are coming into play this session and came upon this very interesting one, SB1987/HD1.  This bill pertains to the acquisition of raw milk.  

Permits the acquisition of raw milk and raw milk products by owners of cows, goats, and sheep and cow shares, goat shares, and sheep shares if certain conditions are met. Requires farms and dairies that produce raw milk or raw milk products to register with the department of health. Permits farms and dairies to set up a location near an improved road to distribute their products to owners of cow, sheep, or goat shares. Prohibits the sale and redistribution of raw milk and raw milk products. 

The sponsors of the bill include:  WOOLEY, BELATTI, CACHOLA, CARROLL, CREAGAN, HANOHANO, C. LEE, LOWEN, MCKELVEY, MIZUNO, MORIKAWA, THIELEN

It is also interesting to note that while we are trying to legalize raw milk, there are others also trying to label genetically modified organism labeling.  They include:  ENGLISH, CHUN OAKLAND, GABBARD, GREEN, RUDERMAN, SHIMABUKURO, Ihara, Keith-Agaran, L. Thielen

That bill reads as such:

Establishes, beginning January 1, 2015, labeling requirements for any food or raw agricultural commodity sold in the State that contains a genetically engineered material, or was produced with a genetically engineered material; establishes exceptions; establishes violations; requires director of health to adopt rules.

(Note that it does not include any prepared food either to be labeled and establish any reasons for this law to begin with.)

I find it really odd that Representative Wooley, who championed the failed “right to know” and label it campaign last year, is supporting a bill to allow people to consume raw milk.  Raw milk as we know it has caused many deaths and disability due to contamination issues.  The chances of getting ill on raw milk is 150 times greater than consuming pasteurized products according to a CDC report.  (That is very scary to me that I would never want to expose my family to ever.)

So what do some of the health organizations of our country state regarding this policy about raw milk?

The American Academy of Pediatrics have issued a new policy statement urging pregnant women, infants and young children to consume only pasteurized dairy products as opposed to raw milk and milk products.

 

The CDC state that the risk of becoming ill from raw milk or milk products is significantly greater for people with weakened immune systems, the elderly, pregnant women, infants and young children.

There are even documented stories of many children, who have been harmed by raw milk and it is terribly sad for the entire family affected by this.  It’s not just one family but many already.  The costs to life and health are just not worth it.

Of course, the advocates for drinking raw milk will tout all the so called benefits of it, however the data does not corroborate this claim.  (Note that the word, “believe” is used frequently in the video below, which indicates that this is an ideology not backed with data.)

So where is Representative Wooley getting this information from about this bill?  It isn’t hard to find since her alliances with the Organic Consumer Associations are hard backers for people asking for the “right to drink” raw milk.  Really, a right to drink something that has a high risk for contamination and proven deadly or harmful?  These are the same people asking for the “right to know,” when we really know that it is far from the truth.

Nary a biotech papaya, that she so wanted labeled, has ever caused anyone harm compared to raw milk.  A papaya is pretty much guaranteed to help keep you living longer, as my grandmother lived to the ripe old age of 96.  Raw milk would have likely killed her.  Where’s the logic in these lawmakers?