Organic Dairy Farmers Want to Talk to YOU...Big Dairy Doesn't

In my quest to find good quality dairy products for myself, I have come to find out that it is illegal in New Jersey to buy raw dairy. They should rename the state to NO JERSEY, because that seems to be the overwhelming answer from those who hold authority on just about everything. 

From what I gather, the reason we are not allowed to purchase raw dairy from farms is "for our own protection". As if it is safer to buy ultra-pasteurized, homogenized, fortified milk from Big Dairy Farms that:

#1 do not want to talk about their practices
#2 use cows that have grown up on feed lots and been fed growth hormones, antibiotics, and grain. Cow's naturally eat grass and that is what their digestive system is designed to handle, hence the new need for antibiotics. Healthy grass fed cows very rarely need antibiotics 
#3 milk cows that are pregnant, something that would never happen in nature. I would think that this also increases the level of hormones in the milk since any animal (human or cow) is raging with hormones when preggers.

"From the perspective of a national public health professional looking at an estimated total of 48 million foodborne illnesses each year [from all foods]… there is no rational justification to focus national attention on raw milk, which may be associated with an average of 42 illnesses maximum among the more than nine million people (about 0.0005 percent) who have chosen to drink milk in its fresh unprocessed form.

… Consumption of any food has some risk of illness or adverse reaction. And the consequence of basing public policy on horrific personal experiences is that all foods will ultimately be banned, and we will not be able to participate in any activity." 

Dr. Ted Beals, researcher

I have not ventured across state lines yet to buy dairy from PA or NY (I think that is illegal also but I don't really give a S-H-I-T). It is my firm belief that if someone wants to buy something that they think is healthy for them, they should be allowed. Selling raw milk is now up there with making crystal meth and selling cocaine- RIDICULOUS! 


Anyway, back to dairy. Stonyfield Organics is a company that buys its milk from local, family-run dairy farms. The farms where the milk comes from are actually on their website, as well as videos from the farmers. I really like when companies put videos up because you can really get a sense of whether these people are full of S-H-I-T or not. At least I can. So this company's products are sold at supermarkets all over the country. It is not raw but atleast it is organic and I took a few minutes to watch some of the videos they had on their website and put the best ones below.

There are plenty of other organic dairy companies. You just have to look in your supermarket. The more I read and learn, the more convinced I am that conventional dairy (the way it comes to market today) is just plain no good for us.  

The FDA would have you believe pasteurization of milk protects you from deadly pathogens contained in raw milk. The fact is however, that if cows are raised as nature intended (free-range and grass-fed), there is no need to process the milk these healthy animals produce.
However, cows raised in concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) are NOT raised in a manner that makes their milk suitable for drinking raw.

CAFO cows are typically raised on high-protein, soy-based feeds instead of fresh green grass, and instead of free range grazing, they stand in cramped, manure-covered feed lots all day. These conditions are perfect for the proliferation of disease, and yes, this milk MUST be pasteurized in order for it to be safe to drink. These cows also need antibiotics to keep them well, and some are also given genetically modified growth hormones (rBGH) to increase milk production. Needless to say, these hormones and antibiotics also wind up in the milk.

Aside from the manner in which the cows are raised, which significantly alters the milk they produce to begin with, pasteurization has its own problems as it:

• Transforms the physical structure of the milk proteins and alters the shape of the amino acid configuration into a collection of proteins that is now non-functional and in a shape that can be highly allergenic.  

• Destroys the friendly bacteria found naturally in milk and drastically reduces the micronutrient and vitamin content.

• Encourages the growth of harmful bacteria, and turns milk’s naturally occurring sugar (lactose) into beta-lactose. Beta-lactose is rapidly absorbed in the human body, with the result that hunger can return quickly after a glass of milk – especially in children.

• Makes insoluble most of the calcium found in raw milk, which can lead to a host of health problems in children, among them rickets and bad teeth.

• Destroys about 20 percent of the iodine available in raw milk, which can cause constipation.

• When pasteurized milk is also homogenized, a substance known as xanthine oxidase is created. This compound can play a role in oxidative stress by acting as a free radical in your body. (Original Source: Dr. Mercola)

 If you are interested in digging deeper there is plenty of information out there. I urge you to form your own opinion about the health of our dairy industry. I will keep you posted about my adventures in buying illegal milk. Hopefully I won't get arrested.