Raw Milk
(Continued from Page A 32)
an approved bottling and cap
ping facility, and there’s “a lot
more cost involved,” Malik said.
However, marketing potential
grows considerably with a pre
filled container permit because
the milk can be sold in stores and
farmers’ markets anywhere in the
state.
Raymond Fisher, of Centre
County, was one of many Plain
dairy fanners attending the meet
ing. He milks about 35 cows in
partnership with his wife near
Rebersburg. Two weeks ago, they
began bottling milk under a pre
filled container permit. Their raw
milk sales are already increasing,
according to Fisher.
“We knew the demand was
there,” he said.
Either kind of permit holder
must test the herd annually for
TB and brucellosis, have their
water tested two times a year,
and conduct monthly milk tests
for standard plate count for bac
teria and somatic cell count. The
PDA checks each step of the pro
duction and milk-handling pro
cess.
The state doesn’t charge a fee
for permitting, but requires the
tests on a regular basis. Total
testing fees for a herd of 40 cows
add up to roughly $lOO a month,
according to Malik.
Some Models Cut
and Mix Hay
Panel members handling raw milk questions are, from left, Mark McAfee, California dairyman; Roy Malik, state milk
inspector; Tim Wightman, Wisconsin dairyman; Jerry Brunotti, ag consultant; Carlton Busko, medical doctor; and
Bobby McLean, director of Pennsylvania’s Bureau of Food Safety and Laboratory Services.
Malik also recommended
farmers implement the state’s
Johne’s program to make sure
their herd is free of this chronic,
intestinal disease.
Studies in recent years have
shown possible links between
Johne’s and Crohn’s disease, a
chronic intestinal disorder in hu
mans.
At the same time, there is con
troversy about whether or not
normal pasteurization actually
kills the Johne’s organism,
according to Malik.
Malik said he talks to the state
veterinarian regularly for updates
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on the Johne’s issue.
For farmers who sell both raw
milk and milk that will be pas
teurized, Malik said a common
way to help assure high quality of
the raw milk is to keep two sepa
rate bulk tanks for storing milk.
The first number of cows can be
milked with extra care and clean
liness for the raw milk. Then the
farmers “can let their hair down”
and milk the rest of the herd like
a normal dairy farmer would.
“Our raw milk history is phe
nomenal,” Malik said, noting
that he is aware of just one raw
milk-related illness ever having
occurred in Pennsylvania.
Complaints about short
term digestive problems
tend to come from first-time
drinkers, he said.
In his region, which in-
Project Grass Conference Set Oct. 27-28
STATE COLLEGE (Centre
Co.) Pennsylvania Project
Grass will conduct its Second
Annual Statewide Conference
and Grazing Farm Field Day
on Oct. 27-28 at Days Inn,
State College.
The two-day event will fea
ture a grazing farm tour, an
awards banquet, and a number
of presentations on grazing and
the work of Project Grass, a
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Lancaster Farming, Saturday, Octobdr’2s, 2003-A33
cludes the southeast and central
parts of the state, Malik said he
has been making three or more
“raw milk visits” most weeks in
recent months visits to farmers
who are considering applying for
a raw milk permit. Although not
nearly all those dairies follow
through, there is “absolutely” an
increasing interest in selling raw
milk, he said.
Malik also pointed that people
owning just one cow are allowed
to sell raw milk products.
Jerry Brunetti of Agri-Dynam
ics Consulting, and Carlton
Busko, MD, a general practice
doctor with offices in Lancaster
and Halifax, joined a panel dis
cussion following the individual
speakers.
In his medical practice, Busko
focuses on metabolic restoration
and disease therapy that includes
statewide grazing partnership
organization.
Topics and speakers for
Monday, Oct. 27, include:
• How to Form a Coopera
tive, Tanya Turner of Keystone
Development Center.
• Animal Grazing Nutrition,
Kathy Soder, ARS Pasture Re
search Lab, University Park.
• Carbon Sequestration:
What is it and Why is it Impor-
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raw milk and raw milk products
in the diet. Brunetti is a leader in
the eastern Pennsylvania chapter
of Weston Price Foundation, an
international group that
promotes nutrient-dense foods,
including raw milk and meat
from grass-fed livestock. Panel
members addressed a wide vari
ety of questions from the audi
ence, from health effects to the
permitting process.
Brian Snyder, PASA executive
director, moderated the meeting.
“Raw milk is an issue that is
increasingly important to farmers
and consumers,” Snyder said.
“Folks at the PDA are just wak
ing up to the demand for raw
milk.”
Dan Fisher, ag consultant and
natural food advocate from Blue
Ball, called the event “an historic
meeting.”
tant?, Curtis Dell, ARS Pasture
Research Lab, University Park.
The five regional Project
Grass chapters will also report
on their accomplishments and
there will be an overview of the
Project Grass strategic plan.
The grazing tour bus to
Huntingdon County will leave
Days Inn at 8 a.m. Tuesday,
Oct. 28.
For more information, call
(814) 445-8979 ext. 101.