California suspends company’s sale of raw milk after new outbreak of bird flu
RFK Jr., a proponent of raw milk, could soon lead the Department of Health and Human Services
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.California state officials have suspended a company’s sales of raw milk to retailers amid ongoing concerns about bird flu.
Raw milk sales by Raw Farm, located in Fresno, was blocked from distributing its raw dairy products as of Thursday, the Los Angeles Times reported. However, their products already on shelves can still be sold, according to the newspaper.
The California Department of Food and Agriculture are now investigating.
“All Raw Farm operations are currently under quarantine, from herds to bottled product, which means that all raw milk product distribution is suspended,” a spokesperson for the department said in a statement to The Independent.
The Independent has contacted Raw Farm for comment.
On Sunday the state’s Department of Public Health warned residents against drinking the batch of cream top, whole raw milk from Fresno County’s Raw Farm LLC and advised consumers to return the product to where it was purchased. Raw Farm LLC has issued a voluntary recall of the affected lot code 20241109.
A Raw Farm batch bottled on November 9 was also recalled, the Times reported.
The sales suspension comes amid contradictory bird flu test results this month. County public health officials were finding bird flu in raw milk bought at stores, while state officials weren’t finding the virus in bulk tests, the Times reports. A new round of tests on Raw Farm products turned up positive Wednesday, and officials suspended sales.
Raw Farm owner Mark McAfee told the Times that his cows are indeed infected with the H5N1 bird flu virus. He said he wasn’t aware of it until this week, however, because the cows are “so healthy that they don’t show the classic signs or symptoms.”
The sales suspension comes as human cases of dangerous H5N1 bird flu have risen across the country.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says there were 55 cases across seven states as of Friday. The majority of the cases are in California.
The agency reported the first avian influenza H5 virus infection in a child in the US last week. The child’s condition is still unclear.
The uptick in bird flu comes as Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, continues to tout the consumption of raw milk. Kennedy has pledged that what he characterized as the “aggressive suppression” of raw milk is about to end and revealed he drinks raw milk.
Scientists have warned in recent days that the virus may be more widespread than previously believed.
“We are in a soup of virus. I mean, there’s virus everywhere around us at this point,” Dr. Marcela Uhart, a wildlife veterinarian with the University of Cal-Davis’ One Health Institute, said earlier this month. “This virus is circulating left and right in mammals and in birds, as far as we can tell, some of them are not showing any signs of disease.”
The virus is spread to humans via several pathways. Farm workers can inhale infected particles, pick up germs from sick animals and other surfaces and then touch their faces and eyes. Consumers can also get it by drinking raw cow’s milk.
Those who have had no contact with infected poultry or other sources of contamination are likely at very low risk of infection. No infections have been reported from eating properly cooked poultry or poultry products or proper handling of poultry meat.
With reporting from Julia Musto
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments