Defending Raw Milk in New Zealand
December 10, 2014My Family Co-Op, Michigan
December 10, 2014A letter from our London Chapter Leader, Phil Ridley–thanks for your help defending raw milk in the UK, Phil!
I am happy to report that we won the raw milk debate here in Britain. Here is the amended paper from the Food Safety Authority (FSA): http://www.food.gov.uk/sites/default/files/multimedia/pdfs/board/board-papers2014/fsa-140704.pdf
Here’s a summary of wins:
- FSA believes that it is not proportionate to ban all raw drinking milk.
- Plans to ban the retail sale of non-bovine raw drinking milk appear to have been dropped.
- Consideration will now be given to how retail sale of raw drinking milk can be liberalized, including the use of vending machines. This is likely to involve requiring additional tests and health and safety procedures.
- Amended proposals taking these things into account will be put to the board soon.
Here is a summary clip from the public consultation event: FSA Raw Milk 3.5 min highlights CUT4 DC v1.3 10-7-14.mp4. The full public consultation event is online at: http://food.gov.uk/news-updates/news/2014/apr/raw-milk-video.
I hope this victory will help the review taking place in New Zealand and form a template for how to counter anti-raw milk laws in USA and beyond.
Still, we must continue to be vigilant as the UK reports mention further actions pertaining to raw milk by the EU.
Phil Ridley, London Chapter Leader
1 Comment
I wrote scottish NHS, Answer:
Dear Akos
Thanks for your enquiry on the availability of raw drinking milk in Scotland.
In brief, the sale of raw milk is banned in Scotland due to the widely recognised public health risks associated with drinking unpasteurised milk. The Scottish ban on selling raw cow’s milk for human consumption was introduced in 1983 following a significant number of milk-related illnesses and the number of cases of foodborne disease associated with the consumption of raw milk has decreased significantly since then.
Regards, Will.
Dr Will Munro
Policy Adviser – Chemical & Radiological Contaminants, Fish Hygiene, Imports/Exports & OFFC
Regulatory Policy Branch
Food Standards Agency in Scotland
St Magnus House
25 Guild Street
Aberdeen
AB11 6NJ
Tel: 01224-285161
Blackberry: 07825-357856
Fax: 01224-285168
will.munro@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk