Letter to an Iowa Legislator

By Amy Rohret Nemacheck

Dear Representative Lensing,

I urge you to vote yes on HSB 585, to legalize on-farm sales of raw milk in Iowa. Raw milk is important to me because of the health of my children. Both of my young boys (ages 9 and 6) have ADHD and one was recently diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome. Children with AS often have casein (the protein in dairy products) and gluten (found in wheat) sensitivities.

My 9-year old son with AS used to drink pasteurized milk many times each day but a few years ago, we determined that it exacerbated his negative behavior; it acted as an opiate in his body. Removing casein from his diet made a huge difference in his behavior. As a result, we have not given him cow’s milk for a long time.

Recently, I found a source of raw milk in Illinois and made arrangements to purchase some. Amazingly, this milk does not have the same impact on my son with Asperger’s as pasteurized milk. He can drink this milk freely and without a detrimental impact on his behavior.

Children rely on milk for growth, nutrients, and overall health. But my son cannot drink milk that is sold in Iowa. We must travel to Illinois – it is approximately 90 minutes one way to this small farm – in order to purchase the nutritious milk for him to drink. If we could purchase this milk in Iowa – supporting local farmers – it would save us precious time and money since we would not have to make this long journey.

Some people are very skeptical about the benefits of raw milk but I have seen them first-hand. And I have done extensive reading on the importance of raw milk. The high heat of the pasteurization process kills many important vitamins and minerals, but raw milk has them in abundance and as a result, my son is now getting the nutrition he needs. Nutrition to help him grow. Nutrition for his brain. Nutrition that minimizes the characteristics of Asperger’s. Raw milk is a critical component to our health.

As I am sure you are aware, autism (and disorders on the autism spectrum) is diagnosed in 1 in 110 children (1 in 70 boys). If all the children in Iowa on the autism spectrum are given the opportunity to drink raw milk, their chance for success later in life is dramatically increased.

By passing HSB 585, you are giving them this chance. And you will be giving people with many other health and medical issues a chance to have the many benefits of raw milk.

I urge you to allow Iowa citizens to make their own choices about the benefits and risks of raw milk. Please vote yes on HSB 585.

Thank you for your time and consideration,

Amy Rohret Nemacheck
North Liberty, Iowa