OneFineAcre
Herd Master
Our Rep for Alamance Co was one of the Reps that filed for this law.
As far as I know it was filed and then passed first reading but has not been passed as law yet. I believe the product would be required to be dyed also.
I think they also want to be able to do shares...but I am not sure.
It will be interesting to watch and see how this progresses.
Anyone that sells raw milk legally or illegally I hope has really good insurance.
The chicken processing laws I think are great for a small producer. We can do 1000 birds per year. Of course the safety and basics are still in order.
For anyone interested in knowing how to label in NC....
The current law as it stands for milk is
NC General Statute 130A-279:
Only milk that is Grade "A" pasteurized milk may be sold or dispensed directly to consumers for human consumption. Raw milk and raw milk products shall be sold or dispensed only to a permitted milk hauler or to a processing facility at which the processing of milk is permitted, graded, or regulated by a local, State, or federal agency. The Commission may adopt rules to provide exceptions for dispensing raw milk and raw milk products for nonhuman consumption. Any raw milk or raw milk product dispensed as animal feed shall include on its label the statement "NOT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION" in letters at least one‑half inch in height. Any raw milk or raw milk product dispensed as animal feed shall also include on its label the statement "IT IS NOT LEGAL TO SELL RAW MILK FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION IN NORTH CAROLINA." "Sale" or "sold" shall mean any transaction that involves the transfer or dispensing of milk and milk products or the right to acquire milk and milk products through barter or contractual arrangement or in exchange for any other form of compensation including, but not limited to, the sale of shares or interest in a cow, goat, or other lactating animal or herd. (1983, c. 891, s. 2; 2004‑195, s. 6.2; 2008‑88, s. 2.)
The biggest issue IMO is most people really have no clue about
E-Coli, Campylobacter, Listeria, Salmonella, Brucella.
How many are really aware that they cannot see this bacteria?
How many actually educate themselves on the entire issue?
How many understand contracting E-coli can cause stroke, renal failure, dialysis, kidney transplant....
Anyone heard of Guillain-Barré syndrome?
Range of cost to treat E-coli infection Before having to get a kidney transplant $50,000 - $100,000. Transplant $500,000.
Most cases are CHILDREN.
Guillain- Barre (GBS) up to $1,000,000
I am NOT anti raw at all, I just believe often people hear how great raw milk is for you and they don't educate themselves first and IMO that is not making an informed decision.
People should be able to choose raw if they want to but they should understand the whole picture. Especially if giving to children. Many great parents thought they were doing the right thing, wanted to raise their kids on the healthiest food possible. Many of these parents believed with all their heart RAW IS BEST!
Then they watch their baby dying. Same stories over and over, they really never knew the "whole" story and the pro's and con's.
It isn't about scaring people or any anti tactics it is about informing people.
Anyone that is selling milk especially illegally should realize that even if they are labeling properly and doing the right things but they KNOW the purchaser is utilizing the milk for human consumption, the seller can still be held liable.
All it takes is that little invisible bacteria to infect someones 4 year old... friends etc will draw the line when medical bills start coming in and their child is near dead. If anyone thinks their friend won't rat them out when they have a kid so sick and may die.... They will be screaming mad and screaming names. BIG Liability! There is a reason there are so few grade A dairies in NC. Grade B's pay a fortune in insurance and they are testing constantly.
I will not go into the whole discussion but I have NCDAg people that come to my farm so we can do testing...one is at state level and the other a federal program... we were talking about goats and got onto the subject of raw milk... North Carolinians SHOULD know that the powers that be (LOL) are very aware of the "bootleg" sales.... long story short ... I'd be very careful.
Just something to think about...
We had a doe (Kiko) she was hugely engorged before kidding... beautiful udder and teats... we REALLY wanted to milk this goat as an experiment. Kiko's have very high butterfat and are usually good producers...we wanted to see if they really are a good dual purpose goat...
She kidded twins all went well. Next day she was running a HIGH fever. It could be one of 3 things...
1)pneumonia
2)retained placenta
3)mastitis
Knew it wasn't 1 or 2, did a test and neg for 3... Started on antibiotics...even milked the doe out to look for mastitis.
Milk was neg, looked beautiful too!
Kept her on meds... vet came out following day... then the milk wasn't coming out then turned bloody...
Long story short... Bluebag Mastitis- we put her down after a week of treatment. Sent her to Rollins, necropsy showed the bacteria that caused the bluebag was E-Coli!
The Ecoli had probably gotten in through the teat days before. If that first batch of milk would have been consumed unpasteurized what then? Of course we knew this was a sick goat so no drinking yet E-coli is found in the environment and doesn't necessarily make goats sick.
A few years ago at the state Fair several people got ill from the petting zoo... goats, sheep, other farm animals. One child did die.
I think the new law could be really good, I don't think it will pass though. Laws like this are put up year after year... I think 10 years in a row now, never passes.
I know it is kinda a bummer of a post but I do care about what happens to those in and out of this community and I know that no-one would ever want their milk to cause an issue for another person.
Be smart!Be careful!
Then... drink it raw, or drink it pasteurized...
@Southern by choice
Your recommendation that anyone selling raw milk should have good insurance is very good advice. And, for all of the reason's you list. So, I'm not disagreeing with you at all.
But, anyone engaging in any type of commercial activity should have a good general liability policy.
I would say especially so for anyone engaged in an agricultural activity where you are selling directly to consumers. However, I think you are placing way too much emphasis on raw milk when the data shows the real risk is with other agricultural products.
According to the CDC there were 2384 illnesses and 2 deaths from consuming raw milk during the 13 year period from 1998-2011.
http://www.cdc.gov/features/rawmilk/
That is almost statistically insignificant when one compares to the 3000 deaths and 48 million illnesses per year from other foodborne sources.
http://www.cdc.gov/foodborneburden/index.html
You mention e-coli. Just google "e-coli outbreak" Nearly every recent outbreak has been traced to lettuce. Others to cabbage, walnuts, humus, etc. One would have a better chance of contracting e-coli from the lettuce on your taco at Taco Bell (yes, there was a recall) than one would from raw milk.
Listeria? 33 people died in 2011 from Listeria traced to cantaloupes.
http://www.cdc.gov/listeria/outbreaks/cantaloupes-jensen-farms/index.html
You mention the e-coli outbreak at the state fair. Does one engage in the sale of animals where one allows people to visit their farm? Would one be liable if a visitor caught e-coli? You betcha. Or, what about the neighbors kids that wants to go out to pet the goats. I hadn't even thought about this until you posted what you did. I'm more concerned about this than selling the milk.
And probably the one that more people on this site do than any other, selling eggs and or poultry. Just about every year, there is a multi state outbreak of salmonella traced to shell eggs.
http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/enteritidis/
Like I said, you gave good advice. If anyone is selling produce or eggs even if just to friends and neigbors you may want to look into a general liability policy. It really is not that expensive it's based on annual revenue.
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