GARDEN CITY, Kan. (AP) Wearing sweaters, small kids (of the goat variety) went springing over hay-lined pens in the Good Karma Micro-Dairy barn in Russell County where Erin and Doug Renard milk goats and cows and make raw cheese, Greek yogurt, butter and gelato.
As you noticed when you came here, theres no signs, Erin Renard told the Kansas News Service. One of the reasons theres no signs is expense. But the other reason was we couldnt even put raw milk on the sign. Now we can.
Prior to November, the Renards and other Kansas raw milk producers could advertise their products with only a sign on the farm a 1967 law outlawed raw milk advertising otherwise. That changed when the Kansas Department of Agriculture settled a lawsuit with Mark and Coraleen Bunner, the owners of Shepherds Gate Dairy.
In Kansas, raw milk products which arent inspected or pasteurized still cant be sold in stores. And while the agriculture department plans to propose legislation in 2020 to remove the advertising ban from state law, it wont require ads to have warnings about the unregulated dairy products.
So, some raw dairies say that the key to preventing illness is for consumers to visit farms and do their research before drinking unpasteurized milk.
There are approximately 260 licensed dairies in Kansas, meaning theyre regulated.
When it comes to raw dairies, Kansas has about 45 producers, and is one of 17 states that allow direct raw milk sales from farms to consumers. Thirteen of those states allow raw milk to be sold in stores.
Raw milk comes from goats, cows or sheep and is sold without pasteurization a process that heats milk and kills bad bacteria without changing the nutritional content. But advocates say raw milk is more nutritious, can cure lactose intolerance and treat asthma and allergies.
The Food and Drug Administration, however, has debunked a host of raw milk claims. And for decades, the FDA has warned consumers about the dangers of raw milk. It may contain bacteria like E. coli, listeria and salmonella. If pregnant women consume raw milk products with listeria in it, it can cause a miscarriage or even death of the newborn even if the expectant mother never gets sick.
Plus, illnesses from bacteria in raw milk can be more dangerous for adults over 65, children under 5 and people with compromised immune systems.
Past outbreaks in Kansas from raw milk have sickened dozens of people, said Daniel Neises, an epidemiologist with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. His agency stands behind studies and evidence they saw during past outbreaks.
Some bacteria can cause severe illness with long-term consequences like hemolytic uremic syndrome, which can cause kidney failure, and Guillain-Barré syndrome, which can result in paralysis, he said.
Third-generation farmer TeCoa Seibert is from Chapman, Kansas, and has had a goat herd for 35 years. She said shes never gotten sick from consuming raw milk. But because it isnt inspected in Kansas, she understands the potential health risks posed by sick animals and unsanitary milking conditions.
Does the animal have a shiny coat? Are there any abscesses? Does the animal have a snotty nose? she said. Most of the people coming in to pick up milk for me would have no clue what a healthy animal or a clean farm is supposed to look like.
Now that any raw milk producer can advertise, Seibert is worried. On one hand, she said advertising connects the consumer directly to the farm, so people can see the origin of the food.
Its what the farmers want they want people to come back to the farm and have a relationship with their food, Seibert said.
