Wisconsin Governor Tells Dairy Industry Raw Milk Bill is Tough Sell

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker would have trouble signing the raw milk bill because of concerns over the safety of children and the integrity of the state’s dairy industry, he said Tuesday during a speech in Madison at the Wisconsin Dairy Business Association’s annual meeting, Wisconsin Ag Connection reports.  On Nov. 12, the state’s Senate Committee on Financial Institutions and Rural Issues passed an amended raw milk bill that would make it legal for dairy farmers to freely sell unpasteurized product directly to consumers on the farm, provided that it meets testing requirements. Wisconsin state law currently places significant restrictions on raw-milk sales of any kind.  The dairy association has asked Walker to veto the bill, which it says would endanger children and threaten the reputation of Wisconsin’s dairy industry should an illness outbreak occur. Dairy is the number-one agricultural industry in Wisconsin, which is the second-largest dairy-producing state after California.  Walker told the dairy association that he would not approve any bill that put children at risk, referring to the dangers of pathogens found in raw milk. Raw milk is milk that has not been pasteurized to kill bacteria such as E. coli and Campylobacter.  The Wisconsin Legislature is currently on hiatus, but the raw milk bill will be eligible for floor action when the legislature resumes Jan. 14.