An Iowa dairy is on notice from the Food and Drug Administration for offering for sale an animal for slaughter as food that was adulterated. According to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the FD&C Act), “a food is deemed to be adulterated if it bears or contains a new animal drug that is…
It’s getting harder to open those raw milk loopholes
Raw milk advocates have gained some ground in the last decade, going from 29 to 43 states that allow some way to sell milk without pasteurization. However, in only 12 states are retail sales of raw milk permitted, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. And 19 states ban retail sales outright.
But raw…
Activists’ case on constitutionality of ‘ag-gag’ law advances
A federal judge has decided not to toss out a lawsuit about the constitutionality of Iowa’s 6-year-old “agricultural production facility fraud” statute, meaning the issue will very likely go to trial next year.
Federal District Court Judge James E. Gritzner, in a 38-page opinion, on Feb. 27 denied the crux of a motion to dismiss…
Nurses, doctors, others lineup against raw milk bill in Iowa
Opposition is building against an Iowa bill that would allow dairy operations in the state to sell unpasteurized milk directly to consumers.
Since it survived an initial subcommittee review with a 2-to-1 vote, opponents of House File (HF) 2055 have been registering their declarations against the bill, which remains in the House Local Government Committee.…
Iowa lawmakers look at raw milk again; previous efforts failed
A subcommittee of three state legislators in Iowa voted 2-1 Tuesday to advance a bill that would allow dairy operators in the state to sell unpasteurized milk direct to consumers.
Similar bills have not survived in the Iowa Legislature in recent years. This year the effort in the Iowa House was assigned to a subcommittee…
Food safety, animal activists sue Iowa over 2012 ‘ag-gag’ law
Animal activists and the Center for Food Safety sued the state of Iowa in federal court Tuesday, claiming its law to prevent “agriculture production facility” fraud violates the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution.
The “ag-gag” law hasn’t seen much use in the Hawkeye State since its passage in 2012. Similar laws in…
Raw milk still looking for wins as legislative season nears end
Legislatures in almost a dozen states this year are considering whether to permit sales in one form or another of raw milk, which public health officials say is dangerous because it has not been pasteurized to remove harmful pathogens. But as many of those sessions wind down, it doesn’t look like there will be many…
Iowa raw milk bills may need life support after today
Today is the day when bills in the Iowa Senate must clear a Senate Committee or they are pretty much dead for the year.
When it comes to Senate Files (SF) 287 and 310, two bills to legalize sales of raw milk, the Senate Agriculture Committee has sent them off to subcommittees. It’s unclear whether…
25 sickened in Salmonella outbreak tied to deli salads
Iowa health officials are investigating about 25 illnesses potentially linked to deli-made potato salads sold by Big G Foods in Marengo, IA. Test results from the State Hygienic Laboratory at the University of Iowa were presumed positive for Salmonella. 
“We have approximately 25 cases under investigation. It is possible the investigation may determine some of…
More Maytag Blue cheese recalled because of Listeria concerns
Maytag Dairy Farms is voluntarily recalling five lots of “Maytag Blue” blue cheese wedges and wheels and 15 batches of blue cheese crumbles because they have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened…
Listeria Test Causes Blue Cheese Recall
Maytag Dairy Farms in Newton announced Saturday a voluntary recall of Maytag Raw Milk Blue cheese due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes, according to a press release. The recalled product was packaged on Jan. 6 in 4-ounce wedges, 8-ounce wedges, 2-pound wheels, 4-pound wheels and 5-pound crumbles. The lot included 896 pounds of cheese…