Legislators in Louisiana will meet Thursday to consider a bill that would overturn the state’s current ban on the sale of unpasteurized milk for human consumption. Citing significant health risks associated with drinking raw milk, IDFA and the National Milk Producers Federation sent a joint letter earlier this week to state legislators, including the chair and vice chair of the Louisiana Agriculture, Forestry, Aquaculture and Rural Development Committee, urging them to oppose the bill, HB 247.

“One critical aspect of this high-profile issue is the tremendous amount of misinformation that has been disseminated regarding the supposed health benefits of raw milk,” the letter said. “It is important to emphasize that no claim related to the health benefits of consuming raw milk has been substantiated in any of the medical literature.”

In fact, the scientific consensus is that “raw milk can cause serious illnesses and hospitalizations, as well as can result in life-long negative health complications and death,” the letter said.

Louisiana is one of 20 states that ban intra-state raw milk sales. Many states allow some level of raw milk sales off the farm, even though the product has been repeatedly linked to serious illnesses from coast to coast. IDFA and NMPF have reached out to officials in these states, warning them that allowing the sale of raw milk is an unnecessary risk to consumer safety.

For more information on state legislation, contact Kyle Shreve, IDFA manager of legislative affairs, at kshreve@idfa.org.