Posted: 03.25.2011

A cooperative group made up of agribusiness and the medical fields has teamed up again to speak out against legalizing raw milk in Wisconsin.

In an interview with Pam Jahnke on her network farm show, Shawn Pfaff, representing the group said they wanted to be proactive on the issue.  "Admittedly Pam," Pfaff said, "we (the dairy industry and medical associations) were caught a little flat footed on the bill last session.  We want to get out in front of the issue this time because these are very different bills then those proposed last session." Pfaff said timing last year also helped the bill advance since it was really the last piece of legislation handled last spring.

Pfaff says the Wisconsin Safe Milk Coalition sees the two bills being promoted now in both the state senate and assembly as much different approaches to the issue from last year.  "Last year, the bills basically outlined the permitting process that groups wanted to put in place.  These bills this session are wide open - and much bigger.  Pfaff said that even many of the raw milk supporters from last year question the current bills looking for co-sponsors.

How is Wisconsin's Safe Milk Coalition going to argue against the question of consumers rights to purchase raw milk.  "At the end of the day you can't make an unsafe product safe."  Pfaff says, "There's been no movement by the medical community out there to make statements endorsing saying raw milk is something they can recommend people drink.  We think that alone will trump that question."

Pfaff said the group believes that political leaders and the general public may not respect the opinion of the dairy industry and it's worries over safety as seriously as they will the opinion of the medical community.  That's why they've teamed up.

The raw milk bill advanced last session was approved by both the senate and assembly - but vetoed by Governor Jim Doyle over issues of safety.

You can hear Pam's complete conversation with Shawn Pfaff here.

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