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Raw Milk:To Drink or Not to Drink?
That is the Question
by Jessica Badour and Angie Corder, Georgia Department of Agriculture
Jessica Badour is currently the Recall Outreach Specialist for the Georgia Department of Agriculture under
cooperative agreement with the Food and Drug Administration. She works on recall communications for the State of
Georgia while facilitating educational and promotional outreach opportunities for the Food Safety Division. Prior to
moving into this position in 2012, Jessica worked for GDA in the Public Affairs Office since 2010. Jessica has a
Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Hood College.
Angie Corder has worked for the Georgia Department of Agriculture for seven years, for seven years, starting as an
Agriculture Compliance Specialist, responsible for conducting food safety inspections. In 2012, she was promoted to
Training Coordinator and is in the process of building the department’s food safety training program to meet the
Manufactured Food Regulatory Program Standards (MFRPS) and the Voluntary National Retail Regulatory Program
Standards (VNRFRPS). Angela has Bachelor’s degrees in both Business Administration for Marketing and Science and
Agriculture for Animal Science both from Mississippi State University.
Raw milk is a national hot There is a growing trend of
topic, and there is a movement consumers looking to purchase
in Georgia to legalize the sale raw cow’s milk in today’s
for human consumption. marketplace. Often referred to
During the 2014 regular as “moonshine milk,” raw milk
session of the Georgia General proponents often go to
Assembly, House Bill 718 was extremes to get their hands on
introduced to allow for the sale it – especially in states that do
of raw milk to consumers. In not allow it. Georgia is one
February, a state hearing was such state where the retail sale
held on the proposed Photo of a dairy farm in of raw milk for human
legislation but the bill Americus, Georgia. consumption is prohibited.
subsequently died and the
topic has been tabled…for this year, at least. The GDA advocates for increased
consumption of milk, which is essential for
Here in Georgia, we have about 230 dairy maintaining proper health. While we regulate
farms with more than 84,000 dairy cows food safety for consumers, we also recognize
producing 1.6 billion gallons of milk annually. milk has the potential to serve as a vehicle of
The Georgia Department of Agriculture disease transmission and has been associated
(GDA) Food Safety Division licenses and with foodborne illness outbreaks. Since the
regulates Georgia’s 11 Grade A processing establishment of the National Conference of
plants, 42 manufacturing plants and 17 single Interstate Milk Shipment and Georgia’s
service plants. Inspectors routinely collect adoption of the Pasteurized Milk Ordinance,
samples of raw and finished product for milk-borne illness has been reduced to less
analysis, and conduct equipment tests to verify than 1 percent of all reported foodborne
proper pasteurization processes. Meanwhile, outbreaks, which can be attributed to
Georgia consumers can legally purchase raw improved sanitation and pasteurization
milk for animal/pet consumption under the processes of raw milk.
label of “pet treats.” The GDA Ag Inputs Try visiting a dairy farm. Take a tour of a
Section licenses and regulates animal feed and
pet treats, including those made with raw milk. raw milk operation and the potential avenues
for introducing harmful bacteria into milk are
10 Georgia Environmentalist Volume 36
That is the Question
by Jessica Badour and Angie Corder, Georgia Department of Agriculture
Jessica Badour is currently the Recall Outreach Specialist for the Georgia Department of Agriculture under
cooperative agreement with the Food and Drug Administration. She works on recall communications for the State of
Georgia while facilitating educational and promotional outreach opportunities for the Food Safety Division. Prior to
moving into this position in 2012, Jessica worked for GDA in the Public Affairs Office since 2010. Jessica has a
Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Hood College.
Angie Corder has worked for the Georgia Department of Agriculture for seven years, for seven years, starting as an
Agriculture Compliance Specialist, responsible for conducting food safety inspections. In 2012, she was promoted to
Training Coordinator and is in the process of building the department’s food safety training program to meet the
Manufactured Food Regulatory Program Standards (MFRPS) and the Voluntary National Retail Regulatory Program
Standards (VNRFRPS). Angela has Bachelor’s degrees in both Business Administration for Marketing and Science and
Agriculture for Animal Science both from Mississippi State University.
Raw milk is a national hot There is a growing trend of
topic, and there is a movement consumers looking to purchase
in Georgia to legalize the sale raw cow’s milk in today’s
for human consumption. marketplace. Often referred to
During the 2014 regular as “moonshine milk,” raw milk
session of the Georgia General proponents often go to
Assembly, House Bill 718 was extremes to get their hands on
introduced to allow for the sale it – especially in states that do
of raw milk to consumers. In not allow it. Georgia is one
February, a state hearing was such state where the retail sale
held on the proposed Photo of a dairy farm in of raw milk for human
legislation but the bill Americus, Georgia. consumption is prohibited.
subsequently died and the
topic has been tabled…for this year, at least. The GDA advocates for increased
consumption of milk, which is essential for
Here in Georgia, we have about 230 dairy maintaining proper health. While we regulate
farms with more than 84,000 dairy cows food safety for consumers, we also recognize
producing 1.6 billion gallons of milk annually. milk has the potential to serve as a vehicle of
The Georgia Department of Agriculture disease transmission and has been associated
(GDA) Food Safety Division licenses and with foodborne illness outbreaks. Since the
regulates Georgia’s 11 Grade A processing establishment of the National Conference of
plants, 42 manufacturing plants and 17 single Interstate Milk Shipment and Georgia’s
service plants. Inspectors routinely collect adoption of the Pasteurized Milk Ordinance,
samples of raw and finished product for milk-borne illness has been reduced to less
analysis, and conduct equipment tests to verify than 1 percent of all reported foodborne
proper pasteurization processes. Meanwhile, outbreaks, which can be attributed to
Georgia consumers can legally purchase raw improved sanitation and pasteurization
milk for animal/pet consumption under the processes of raw milk.
label of “pet treats.” The GDA Ag Inputs Try visiting a dairy farm. Take a tour of a
Section licenses and regulates animal feed and
pet treats, including those made with raw milk. raw milk operation and the potential avenues
for introducing harmful bacteria into milk are
10 Georgia Environmentalist Volume 36
