I know the raw milk issue isn’t the main point of this thread, but I need to weigh in on this one since no one else is.
We used to live in Pennsylvania where raw milk is legally licensed. Our family would drink a couple gallons a week.
Yes, I agree with all of you that pasteurization is vitally important for commercial farming. But for a family farm, where the cows are completely grass fed, have plenty of room to graze and the farmer can take care of each cow, these farms sell raw milk which, in my opinion, is extremely beneficial as it has all the probiotics and enzymes still alive just as Hashem made it. A healthy cow that is taken care of produces healthy milk. If a cow gets mastitis the farmer lets the cow heal… I’ve been there, milked the cows myself and know how a GOOD farm operates. These families are in jeopardy and regularly are threatened by the FDA if they think any milk is going to people out of state, whether it’s true or not.
The FDA is making it more impossible for small businesses and small farms to survive with these regulations. It’s only big business that is winning on this. No one is forcing anyone to buy raw milk, it’s expensive anyway at around $6/gallon! You’re only going to buy raw milk if you feel passionately about it and it’s going to come from small family farms.
Have you seen the types of farms where “regular” milk comes from? I lived next to them and did photography for these farms on occasion (brochure work for farm equipment)… THAT is the truly scary milk, which I would never drink. The conditions the cows live in are unthinkable. Chicken houses are the same way if not worse, but that’s another topic! 🙂