{"id":16530,"date":"2013-09-26T07:37:06","date_gmt":"2013-09-26T12:37:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/?p=16530"},"modified":"2013-09-26T07:42:24","modified_gmt":"2013-09-26T12:42:24","slug":"return-of-the-milkman-oklahoma-lawmakers-study-raw-milk-delivery","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/2013\/09\/26\/return-of-the-milkman-oklahoma-lawmakers-study-raw-milk-delivery\/","title":{"rendered":"Return of the Milkman: Oklahoma Lawmakers Study Raw Milk Delivery"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Donald<\/a><\/p>\n

Logan Layden \/ StateImpact Oklahoma<\/p>\n

Donald Ray prepares a cow for milking on his step-father's small dairy farm in rural Creek County.<\/p>\n<\/div>

The state Department of Agriculture says the number of Oklahomans choosing raw milk over pasteurized is growing.<\/p>

But currently, the only way to get a hold of any is to physically drive to a dairy farm and buy it directly from the producer.<\/p>

It’s illegal to deliver or advertise raw milk in Oklahoma \u2014 for now.<\/p>

State Rep. Ken Walker, R-Tulsa, led an interim legislative study<\/a> Sept. 17 over the impact of legalizing raw milk delivery and advertising, where several Oklahomans testified about the benefits of the unpasteurized product.<\/p>

Edmond Naturopathic practitioner Michele Menzel says she recommends raw milk to all her patients, and her own family.<\/p>

“Raw milk was a huge part of my healing, as well as my son, who had frequent bronchitis, frequent high fevers,” Menzel told the legislative panel. “And this changed his little world.”<\/p>

Mother of four Joanna Francisco credits raw milk with the good health of her children, too.<\/p>

“In the amount of time that we’ve been using raw milk we haven’t had any sickness. In fact, our kids haven’t been to the doctor in \u2014 I think eight years.”<\/p>

Rep. Walker says he’s been drinking raw milk his entire life, and its health benefits aren’t in dispute. What’s at issue is access to it.<\/p>

“There is a consumer base for raw milk. More and more, folks are going back to the way it used to be, buying things organic, growing their own,” Walker says.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

Logan Layden \/ StateImpact Oklahoma<\/p>\n

The state Department of Agriculture's Blayne Arthur says drinking raw milk comes with some risk.<\/p>\n<\/div>

He hears from raw milk producers who would like to deliver to their customers, or at least meet them halfway, like Donald Ray, who’s worked on his step-father’s small Creek County dairy farm for the past three years.<\/p>

Ray says he has customers from as far away as Norman as he goes through the process of milking the cows, pumping the raw milk into a large vat to be cooled, and pouring himself a glass.<\/p>

Raw milk<\/a> is delicious. It’s richer and creamier than grocery store milk, which has all been heated to kill microbes and bacteria, some of which are actually good for you.<\/p>

But Blayne Arthur at the state Department of Agriculture says there is reason for caution<\/a> here. Pasteurized milk is almost 100% safe. There are no guarantees with raw milk.<\/p>

“There are things like E. coli 0157, Campylobacter. There’s also Salmonella, Listeria, Tuberculosis, Brucella. I mean those are things \u2014 since there is no pasteurization \u2014 I think consumers really want to be knowledgeable about,” Arthur says.<\/p>

Getting sick off of raw milk is rare. But it practically never happens with pasteurized milk. And Arthur says she isn’t necessarily against<\/em> drinking raw milk, she just thinks its best for customers to go to the farm and see the milking operation for themselves.<\/p>

Right now that’s the only way to get raw milk in Oklahoma. There are a few resources online<\/a>, but because producers can’t advertise raw milk, customers are on their own to find a dairy farm to buy from.<\/p>

\"\"<\/a> <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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