Experts Udder Benefits Of Raw Milk To Committee

(Source: MIRS.news, Published 01/15/2026) A glass jar of raw milk sat on the testimony table alongside Oreo cookies Thursday morning as Rep. Matt Maddock (R-Milford) kicked off a Government Operations Committee hearing on legislation that would allow a direct farm-to-consumer producer or designated agent to sell raw milk.

Under current law, the direct sale of raw or unpasteurized milk in Michigan is illegal. Farmers can only provide it through cow-share agreements — where consumers purchase a partial ownership interest in a cow — or by pasteurization on-farm. However, the proposed legislation would carve out a new legal pathway for direct sales with HB 5217, HB 5218 and HB 5219.

“I'm gonna milk it for all it's worth,” Maddock said.

Maddock framed the bills as a fight for small farmers and consumer choice, repeatedly arguing that state regulation has favored large corporations over local producers. When he came into this role, he said, he came to protect the little guys, “and those are the farmers.” He added that 21 states already allow some form of raw milk sales. “The corporations don't want to do this, but the people do.”

He also suggested raw milk could benefit people with lactose intolerance, claiming enzymes present in unpasteurized milk help digestion.

Ashley Armstrong, who is pursuing education to farm fresh food for small farms and a small farm owner, told lawmakers raw milk has “somehow become political” noting how she sees it as ironic because “15 years ago, supporting raw milk for local food systems and small farms was considered a left-leading position.”

She compared raw milk to products like alcohol, marijuana, vape pens and raw sushi—all legal but regulated—arguing that the state should disclose risks rather than prohibit sales outright. “Pasteurization doesn't eliminate risk,” she said. “It just shifts it.”

Rep. John Fitzgerald (D-Wyoming) raised repeated concerns about whether raw milk itself poses a safety risk or whether contamination occurs after milking, particularly if sanitation standards are not consistently followed.

Armstrong replied that many beneficial enzymes and bacteria in milk are heat-sensitive and destroyed during the pasteurization process. She argued pasteurization became widespread in the early 1900s not because raw milk is inherently unsafe, but because urbanization and confinement-style dairy operations created unsanitary conditions. She reiterated that risks arise after milk leaves the animal if it is exposed to unsanitary environments.

Armstrong pointed to a German research study and safety protocols developed by the Raw Milk Institute in California, arguing raw milk produced under sanitary conditions can be as safe as pasteurized milk. She also said small farmers have an incentive to maintain clean practices because unsafe milk would drive customers away.

When asked whether inspections or additional government oversight would be required, Armstrong said the legislation would apply only to direct-to-consumer sales and would not impose new testing or inspection requirements beyond existing herd-share practices.

“So it’s left up to the individual farmers,” Fitzgerald said. Armstrong affirmed.

That exchange escalated into a short back-and-forth between Fitzgerald and Maddock over outbreak data tied to raw milk consumption.

“If you’re worried about it,” Maddock interrupted, “then don’t drink it.”

Rick Hitchcock of the Raw Milk Institute, a non-governmental organization based in California, told the committee raw milk producers can meet safety benchmarks “below FDA standards” through specialized testing and handling protocols. He also added that consumers knowingly enter into agreements acknowledging risks.

Rep. Mike Harris (R-Clarkston) asked whether consumers would clearly understand the difference between raw and pasteurized milk and whether contracts would explicitly warn of potential health risks.

Rep. Curt VanderWall (R-Ludington) raised concerns about traceability and expiration, noting raw camel milk can already be shipped frozen from California into Michigan.

Armstrong said labels should include CDC risk warnings and production dates, while Hitchcock argued “clean raw milk doesn’t go bad,” saying it naturally ferments into cheese rather than spoiling.