A Little Fast Shuffle By the CDFA About the Coliform Standard; Re-Visiting Old Territory
Sunday, October 28, 2007 at 10:25PM 
The serious consumer trying to fully understand the raw milk coliform situation doesn’t have it easy. As Ted Beals points out in a comment following yesterday’s post, the California Department of Food and Agriculture has a link from its press release to a Q&A document that seems to completely contradict its press release by suggesting that three-fourths or more of raw milk doesn’t meet its new standard for raw milk (fewer than 10 coliform per milliliter).
My take (and giving the benefit of the doubt to CDFA) is that the press release refers to samples taken from the Organic Pastures dairy and a second California dairy that sells raw milk at retail. The samples referred to in the Q&A document refer to raw milk drawn from a wider range of dairies, most or all of their milk destined for pasteurization. The bulk milk from dairies that pasteurize are permitted higher coliform counts based on the expectation that pasteurization will kill off most or all of the coliform.
But Ted’s real point, I think, is that this is another example of blue-smoke-and-mirrors by the regulatory authorities. As I said in my previous post, the authorities want to get us all engaged in sifting through their new rules and figuring out whether our dairies can “make it,” rather than asking the larger question of why they’re suddenly putting the screws to dairies that are safely cranking out raw milk for 40,000 or more Californians each day.
The answer they want us to adopt for focusing without question on their rules is that they’re the scientists, “the experts.” Well, enough of that.
As for the new exchange following my previous post involving Mary McGonigle-Martin, readers who haven’t been involved in earlier discussions about the illness of her son may want to use the search function and read some of the previous material—there’s been a lot, including comment from Mark McAfee as well. Two of my recent posts include this and this.
Finally, Mark reports that the rally Saturday at the Fresno Farmers Market to raise opposition to the new California coliform standard drew about 120 people. Above is a photo of a television news camaraman focusing on some of the children in attendance.
Reader Comments (5)
Blessings!
Momma
Amanda
The Q&A document does seem to be referring to the dairy science literature. I'm not sure what the press release is referring to. My understanding is that pasteurized milk is required to have a count of 10 coliform per ml or less after pasteurization.
For me, I am less concerned about the issue of whether OPDC can meet the new requirement than I am concerned that politicians here would regulate my food without my input.
Amanda
http://www.examiner.com/a-1015939~Cloned_meat__dairy_make_way_to_the_table.html
<<<But food-safety and animal-welfare groups criticized Schwarzenegger’s decision. “The animals are injected with large amounts of hormones — and that’s a food safety issue,” said Rebecca Spector, the San Francisco-based West Coast director of The Center for Food Safety. >>>
I want and expect to have a say in what I eat. I don't want chemical or hormone infested food. I'm not worried about the raw milk I consume. I am more concerned about the additives that are in my food and water.