MADISON, Wis. (WSAU) - Several groups call on Wisconsin’s governor to veto a bill legalizing the sale of raw milk here.
Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association President Brian Baker says the bill allowing the sale of unpasteurized milk products could badly damage the 26 billion dollar dairy industry -- if even one outbreak were to occur because of tainted milk. Baker says that could seriously hurt confidence in dairy producers across Wisconsin and harm the billions of pounds of milk produced in the state that are sold each year.
Supporters of the bill say it includes safeguards to protect the public, such as regular testing. Doug Gieryn of the Wisconsin Public Health Association says that hasn’t helped in other states, where sales of raw milk have lead to outbreaks of illness and even deaths. He says tests can’t catch all the potential pathogens that could be present in the product, and sales could put the health of the public at risk.
