Topic: Should sales of raw milk be allowed
The current argument in favor of raw milk sales in Wisconsin rests on whether the health benefits of consuming un-pasteurized, un-homogenized out weight the potential health risks. The current laws regarding sales of raw milk vary from state to state, some states prohibit consumption for anyone outside of the farm owners and family, and some allow raw milk to be sold in stores with an appropriate warning label. Raw milk contains a variety of potentially health beneficial bacteria and protein that are destroyed during the pasteurization process.
The argument on the other side is that there just is not any testing or regulations in place to protect the average consumers from the possible health dangers of un-pasteurized milk. Raw milk can contain disease containing bacteria which would otherwise be removed during the pasteurization process. Currently it is legal for farm families in Wisconsin to consume their own milk or give away milk, but illegal for the sale of raw milk.
Coming from a family dairy farm and drinking raw milk my entire life I am in favor of the sales of raw milk. It is ridiculous that our state government is concerned about this issue seeing that the Food and Drug Administration even has trouble catching E coli contamination in our meats that have already been through a handful of inspections before reaching the grocery store. Raw milk purchases should be up to the consumer to decide. If a person visits a dairy farm and personally sees their operation, they should be able to decide whether or not it is a safe place to buy milk from. Instead of people blindly trusting most the food they buy from the grocery store in which they have no idea where it came from, what is in it, or what kind of processing it went through; is it really that dangerous to buy milk directly from the producer?
References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_raw_milk_debate#Legal_status
http://www.wisconsinwatch.org/2011/06/26/should-raw-milk-sales-be-legalized/
http://www.channel3000.com/news/29285037/detail.html
- Steve
ReplyDelete- 1. Described field of interest and described question posed. S
2. Both sides of argument were presented. M
3. Appropriate references were included S
4. Defended position is described clearly S
5. provide one useful comment
How do you believe that the USDA should regulate the sale of raw milk? Should it be tested and sold, or should it simply be sold with a warning label. I think I that if some testing would be done, and it was sold with a label it would be fine.
1-4 are evaluated by assigning a strong(S), medium(M) or weak(W)
ReplyDelete1. Described field of interest and described question posed. M
2. Both sides of argument were presented. S
3. Appropriate references were included S
4. Defended position is described clearly S
5. provide one useful comment
Aside from the fact that you personally consume raw milk and have a family dairy farm, does this issue relate to your academic field of interest?
Are you proposing raw milk to be sold in grocery stores or just at the dairy farms? I think that makes a difference on how it is regulated.
1. Strong
ReplyDelete2. Medium
3. Strong
4. Strong
5. You make good points in both sides of the argument, but I think you could have talked about a few more such as cost of raw milk vs. other milk and maybe some types of diseases you can get from raw milk.
1.M
ReplyDelete2.S
3.S
4.S
5. Comment
I didn't see a specific description of your field of interest. That being said it is clear you have a personal background in this field which helps add credibility to your argument in my opinion.
PS bonus points for cool fish thing on blog :)
ReplyDelete1. M
ReplyDelete2. S
3. S
4. S
5. Good! I am unsure of your field of interest though. I also agree that it should be up to the consumer to decide if they want to buy it or not.
1. M
ReplyDelete2. S
3. S
4. S
5. I think you have good arguments and good points but I'm unsure of your field of interests. You said that you have grown up on dairy farms all your life so it could be assumed what your field of interest is but I think describing your field of interest would have been of some help.
1.M
ReplyDelete2.S
3.S
4.S
5.I am unsure of your field of interest but I like this topic. You have good arguments on both sides.
1. M
ReplyDelete2. S
3. S
4. S
5. Interesting topic and good arguments for both sides.
1.S
ReplyDelete2.M
3.S
4.M
5. Good job at presenting and arguing the issue at hand here. A more defined presentation of the pros/cons of the issue at hand would be nice.
1.M
ReplyDelete2.S
3.S
4.S
5. The field of interest isn't totally clear, but the topic is good. I believe that it should be up to the consumer to decide what they want. It's called consumer responsibility.
1.M
ReplyDelete2.M
3.M
4.S
I see where you are coming from. I too have had raw milk and like it a bit better than the other stuff. Does this pertain to your field of interest? Some of your arguments though could be expanded on to enhance your statements.
1. Described field of interest and described question posed. M
ReplyDelete2. Both sides of argument were presented. S
3. Appropriate references were included S
4. Defended position is described clearly S
5. Steve, you have a great understand of both sides of the raw foods industry and farming cultures. I very much enjoyed your last point about it being up to the consumer to purchase it, and how people blindly purchase food already. I think your field of interest sounds like you should be policy writing for the raw foods movement.
1. M
ReplyDelete2. S
3. S
4. S
5. Great topic here in WI. I'm with you 100% in that consumers should be able to make their own informed decision rather than leaving it up to the government to decide whats best for us. The only thing you left out was your field of interest.
1. M
ReplyDelete2. S
3. S
4. S
5. Good Argument. You bring to light what many other local farmers have said at Wisconsin Farmers Union (WFU) Annual Meetings. This topic is a large one debated every year.
1.M
ReplyDelete2.S
3.S
4.S
field of interest was vague. it would be interesting to see what kind of lawsuits would pop up if they did sell raw milk.
1.M
ReplyDelete2.S
3.S
4.S
5.State your field of interest clearly.
1.S
ReplyDelete2.S
3.S
4.S
I think you should have put why this interested you at the top of the post. I also think you could have expanded on your pro/con arguments to include maybe a comparison between the healthiness of people who drink raw milk and those who do not.
1. W
ReplyDelete2. S
3. S
4. S
What is your field of interest? Great pros and cons presented. How would the sail of raw milk be regulated…there are some crazies out there that may add things to the raw milk…
1. M
ReplyDelete2. S
3. S
4. S
5. Could have explained your field of interest better. Interesting topic to think about. Well done.
1. M
ReplyDelete2. S
3. S
4. S
Steve nice work, I am wondering about your field of interest however. I also feel the against side could use more info such as possible testing options.