North Carolina agriculture commissioner speaks out against raw milk consumption; ‘puts human health at risk'

Yahoo

2 days ago

RALEIGH, N.C. (WGHP) — North Carolina's top agriculture leader is weighing in on the national debate over the safety of raw milk.
Department of Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler, a Republican, released an op-ed on Friday in which he offered his opinion on the consumption of raw milk. This debate has garnered national attention as figures like U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have advocated it as a healthier alternative to widely available pasteurized milk.
The milk traditionally sold in most grocery stores has been pasteurized, meaning it has been heated to at least 161 degrees to kill the majority of pathogens that could be transferred from a cow to a human through milk. Raw milk is not heated in this way.
'Grade A Milk is one of the safest food products available because food science, specifically pasteurization, has made it that way,' Troxler wrote. 'The development of pasteurization has proven effective in killing bacteria in milk that caused tuberculosis, Q fever, diphtheria, severe streptococcal infections, typhoid fever and other foodborne illnesses.
'In 1938, 25% of disease outbreaks due to contaminated food and water were milk related. Today, thanks to pasteurization, it is less than 1%. Of that 1%, it should be noted that 70% of today's milk-related numbers are linked to raw milk.'
Troxler emphasizes that studies have repeatedly shown that raw milk is not healthier or safer than pasteurized milk, stating that numerous studies have shown that 'raw milk puts human health at risk' and that the FDA and CDC advise against human consumption of raw milk.
He acknowledged that there is a loophole allowing for the sale of raw milk if it is marketed as being for pets. So-called 'pet milk' is not regulated by the FDA in the same way as milk for human consumption.
'RFK Jr. is bad medicine': 400 NC doctors urge rejection of RFK Jr. to lead DHHS
It is a not-so-well-kept secret that this loophole provides access to a completely untested and minimally regulated product that people are consuming and giving to their children.
With regulatory responsibility over food safety, Grade A milk and even the safety of animal feed falling to the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, I cannot turn a blind eye to what we know is going on with the sales of raw milk, especially since children are involved.
Science says raw milk is not safe. Raw milk is 150 times more likely to cause an outbreak than pasteurized milk. Even with our best efforts and diligent work, foodborne illnesses, stillbirths and miscarriages will occur if we allow the retail sale of raw milk.
Steve Troxler
Troxler adds that raw milk can transmit avian influenza, commonly called bird flu. His department has documented cases of pets dying after drinking raw or unpasteurized milk.
'Raw milk offers no scientifically proven safeguards,' Troxler wrote. 'The risk of consuming raw milk far outweighs any perceived health benefits being claimed. The bacteria found in raw milk are not probiotics.'
According to Troxler, the FDA and CDC have found no meaningful difference between the nutrition found in raw milk and pasteurized milk.
While the agriculture commissioner says he understands that farmers might see raw milk as another avenue to make money, he says the liability is too high as an outbreak linked to raw milk is unlikely to be covered by insurance and could create a financial burden that would significantly impact farmers.
'As I have looked over the data and information, the science shows me raw milk presents a significant public health risk particularly to children, people with compromised immune systems and the elderly,' Troxler wrote. 'Having seen the impacts of food-borne illnesses and being charged with food safety for humans and pets, my conscious leads me to push for changes to legislation that will protect the most vulnerable among us – our children.'
While Kennedy has nationally advocated for relaxing regulations on the sale of raw milk, more Americans favor those regulations than don't, according to Associated Press polling.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.