The government agencies, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control (CDC). have long demonized raw milk as a public health menace and continue to advice against consuming unpasteurized milk. However the available data does not seem so alarming. CDC statistics show 1,791 total illnesses from raw dairy and 1,609 raw-milk illnesses over 33 years between 1973 and 2005, which amount to an average of
just 54 illnesses nationwide. These figures appear miniscule compared to casualties inflicted by other issues such as, alcohol, tobacco, legal prescription drugs, traffic accidents and guns.
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| Humboldt, marijuana capital |
Raw milk fans continue to advocate superiority of raw milk. According to
Grist, about
20 states in the country forbid sale of raw milk. California has the most permissive laws in the country with regard to distribution of raw milk -- allowing not only raw milk, but other raw dairy products like butter, kefir, and cream to be sold via retail. However, Humboldt County, in northern California, has long held to a local ban on raw milk sales. The county's ban is being challenged by the state's largest raw milk producer, Organic Pastures Dairy Co., and its founder, Mark McAfee. Raw milk is produced by this company in California and sold into 400 stores and consumed by 50,000 people per week,
Interesting thing is marijuana is a legal crop in Humboldt and it may be the marijuana capital of America. Humboldt marijuana is well known and has even been
mentioned in Business week. There are about 78,000 people in Humboldt County between the ages of 18 and 65, and many locals would guess that, at minimum,
50% are involved in the marijuana production industry in some way.
