California recalls remaining Fresno County raw milk from stores over bird flu detection
If you were hoping to snag one of the last gallons of milk from the recently quarantined Raw Farm dairy in Fresno County, chances are you are too late.
The California Department of Public Health announced late Tuesday that in the interest of protecting the public health it has secured a voluntary recall of all raw whole milk and cream products from Raw Farm that remain on retail shelves following multiple bird flu virus detection’s in the company’s milk and dairy in the past week.
The virus has swept through the state’s dairy industry infecting 461 dairies, or nearly half of all of the state’s 1,100 operators.
Raw Farm milk products have tested positive for bird flu at both retail and dairy storage and bottling sites in recent days, according to the CDPH’s press release.
Raw Farm dairy is the largest raw milk producer in the state with 1,800 cows and 95 workers on ranches in Fresno and Kings counties. The state put the dairy under quarantine on Thanksgiving Day, temporarily shutting down its raw milk production after discovering the bird flu virus.
Raw Milk founder’s response
But Mark McAfee, the dairy’s founder and outspoken leader, said Wednesday he doesn’t understand why the state appears to have changed their stance on keeping Raw Farm’s remaining milk and cream in stores.
“There has never been a case of anyone being made sick by drinking raw milk from cows with highly pathogenic avian influenza (bird flu),” McAfee said. “This has to be coming from places way above us here.”
Officials with the California Department of Public Health reiterated Wednesday that the recall is about protecting public health, nothing else.
“We are working aggressively to limit the spread of H5N1 in animals and humans in every way possible. Our public health messages have always included concern about the risks of bird flu transmission from consuming raw milk and raw dairy products. Milk from infected cows splashing into the eyes of workers on farms has led to more than 30 human cases in California, indicating that raw milk is infectious to humans,” according to a statement from the department.
Can Robert F. Kennedy Jr. help Raw Milk?
On Raw Farm’s social media pages, several customers called out for help from Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has been nominated by president-elect Donald Trump to be secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.
Kennedy, whose nomination has been opposed by many in the medical community for his anti-vaccine attitude, is a supporter of raw milk.
McAfee said he is one of his customers.
The dairy’s Instagram page posted this recently: “@robertfkennedyjr, @theshanawow, and @realdonaldtrump right about now we could really use a helping hand to make the corrupt politicians get off their raw milk destruction path. They are trying ALL they can before January. We could use help right about now.”
Kennedy has yet to be approved.
It could take weeks before the dairy is able to resume production of its raw milk.
According to the California Department of Food and Agriculture several steps must happen before a quarantine can be lifted, including waiting 60 days after a diagnosis, and when clinical signs are gone, CDFA will begin testing infected dairies through creamery samples.
An infected dairy will need three negative creamery samples with seven days between tests. Once that occurs, a response team from the state contact the dairy to complete a quarantine release form.
This story was originally published December 5, 2024 at 5:45 AM with the headline "California recalls remaining Fresno County raw milk from stores over bird flu detection."
