The College Report strives for editorial independence, and the views expressed in this piece are those of the author alone.
Within the last year, the demand for raw milk has increased significantly. Raw milk, or unpasteurized milk, is legal for direct sale in 27 states, including for retail sale in Pennsylvania (you can actually find it at Lemon Street Market, a short walk from campus). Controversy over raw milk is not new – the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Center for Disease Control (CDC), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), among many other institutions, warn against the consumption of raw milk, citing its carrying of pathogens such as E. coli, salmonella, and listeria, which are bacterial illnesses with symptoms ranging from nausea to death. Most of us were taught about the process and importance of pasteurization somewhere around middle school. Recently, concerns have also risen over raw milk as American dairy cows have been afflicted with avian flu. Although most milk remains safe because of the pasteurization process, this doesn’t necessarily extend to raw milk.
Why, then, has there been such a surge in its demand and consumption? There’s a pretty clear observable, and historical, link between the endorsement of raw milk and both libertarian and conservative ideals, which have also been on the rise recently. Those who defend raw milk, and encourage consumption, generally do so because they believe it to be healthier and more nutritious than “regular” milk. Raw milk is considered by major medical organizations to be either not at all, or marginally more beneficial, but some do not consider these reputable sources. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an outspoken skeptic of vaccines and the president-elect’s choice for heading the Department of Health under his administration, has stated that raw milk “advances human health,” and condemned the FDA’s “aggressive suppression.”
It’s also about as far away as you could possibly get from more modern milks, which are sometimes associated with liberalism and inclusion. No more $8 lavender oat milk latte made by a bisexual barista – real men drink it straight from the udder. Raw milk is also linked to the carnivore diet in some cases, which is largely fuelled by conspiracy theories and hypermasculinity.
At the end of the day, the choice to drink raw milk comes down to how people feel, and often how they feel about major health institutions. It will be interesting to see where demand goes from here, but for the time being, raw milk joins a plethora of other common conservative cultural signifiers, like country music and Americana, in making quite a splash across the nation. That being said, though, I’m sure some enjoy their milk apolitically – but the trend is undeniable.
Sophomore Sonja Luyten is a Staff Writer. Their email is sluyten@fandm.edu.