How to Evaluate a Raw Milk Dairy

Before drinking raw milk, it is important to evaluate the raw milk dairy. Good raw milk in its natural state is not simply un-pasteurized milk; it must be produced according to certain standards in order to ensure its cleanliness. Here is how to evaluate a raw milk dairy.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Make sure that the dairy is a free-range, grass-based operation. All dairy cows should have open access to green grass untreated by chemicals or pesticides. Natural pasture should be the main source of food, with small amounts of grain given occasionally or not at all. Natural hay should be a supplement for green grass, not a substitute.
2. Find out what medications or antibiotics the farmers give to the cows. Ask the dairy farmer how long he waits after giving cows antibiotics to return them to the milking rotation. Raw milk dairies should not give the cows any growth hormones or production-stimulating injections.
3. Visit the farm and look at the cows, fields, milking barn, milking equipment and hay barn. The overall impression should be one of freshness and cleanliness. There will be plenty of cow manure in the fields, but that is natural. All cows should have free access to plentiful fresh, clean water.
4. Discover what tests the farmer performs on the milk and how often he tests the milk. Ask if the dairy operator has ever found human pathogens in the milk supply. Make sure that the farmer regularly tests all dairy cows for TB.
5. Review the Raw Milk Standards on the Raw USA web site. Show them to your raw milk farmer and discuss them with him. Ideally, he should be operating according to these standards that are used for the certified raw milk program in California.
6. Learn the farmer's milk process. Raw milk should be chilled immediately after milking and kept in stainless steel containers until transferred to glass or plastic bottles for the consumer.