MACON COUNTY, Ga. — You probably don’t think much about it, you just go to the grocery store and grab a gallon of milk out of the cooler.
But state senators are considering a bill called the ‘Raw Dairy Act.’ It would essentially let farmers sell milk right from the cow.
“I’ve drank raw since I was a baby and I’m 62 now,” said Marvin Yoder.
It makes sense because he’s always had a dairy farm. Now, his son Tim is in the business, stepping it up a notch and offering organic milk.
The two would like to see the Georgia Raw Dairy Act pass the legislature this year. They figure the new market might keep some farms from going out to pasture, especially in Macon County.
“There was 30-35 farms 20 years ago. Today, they’re down to 12… 12 farms. That gives you an idea of the small farmers really struggling,” said Marvin.
“People ask about purchasing raw milk, especially with this being an organic farm. People will for sure come from other towns,” said Tim.
It could become a cash cow for the Yoders. The milk from the cows goes to Publix in Atlanta. He gets about 40 cents a pound and it takes about 8.6 pounds to make a gallon, so he gets around $3.40/gallon.
Raw milk would bring a much bigger price tag.
“Raw milk, for organic, it would be probably more like $7-8 a gallon,” said Tim.
Dairy farms would have to get a permit to dive into the market, and the law says that the Georgia Agriculture Commission would regulate everything.
“This would require them to be inspected by the USDA and make sure the quality of the product they’re selling is on point,” said Tim.
You might be wondering, what IS raw milk? It’s unpasteurized, so it hasn’t gone through the process of heating to eliminate pathogens. It’s also not homogenized, which separates the cream from the milk.
Many people drink raw milk because it has some health benefits over pasteurized milk, like probiotics.
People against the practice cite that raw milk can contain harmful bacteria like salmonella or listeria.