MIFFLINBURG -- Some local raw milk producers are reacting with concern and caution over an outbreak of gastrointestinal illness stemming from raw milk sold from a south-central Pennsylvania dairy farm that, as of Friday, has sickened 38 people in four states.
The Campylobacter infection occurred in 31 people in Pennsylvania, including 18 in Franklin County where the Your Family Cow of Chambersburg dairy, the source of the questioned product, is located, according to the state Department of Health.
Your Family Cow dairy voluntarily suspended its operations in the wake of the outbreak, according to a statement on its website from owner Edwin Shank.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health warns people to discard any Your Family Cow products purchased between Jan. 18 and 28.
Four cases of illness have been reported in Maryland, two in West Virginia and one in New Jersey. All those sickened reported consuming Your Family Cow raw milk.
No complaints locally
"It's disturbing whenever there is something going on with raw milk," said Christopher Hudler, owner and operator of the Happy Cow Naturals Dairy Farm in Mifflinburg, which specializes in raw cow's milk and related products.
Hudler, who delivers Happy Cow Naturals products to Valley homes and distributes to various businesses in Lewisburg and State College, said he has heard no complaints or reports on his products.
"I am an advocate for raw milk. I firmly believe if it's done properly and handled properly, there is not a better food on the planet," Hudler said. That's why it's important to maintain equipment and have regular inspections as well as a raw milk permit, he said.
There are about 150 permitted raw milk producers in Pennsylvania, according to the state Department of Agriculture's list, last updated in August. Every three months, the agency inspects operations of these permit holders and their required records.
The health department usually conducts twice-monthly inspections that involve purchasing a raw milk product and testing it.
Hudler knows the Shank family that owns Your Family Cow and described the dairy as a large operation with about 250 dairy cows.
"They're good folks," Hudler said. "Some of the problem is they're pushing a lot of product through that place."
Shank posted on Your Family Cow website that the dairy's latest tests for bacteria were negative. Hudler said that leads him to believe the lab somehow missed the bacteria's presence.
"The thing that surprises me is Your Family Cow is a simple operation," Hudler said. "Milk goes into a bulk tank, then gets piped to bottling machine and gets bottled. It doesn't get much simpler than that."
Safety "fanatics"
James Reiff, owner of Mountainview Farms in Mifflinburg, was aware of the news out of Chambersburg but had no queries about his own products.
"It seems our regular customers know we're pretty clean and sanitary," he said. "They know we drink it as well." His raw goats' milk products are sold both locally and on his farm.
Product safety is always on your mind, Reiff said. "We are tested twice a month" for antibiotics and bacteria, he said, the usual industry standard. Inspectors "would probably pick (a contamination) up."
"That's one thing about having a raw milk permit; it's not cheap," Reiff said, noting that the twice-monthly test total $80. "You have to pay out for all those tests and everything," which is why dairy farmers in business are fanatics about product safety, he said.
Asked where such bacterial infection would occur, Hudler said it can happen from dirty seals, such as those in an operation's pipelines if they're not cleaned properly.
Cleaning involves a strong soap run through a rinse cycle on the pipes, he said, followed by a very hot water rinse and then an acid to clean out anything that may be left. A chlorine-type solution is a final step before any more product is put through the pipes, he said.
"That's proper procedure, and if someone doesn't do that religiously, you can have some issues like this," Hudler said.
The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture is awaiting test results on the milk for the Campylocbacter bacteria. However, tests by the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene on an unopened bottle of the milk found the bacteria's presence.
Also, the Berkeley County (W. Va.) Health Department reported Thursday two residents who are ill and attributed the sickness to the milk.
