Raw milk popular on Canadian dairy farms

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Nearly 90 per cent of dairy producers who responded to a mail-in survey reported that they or their families consume unpasteurized milk from their bulk tanks, according to the journal Preventive Veterinary Medicine. More than a third thought consumers should be able to buy unpasteurized milk in Canada.

Producers who had completed a dairy health management course or participated in the Canadian Quality Milk program were less likely to support availability of unpasteurized milk. Producers under the age of 30, operators of smaller herds and organic producers were more likely to support unpasteurized milk sales.

Most producers didn't perceive that farm visitors have a high risk of introducing infections into their herds.

Two thirds were concerned that anti-microbial resistance might prevent the successful treatment of a sick animal. Most concerned were producers who had taken an animal health course, organic producers, and also producers from Quebec.

Barely 13 per cent of producers thought that consumers understood  about farm food safety. Only 30 per cent of producers viewed government personnel as knowing what it was about.

The questionnaire was sent to 10,474 producers enrolled in dairy herd improvement programs in 2008. Just under 21 per cent responded. BF