Raw milk popular on Canadian dairy farms

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.

Better Farming - February 2010