Personal Injury Law

So, what is it about raw milk that makes some people crazy?

By Bill Marler

I received this email bright and early this morning:

Hey you scum bag lier and thief (lawyer). Obviously you are funded by the commercial milk industry. You are clueless about raw milk! How many cases of contaminated commercially prepared milk vs raw milk are there? All your "wins" are from commercially prepared food companies. Oh, how do you sleep at night you amoral, unethical low life? I hope you get a food borne illness and die so we can be rid of another dirt bag lawyer!

My guess is that my friend above was reading a few of the below articles and my quotes this morning:

Raw milk's popularity spurs debate over safety, health

"What is happening nationwide as advocates push for raw milk and it becomes more mainstream, you are going to see more outbreaks and more illnesses and you will see more sick or dead kids, and that will create a pushback effect on raw milk," says Bill Marler, a food-safety attorney who represents food-poisoning victims and helped form the website realrawmilkfacts.com. "Governors and legislators are going to be facing more difficult choices with raw milk, addressing issues of personal freedom versus science."

Wis. legalization of raw milk seen as benchmark

The fight over raw milk usually comes down to health risks. Supporters say pasteurization — the process that kills harmful bacteria and extends shelf life — also destroys beneficial nutrients and enzymes. Public health officials and epidemiologists say unpasteurized milk can contain bacteria, including E. coli and salmonella, that causes sickness and even death.

Seattle attorney Bill Marler has represented children and families all over the country sickened by E. coli and other food contaminants. As raw milk sales become more common, an inevitable outbreak if illness will make legislators regret liberalizing the laws, he said.

"I've just seen too much illness and death due to bacterial contamination, and I frankly just think we ought to minimize it to the extent possible," Marler said. "When legislation is passed that unwinds 60 years of public health, you're going to have to deal with the consequences."

Both Marler and raw milk advocates agree that the more states like Wisconsin allow sales, the more likely it is that others will follow.

I am afraid this "debate" will continue.

Full post as published by Marler Blog on May 05, 2010 (boomark / email).