The People Want Raw Milk
About this episode
Doug Stephan discusses the implications of the Farm Bill and the growing demand for raw milk amidst health concerns.
Host and American Family Farmer, Doug Stephan ( www.eastleighfarm.com ) shares the biggest news affecting smaller family farmers, starting with the U.S. House of Representatives passing the sprawling Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 (AKA The Farm Bill) by a bipartisan vote of 224–200. The multi-billion dollar, 5-year legislative package sets farm, conservation, and nutrition policies, but now faces a difficult path in the Senate. In other news, California farmers are being forced to destroy roughly 420,000 clingstone peach trees after Del Monte Foods filed for bankruptcy and permanently closed its Central Valley canneries. The sudden closures left dozens of growers with no buyers for their fruit, prompting a $9 million federal relief package to assist with tree removal and crop transitioning. Shifting focus to raw milk, a rather polarizing conversation, lawmakers in at least 18 states are actively pushing to expand or legalize the sale of raw milk, driven by consumer demand and "freedom of choice" arguments. However, this push intensifies amid a wave of recent illness outbreaks that have sickened U.S. children, drawing stern warnings from health scientists. For many…
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