Want raw milk in Louisiana?  Speak up now!

House Bill 467 (HB 467) would legalize limited raw milk sales in Louisiana.  The House has approved the bill, and it now has to get through the Senate.

HB 467 legalizes the on-farm sale of up to 500 gallons per month of raw cow or goat milk for human consumption. There are extensive construction, sanitation, storage and handling requirements to address safety concerns, as well as a warning label.  The bill also clarifies that producers can also sell raw milk for pet consumption.

Although the bill passed the House unanimously, we expect that the Senate could be a tough fight.  A hearing has been scheduled for May 21 before the Senate Agriculture, Forestry, Aquaculture, and Rural Development Committee, and your help is needed!

ACTION TO TAKE:

1. Attend the hearing and testify in favor of HB 467. It’s important that the Senate Ag committee members see firsthand the support there is for HB 467. Your attendance matters!

Plan to keep your testimony short and focused – just 2-3 minutes (that’s no more than one page typed, if you speak at a regular pace). The important thing is for them to hear why you support this bill!

WHEN: Tuesday, May 21st at 9 am  WHERE: Senate Room C

2. Call your State Senator and urge them to support HB 467!  This is especially vital if they are on the committee (see the list below).  But even if they aren’t, the more Senators that hear about this bill, the better its chances!

To find your legislators, go to: https://www.legis.la.gov/legis/FindMyLegislators.aspx.  You want to contact your State Senator (not U.S.)

You can also email, but calls are more powerful.

Sample script:

Hi, my name is ____, and I live in _____ {town}. I am calling to urge my Senator to support HB 467 to legalize raw milk sales in Louisiana.

[In 2-3 sentences, explain why this matters to YOU.  You can also add one or two of the talking points below, if you want to.]

Will Senator ____ sign on to support HB 467?

###

TALKING POINTS:

• This is a freedom of choice issue. Everyone has the legal right to consume raw milk, but with the current ban on sales, there is no way for many to exercise that right. People should be able to reasonably access the foods of their choice.
• HB 467 could help Louisiana family farms stay in business. In 2016, the last time a raw milk bill was before the legislature, there were 115 Grade A dairies in Louisiana. Today that number is around 50. The additional revenue from selling raw milk for human consumption or pet consumption could make the difference in dairies’ survival in our state.
• Raw milk has a good record for safety. Although an estimated 3% of the population drinks raw milk, typically fewer than 50 illnesses are attributed to raw milk each year in the whole country.
• The media and public health agencies have been warning people not to drink raw milk because of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). There is no evidence that HPAI in raw milk or any other food can make people sick. [See “Where Is the Evidence?” by Peg Coleman.]

Senate Agriculture, Forestry, Aquaculture, and Rural Development Committee members:

Stewart Cathey Jr. (R-33) – Chair William “Bill” Wheat Jr. (R-37) – Vice Chair Robert Allain (R-21) Adam Bass (R-36) Michael “Big Mike” Fesi (R-20) Katrina R. Jackson-Andrews (D-34) Glen Womack (R-32) MORE INFORMATION:  HB 467 – https://www.legis.la.gov/legis/BillInfo.aspx?s=24rs&b=HB467&sbi=y Senate Ag committee – https://www.senate.la.gov/Sen_Committees/AgricultureForestry “Where Is the Evidence?” by Peg Coleman, Food Freedom Foundation https://www.foodfreedomfoundation.org/blog/where-is-the-evidence