Photo: CDPH

California Ban New Sales of Raw Milk Farm’s Products After Second Sample Tests Positive

Officials Urge Residents To Avoid Raw Milk Products After Second Positive H5N1 Test Result

California agricultural officials have forbidden new sales of Raw Milk Farm’s products, according to the Los Angeles Times. California Department of Public Health (CDPH) warned residents to avoid consuming cream-top, whole raw milk from Raw Farm, LLC in Fresno County after detecting bird flu in another retail sample. The products currently on the shelves can be sold, but the company is not allowed to ship or sell new products.

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) announced that Raw Farm voluntarily recalled its affected milk, identified by lot code 20241119 and a “Best By” date of December 7, 2024. Consumers are urged to return any remaining product to the store where it was purchased.

No human cases of bird flu have been linked to the recalled product. However, CDPH cautioned that the ongoing investigation into the connection between bird flu in dairy cows and poultry and sporadic human cases highlights the risks of consuming raw milk products.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) visited Raw Farm’s milk processing facility on November 27 to collect additional samples from bulk tank milk and bottled products. Results from this round of testing are pending.

Santa Clara County Public Health Laboratory conducted testing as part of a consumer protection initiative and identified bird flu in the second retail sample of raw milk. CDPH reiterated that pasteurized milk remains safe to drink and encouraged Californians to prioritize pasteurized products for the public’s safety.

The brand Raw Milk Farms has made no direct mention of the latest recall on their social media, the company’s president Aaron McAfee only said the company was working with state regulators to “maintain compliance” and that “there will be shortages.” The Instagram post was hashtagged with the MAHA tag, which is an alternate MAGA acronym for “Make America Healthy Again” that has recently been popularized by Robert Kennedy Jr.

The former presidential candidate and Donald Trump’s current pick as Health and Human Services Secretary. Kennedy is infamous for his anti-vaccine views, his devotion to beef tallow and suspicion of seed oils, and his opposition to using fluoride in the water to prevent dental issues.

The first post about the original recall denied that any bird flu had been found in the milk lot despite the test results from the CDPH, however, Aaron McCaffee confirmed to the Los Angeles Times that a test on Wednesday, November

Los Angeles County Public Health has also reported that the list of retail outlets that sold the original lot of raw milk potentially tainted with the bird flu virus was sold at additional stores in Los Angeles County. The entire list to date is as follows:

Back Door Bakery, 8349 Foothill Blvd., Sunland, CA, 91040

Bristol Farms, 7880 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90046

Eataly, 10250 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, California 90067

Erewhon Market