Raw milk from an unknown source sounds neither refreshing nor nutritious, particularly while 8 Washington and California residents (5 of them children who developed HUS) recover from illnesses suffered in the Cozy Vale and Organic pastures E. coli outbreaks. 

Neverthless, that appears to be what the Freedom Riders are going to transport for distribution from Wisconsin to Chicago on December 8.  In Richard Gubbe’s article in the Rock River Times, he reports that the “Wisconsin farmers who sell raw milk to individuals through cooperatives are donating the milk, but are remaining anonymous to avoid prosecution.  The farmers are going to be anonymous so they are not a target of the FDA,” organizer Max Kane said.”

Forget “know your farmer,” a well-informed mantra of the local, whole food movement. The Freedom Riders are doing a nice job of making their Wisconsin to Chicago (thus transporting it across state lines) raw milk march known to the masses, but I would have a concern if I was promoting either the march or the cause or the consumption of this particular batch of milk. Folks who drink raw milk, at the very least, should know exactly where it’s coming from and have formed their own conclusions about the environmental conditions and safety practices in place at the farm.  Maybe the organizers are planning on at least distributing literature on who these farmers are at the rally in Chicago.