For the second time in two and a half years, New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets Commissioner Richard A. Ball is warning consumers in Oneida County and the surrounding area not to drink unpasteurized raw milk from Big Brook Farm, 6063 Weaver Road, Lee Center, NY, due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

According to the Department, a sample of the milk collected by a state inspector came back positive for Listeria monocytogenes. The farm was notified of the preliminary positive result on September 24, 2026, and further laboratory testing completed on September 29, 2026, confirmed the presence of the pathogen. Big Brook Farm is now prohibited from selling raw milk until subsequent sampling shows the product is free of harmful bacteria. No illnesses have been reported to the Department to date.

The Department recommends that anyone who purchased raw milk from Big Brook Farm immediately dispose of it and call the farm at (315) 281-5306.

This is not Big Brook Farm’s first Listeria problem. In March 2024, the same farm was ordered to stop selling raw milk after a state sample tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes – the producer was notified of that preliminary positive on March 13, 2024, and confirmatory testing was completed March 18, 2024 (Food Safety News covered it here).

Anyone who has consumed raw milk from Big Brook Farm and develops symptoms should seek medical attention and tell their doctor about the possible Listeria exposure. Symptoms of listeriosis can take up to 70 days after exposure to develop, so consumers should monitor themselves for the coming weeks.

Listeria monocytogenes causes listeriosis, a serious and sometimes fatal infection in young children, cancer patients, the elderly, and others with weakened immune systems. In pregnant women, listeriosis can cause miscarriages and stillbirths. Healthy people may experience short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea.

As the Department again reminded the public, raw milk does not provide the protection of pasteurization. Heating milk to a specific temperature for a specific amount of time kills the bacteria responsible for listeriosis, salmonellosis, campylobacteriosis, typhoid fever, tuberculosis, diphtheria, and brucellosis. Pasteurization is recognized internationally as an effective means of preventing foodborne illness outbreaks – including listeriosis.

Listeria: Marler Clark, The Food Safety Law Firm, is the nation’s leading law firm representing victims of Listeria outbreaks. The Listeria lawyers of Marler Clark have represented thousands of victims of Listeria and other foodborne illness outbreaks. Our Listeria lawyers have litigated Listeria cases stemming from outbreaks traced to a variety of foods, such as deli meat, cantaloupe, cheese, celery and milk.

If you or a family member became ill with a Listeria infection after consuming raw milk and you’re interested in pursuing a legal claim, contact the Marler Clark Listeria attorneys for a free case evaluation.