Dive Brief:
- A bill enabling raw milk to be sold at farmer's markets and delivered to consumers' homes in Texas has passed the state's House. The Senate is next.
- In the Senate, HB 91 is experiencing pushback from the Texas Association of City and County Health Officials, Texas Pediatrics Society, Texas Environmental Health Association, and Select Milk Producers, Inc. The bill will be backed by the Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance, which supported HB 91 throughout the House approval process as well.
- The bill also has record-keeping, labeling, transportation, and refrigeration requirements for raw milk.
Dive Insight:
State Rep. Dan Flynn has introduced a raw milk bill in the House for the past three legislative sessions. Little by little, he garnered more support until seeing a big 103-36 vote last week.
Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance representative Judith McGreary has said that raw milk does not pose any more risk than other products sold without similar regulations in place. The raw milk debate continues as one side insists upon the product's health risks while the other, like the Alliance and McGreary, ensure opponents that raw milk is fine for consumers and carries its own health benefits.