With about 100 activists in attendance, the North Carolina Senate Judiciary Committee voted Tuesday against banning the sale of raw milk.
Sen. Brent Jackson (R-Bladen, Duplin, Jones, Pender, Sampson) presented Senate Bill 639 or the North Carolina Farm Act of 2025 to the panel.
In its original form, the bill would have repealed provisions in state law that authorize the distribution of unpasteurized milk for personal use, following recommendations from Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler due to evidence it transmits bird flu, WRAL reported. Lawmakers seemed poised to pass this iteration last week.
But new amendments on Tuesday would legalize the sale and distribution of unpasteurized milk.
One amendment to the bill allows for the Agriculture and Forestry Awareness Study Commission to conduct research around raw milk. Another requires individuals to be part of a “herd share” agreement to obtain raw milk — a program in which individuals can buy a share in a milking animal or herd to receive a portion of raw dairy products.
Jackson revealed he’s received thousands of text messages, phone calls, and emails in favor of raw milk consumption in North Carolina.
“Until we filed this bill, sometimes you don’t know what’s out there,” he said. “But I’ve learned there is a tremendous amount of herd sharing going on in this state.”
Several lawmakers and witnesses spoke in favor of the bill, which moves along to the Senate Finance Committee.
Sen. Sophia Chitlik (D-Durham) said she joined a herd share when her son was a year old, although her family is no longer a member. Since she’s interested in science and data, she researched the diet and effects of raw milk.
“I learned that very scare diseases like tuberculosis, bacteria, and E. coli could indeed be passed through raw milk if safety standards weren’t followed or testing wasn’t done,” Chitlik said.
In order to mitigate the risk, she said she found a farmer who tested their cows regularly and abided by strong, self-imposed standards.
Chitlik said she had a hard time believing raw milk was more dangerous for North Carolinians than forever chemicals, which have been linked to cancer.
Robert Benor said he didn’t know anything about the state legislature until Friday afternoon, when he learned his business could be shut down.
He owns Benor Farm in Orange County’s Ceder Grove, a regenerative dairy with six cows and a herd share. Benor produces and sells raw milk, butter, and yogurt, as well as fresh eggs from his chickens.
With spotty cell service on the farm, Benor said he initially missed a call from legislators asking about the farm’s standards, practices, hygiene, sanitation, members, and community.
“I hope that going forward, as we continue to study this issue, you work with small farmers,” he said. “I think if you show up to our farms, you see the care we put towards our animals, our land, our community, and the milk itself, all of your fears will be assuaged.”
Doug Holland, president of the North Carolina Dairy Producers Association, testified against the raw milk provision.
Like the North Carolina Farm Bureau and other agricultural organizations in the state, the Dairy Producers Association is opposed to raw milk sales.
“We’ve taken a long stand and have policies in place that are against the sale of raw milk in North Carolina,” he said. “I know there’s a lot of emotions on this bill, I urge you to look at the science.”
Holland said evidence has shown that raw milk can contain many pathogens leading to E. coli, salmonella, listeria, and H1N1, or swine flu.
The Senate Judiciary Committee also voted to approve Senate Bill 554, the Farmers Protection Act. Like the House version of the bill that was considered in a committee earlier this session, the bill aims to prevent banks and credit unions from denying loans to agriculture producers based on their greenhouse gas emissions, use of fossil-fuel derived fertilizer, or use of fossil-fuel powered machinery.
The bill now heads to the Senate Rules Committee. The House bill remains in the committee on Commerce and Economic development.
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