Tell IDPH why raw milk matters in Illiois

• If it's not broken, don't fix it. The proposed regulations are a solution in search of a problem. There have been no cases of foodborne illness outbreaks attributed to Illinois raw milk producers going at least as far back as 1998 if not further back. The state policy of allowing unlicensed on-farm sales of raw milk has been in existence for over thirty years and has worked well.
• Clear lines of traceability are inherent in direct sales of raw milk from the farm to consumers--a component of any sound public health system.
• Raw milk producers typically are small farms having only a few animals or small herds and are able to provide the kind of attention that is needed to make sure every animal is healthy and the milk is produced and sold in a sanitary manner compared to larger pasteurized dairy operations that have hundreds and hundreds of cows' milk combined together creating a situation where the same care and attention is not possible.
• There is no federal requirement that any state issue regulations on raw milk for human consumption. IDPH has falsely claimed that it must issue regulations to be in compliance with federal requirements; instead, IDPH should be directed to focus on real public health issues in the industrial food system. 
• This is a freedom of choice issue. If consumers want to buy raw milk from an unlicensed producer, that should be their prerogative. IDPH doesn't need to be protecting consumers from themselves, especially with the Illinois producers' strong track record for safety.

Talk about the economic impacts:

• The regulations will hurt the local economy. A number of Illinois raw milk producers have indicated that if the regulations go into effect, they will either quit the dairy business or go underground and continue to sell without the license required by the regulations. The net effect will be that access to locally produced raw milk will not be as great, causing consumers to spend more of their food dollars on out-of-state sources.
• Rules meant for large-scale, multi-farm dairy operations are being proposed for small family farms that sell small quantities direct to the final consumers, while also prohibiting those farms from selling raw milk anywhere but the farm. Complying with the requirements will be cost prohibitive for many.
• As environmentally-conscious stewards of the land, family farmers that produce raw milk are predominantly diversified farms focused on sustainability and providing local food for their communities. Many depend on the income from raw milk to supplement their other farming income streams.
• The proposed rules are a job killer at a time when Illinois, especially rural Illinois, and family farmers are already struggling economically.
• The proposed rules undermine the governor's efforts to promote local food and small farms.  Within in the past ten years, 20% of the state's conventional dairy farms have gone out of business. Imposing burdensome regulations on Illinois raw milk producers will cause even more dairies to shut down.