Two recent actions, one at the state level and another at the federal level, underscored the importance of pasteurization for milk sold to consumers and helped to protect the dairy industry's strong food-safety record.
The New Jersey State Senate's Economic Growth Committee last week removed from consideration a bill that would have legalized the sale of raw milk to consumers in the state. Earlier this week, the White House responded to a public petition, turning down the request to legalize raw milk sales for consumers across the country.
The New Jersey committee was set to hear testimony on a bill, A. 743, which would allow the sale of raw milk to consumers at the farm level. The bill had been passed by the State Assembly in April and was awaiting Senate approval. The committee chairman, Senator Stephen Lesniak (D-Union), pulled the bill from the hearing agenda due to significant opposition, effectively killing the bill for the rest of the legislative session.
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