Vermont Ag Agency Halts Raw Milk Workshops

A small-farm advocacy group is crying foul over a state agency’s order to halt workshops that teach people how to turn raw milk into butter and other dairy products.

The Vermont Agriculture Agency deems the workshops illegal.

A warning letter from Agency Dairy Section Chief Daniel Scruton dated Feb. 10 states that Montpelier-based nonprofit Rural Vermont is in violation of state law “by holding classes in which raw milk is processed and served to the persons attending the class.”

Raw — or unpasteurized — milk is gaining popularity in Vermont, with advocates touting its health benefits. Detractors say the milk is vulnerable to contamination, and consumers risk illness.

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