What's happened
As of mid-August 2025, raw milk from Keely Farms Dairy in Florida has sickened 21 people, including six children, causing seven hospitalizations and two severe complications. Separately, a large Salmonella outbreak linked to raw milk in California affected over 170 people across five states, mostly children. Authorities continue to warn against raw milk consumption due to serious health risks.
What's behind the headline?
Public Health Risks and Regulatory Challenges
Raw milk outbreaks in Florida and California underscore persistent public health risks associated with unpasteurized dairy products. Despite clear scientific consensus that pasteurization prevents dangerous bacterial infections, raw milk consumption remains popular among certain demographics, including some conservatives and independents, complicating regulatory enforcement.
Legal and Market Loopholes
Florida's ban on raw milk sales for human consumption is circumvented by labeling products as animal feed, as seen with Keely Farms Dairy. This loophole enables distribution despite health risks, leading to outbreaks affecting vulnerable populations, including children and pregnant women.
Communication and Transparency Issues
The California Salmonella outbreak, one of the largest linked to raw milk in recent US history, was underreported during its course, raising concerns about public messaging effectiveness. The delayed release of detailed outbreak data by health authorities limited timely public awareness.
Political and Cultural Dimensions
Raw milk's countercultural status, bolstered by figures like Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., influences regulatory dynamics. Initial encouragement to reform raw milk regulations has not translated into significant policy changes, reflecting tensions between public health priorities and political pressures.
Forecast and Implications
Without stronger regulatory enforcement and clearer public health communication, raw milk outbreaks will likely continue, posing risks especially to children, pregnant women, and immunocompromised individuals. Consumers must be better informed about the dangers, and policymakers should close legal loopholes enabling unsafe sales.
What the papers say
Josh Marcus of The Independent details the Florida outbreak linked to Keely Farms Dairy, highlighting 21 illnesses including six children and seven hospitalizations, with two severe complications. Marcus notes the farm's products are labeled for animal feed to skirt legal restrictions, quoting officials on sanitation concerns and health risks. Joe Sommerlad in The Independent provides a personal account of Rachel Maddox's lawsuit against Keely Farms, illustrating the severe human impact, including fetal death and septic shock, emphasizing the dangers of raw milk consumption.
Ars Technica's Beth Mole offers an in-depth look at the California Salmonella outbreak from raw milk, describing it as "one of the largest foodborne outbreaks linked to raw milk in recent US history," affecting 171 people across five states, predominantly children. Mole critiques the lack of timely public communication by the California Department of Public Health, quoting lawyer Bill Marler's surprise at the underreporting.
The Associated Press and Bloomberg provide concise updates on the Florida outbreak, noting hospitalizations and urging caution but stopping short of recommending against raw milk consumption outright. The New York Post contextualizes the outbreak within broader raw milk regulatory challenges, quoting experts like Keith Schneider on the necessity of pasteurization.
Together, these sources paint a comprehensive picture of the ongoing public health risks posed by raw milk, the regulatory gaps exploited by producers, and the human toll of recent outbreaks.
How we got here
Raw milk, unpasteurized milk, carries risks of bacterial contamination including E. coli, Campylobacter, and Salmonella. Florida prohibits raw milk sales for human consumption, but products are often sold labeled for animal feed. Despite warnings from the FDA and CDC, raw milk has gained popularity among some groups. Recent outbreaks highlight ongoing public health challenges.
Go deeper
- What are the health risks of drinking raw milk?
- How is raw milk regulated in Florida and California?
- What legal actions have been taken against Keely Farms Dairy?
Common question
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Are Raw Milk Outbreaks Common and How Dangerous Are They?
Recent outbreaks linked to raw milk have raised serious concerns about its safety. Despite its popularity among some groups, raw milk can carry dangerous bacteria like Salmonella, E. coli, and Campylobacter. In 2025 alone, large outbreaks in Florida and California have sickened dozens, including children, leading to hospitalizations and severe health complications. This raises important questions about how often these outbreaks occur and how risky raw milk really is. Below, we explore what you need to know about raw milk safety today and how to protect yourself.
More on these topics
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is a national public health institute in the United States. It is a United States federal agency, under the Department of Health and Human Services, and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.
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The Florida Department of Health is responsible for protecting the public health and safety of the residents and visitors of the state of Florida.
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Campylobacter is a genus of Gram-negative bacteria. Campylobacter typically appear comma- or s-shaped, and are motile. Some Campylobacter species can infect humans, sometimes causing campylobacteriosis, a diarrhoeal disease in humans.
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Salmonella is a genus of rod-shaped Gram-negative bacteria of the family Enterobacteriaceae. The two species of Salmonella are Salmonella enterica and Salmonella bongori.
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The California Department of Public Health is the state department responsible for public health in California. It is a subdivision of the California Health and Human Services Agency.
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The Food and Drug Administration is a federal agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, one of the United States federal executive departments.
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The Food Standards Agency is a non-ministerial government department of the Government of the United Kingdom. It is responsible for protecting public health in relation to food in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. It is led by a board appointed to...
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Robert Francis Kennedy Jr. (born January 17, 1954), also known by his initials RFK Jr., is an American politician, environmental lawyer, author, conspiracy theorist, and anti-vaccine activist serving since 2025 as the 26th United States secretary of healt