LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Michigan lawmakers introduced a bill in the Michigan House to legalize the selling of raw milk, after a similar bill failed to advance in the House last year.

What’s the purpose of the bill?

The new bill would permit direct farm-to-consumer producers such as farmers, to sell raw milk, provided the milk meets certain processing and labeling requirements. Retail stores like grocery stores would not be able to sell raw milk.

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Rep. Matt Maddock (R-Milford), along with 36 other members of the house, sponsored the bill. It was referred to the Committee on Government Operations on Nov. 6.

Michigan’s raw milk history.

In 1948, Michigan was the first state in the county to ban the sale of raw milk and require that all milk be pasteurized, which is the process of heating milk to a specific temperature to destroy potentially harmful bacteria.

The Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development (MDARD) recommends that consumers only drink pasteurized milk because unpasteurized milk could transmit bacteria such as E. coli and salmonella, causing serious illness in humans.

But raw milk advocacy groups, such as the Raw Milk Institute, argue that pasteurization kills off beneficial nutrients and bacteria in milk, and that raw milk can be completely safe when produced according to the right safety standards.

Raw milk in the U.S.

Currently, 30 US states permit the sale of raw milk for human consumption within their state, although sale of raw milk across state lines is prohibited by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

House Bill 5218 would require farmers to label raw milk with indicators like bottling date and a statement warning consumers about the risks associated with drinking raw milk. The bill also requires that raw milk meet safety standards, including not exceeding 15,000 bacteria per milliliter of milk.

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Maddock introduced a similar bill in March 2024, which did permit retail stores to sell raw milk. However, this bill had no other sponsors and failed to be discussed by the Committee on Governmental Operations.