Meeting Public Comments

Subcommittee meeting and times are as follows:

A bill for an act relating to raw milk, by providing for the production of raw milk at certain dairies, the manufacture of products using raw milk, and the labeling and distribution of raw milk and manufactured products, and making penalties applicable.

Subcommittee members: Jones-CH, Hora, Kurth

Date: Tuesday, February 28, 2023

Time: 8:00 AM - 8:30 AM

Location: House Lounge

Names and comments are public records. Remaining information is considered a confidential record.

Comments Submitted:

Download Comments

02-23-2023

Abbie Laws [Mother]

I please ask that you pass this bill and allow for raw milk sales in Iowa. I am mother of a son who is lactose intolerant and can not drink conventional store bought milk products without stomach and bowel trouble. We bought a dairy cow and started giving him raw milk. He has no troubles at all with it. Im lucky we have the opportunity to have a cow and access to raw milk. So many others have to try to drive across state lines to get raw dairy or break the current laws in hopes they dont get caught. Its ridiculous that so many other very harmful substances can be legalized tobacco, vapes, and the list goes on but not raw milk. It amazes me how that can be. Iowans deserve the right of choice in Iowa on this matter without government and lobbyists telling us no and making the decision for us. Thank you for your time and consideration.

02-23-2023

Donna Prizgintas [DonnaLonna Kitchen]

As a culinary professional, I support the availability of raw milk as a choice for farmers and consumers. Most other states have this option legalized. And it has proven very safe. Iowa should have the same marketing options

02-23-2023

Keela Moats []

It is discouraging to see so many surrounding states allowing their people abundant access to the super food that is raw milk. Raw milk is the only milk my youngest child can tolerate well and the hoops we have to go through to get it should not be. Access to this superior form of dairy should be available to all those who would choose it. We so hope Iowa will join all of the dairy states as well as surrounding states that have made this possible for their people.

02-23-2023

Kara Larson []

I support the HF338 Raw Milk Bill. Raw milk is full of probiotics unlike the pasteurized milk we see in the stores. Iowans (Americans) should have the FREEDOM to choose what we consume. I currently get raw milk through a cow share which is legal but have to drive some miles to pick it up every week. It would be so great to be able to get my milk nearby on a weekly basis. Raw milk is safe with proper refrigeration and timely consumption. Please, please pass this bill for Iowa!

02-23-2023

Alicia Lindaman []

I supposed Raw milk. We should have access to this super food beings it is all my daughter can handle. She is lactose intolerant and raw milk would open up so many more recipes for her. Not to mention the health benefits we could all gain from drinking it

02-23-2023

Kendra Bunger []

Iowa is a wonderful state with so many freedoms it makes no sense that we don't have the right to choose whether we can buy raw milk for our families. Please pass this bill and let Iowans choose what is best for them.Thank you.

02-23-2023

Esther Arkfeld []

Please pass this bill!!! This legislation has been requested for over a decade by people like me. Iowans would like to have the ability to choose what milk they would like to use as consumers.It is worth mentioning that Iowa is 1 of only 5 states who currently does not allow the access to raw milk. All other 45 states allow the access to raw milk in some way including all top 10 dairy states (and 5 of them allow it in retail settings). I have attached a map to show this data.

02-23-2023

Sara Spohnheimer []

Please support HF338 and legalize the sale of raw milk in the state of Iowa. Humans have enjoyed this traditional, beneficial, and safe product for thousands of years. Older friends told me about making their own cultured dairy products using raw milk they bought from local dairies back when we were allowed to do that in our state. It's hard for me to believe that Iowa, an agricultural state, is one of the few remaining that does not allow its retail sale. Please rectify that and restore our free choice. Thank you.

02-23-2023

Rachel Ward []

Please support this bill!Iowa is 1 of 5 states that prohibits the sale of fresh milk. The top 10 dairy states in the US have all allowed the sale of raw milk, and it is high time we joined them. This bill will support local, small dairy farmers.Raw milk is known to have many health benefits which pasteurization strips from the milk. Please help Iowans have better access to greater nutrient dense foods like raw milk.Thank you for your consideration.

02-23-2023

Robin Vassios []

Please support and pass the HF 338 bill. Having 4 (grown) kids of my own and living in various other states where we had our own raw milk share program, we confidently say the benefits of drinking raw milk are remarkable. Besides all the health benefits, we live in a country where we are supposed to have the freedom of choice. That includes what and how we consume our foods. There are no restrictions as to whether I eat raw veggies out of my garden, or consume raw eggs, etc. Likewise it doesn't make sense to regulate 'fresh squeezed' milk either. Thank you!

02-23-2023

Karen Ahrenholtz []

Please support this bill! Raw milk is known to have many health benefits which pasteurization strips from the milk. Why is it that Iowa is only 1 of 5 states that prohibits the sale of fresh milk? Iowans are intelligent enough to decide whether consuming raw milk is best for the health of their family. This bill will give Iowans a choice and also support local, small dairy farmers. Please help Iowans have better access to nutrient dense foods like raw milk. Thank you for your support of HF338.

02-23-2023

Rose White []

I believe it's just common sense to support and pass HF338 raw milk bill. It's a wonderful product and why cause Iowans to cross state lines to buy raw milk and other things. It's good for our state to keep our people buying in Iowa. I can't think of any legitimate reason not to pass this bill . We sell alcohol , guns, cigarettes and many other things that if used wrongly can have negative effects . This is so much safer than any of those things. I believe our Iowa politicians have good sense and can see that the people they represent would benefit from the sale of raw milk . I look forward to hearing that this bill passes this year.Thank you for hearing and helping the citizens of Iowa

02-23-2023

Amy Ayala []

I feel it would be so beneficial to families if we were given the opportunity to choose the option to consume raw milk if we wanted too. So many other surrounding states support it and we as Iowans should be able to too. Their are so many healthy benefits to it. I ask that you please hear the many other voices who also support this. If we can legalize so many harmful things people consume, why cant we legalize the healthy things too which is beneficial to us?

02-23-2023

Gabby Fistler []

Fresh milk contains a wide variety of essential nutrients, fats, proteins, antiinflammatory and digestive enzymes, bioavailable vitamins, and minerals, all in a natural form which is most easily utilized by the body. In addition, fresh milk facilitates production of lactase enzyme in the intestinal tract, allowing many people who are lactose intolerant to digest fresh milk with no problems. Please pass this bill!

02-23-2023

Holli Staack []

I support this bill and the freedom to allow families to make this choice!! Our family does not have access being in such a remote area. The superfood that is raw milk should be available to us just as it is in so many other states around us!!!

02-24-2023

Catherine Lemay []

Please SUPPORT HF338 Raw MilkBill!!Iowa is only 1 of 5 states whodoes not allow the sale of fresh milk and it is high time we change this.All top 10 dairy states allow the sale of fresh milk. Iowa wants to jointhem Please support food freedom and support of local small farmers!Sincerely,Catherine LemayKanawha, IA

02-24-2023

Violet Ahrenholtz []

I am writing to ask you to please support HF338 Raw Milk Bill.Our family is very much in favor of this bill. Raw milk keeps our family healthy and our bones strong pasteurized milk lacks the power to do this well. The good cultures in Raw Milk helped to cure my brother (who is in his 20's) of Ulcerative Colitis Doctors had told him that he would suffer with it lifelong and he no longer suffers from it after using raw milk as part of his specialized gut healing diet. Iowan's need access to an unadultured milk product. We do not want to have to go across the state lines to our 5 bordering states to get it. I am a farmer and recently attended a Practical Farmers of Iowa conference. While almost all the facets of farming were represented there, one facet was not represented the raw milk facet. It made me sad to see that we are stifling our ag sector in this way. We limit our farmers and don't trust that they can make safe products from milk .This is not true, farmers are smart and use amazing technology. (plus we miss out on AMAZING raw artisan cheeses in our state). COVID has taught us that communities in our world going forward need access to local products from farmers so we do not have rural food deserts. Legalizing Raw milk helps us reach these goals. Thank you for hearing our voices and for hopefully supporting this bill See the Map below and notice the Very Few red states on the map Iowa is one of them sadly. Violet

Attachment

02-25-2023

Coreena Kinney []

I support this bill to allow Iowa's dairy farmers to sell "raw" aka fresh milk and products made from fresh milk. I think it's embarrassing that Iowa is one of the few remaining states that consider this amazing, natural, safe food to be illegal. I can't get nonpasteurized milk at this point. I certainly don't have the option of having a cow of my own. I want to find these products at my grocery store.

02-26-2023

Tara Truex []

I support raw milk consumption as well as the sale of it. This bill is a good opening conversation. The testing and labeling should only be for raw milk sales in stores.Direct farm sales to responsible buyers should not have testing or labeling requirements. How about a sign as a disclaimer? Lets make raw milk sales legal. Stop vilifying this product and allow Iowans to choose what they consume.

02-27-2023

Aida Dzafic []

Hello,I really hope you will consider voting to allow the sales of raw milk in Iowa. I believe that as consumers we should have the right to choose to drink raw milk if we so wish to just as we are allowed to choose to legally purchase alcohol or cigarettes which have far greater potential for widespread harm than a grass of properly prepared raw milk. The Raw Milk Institute shares great guidelines for keeping raw milk consumption as safe as possible. There are many health benefits to raw milk from healthy happy cows especially for gut health and the micro biome. There is no reason we should have to travel to neighboring states to get raw milk when there are so many Iowa farmers that would benefit from an increase in sales. Additionally, the fresher we can get it, ideally in our own state, the lower the chances of getting sick from it. One can purchase raw meat or raw eggs at the store if they wish, and it is at their discretion wether they eat it raw or cooked so why not allow the sales of raw milk? Raw milk has sustained many generations before ours and we should have a right to nourish ourselves in this way if we so choose. Any risk if on the consumer, just like when we purchase meat at the store, and the government shouldnt be preventing us from accessing milk if we want it. Thank you for your consideration and please vote in favor of bringing the option of raw milk for Iowans so that we can be like the other 38 states, not lagging behind. It would be a shame for a state with so many farmers to not allow people to exercise their free will and nourish their bodies in a way that feels intuitively right to them. Vote for sovereignty.

02-27-2023

Amanda Lee []

Please support HF338 for the sale of raw milk in Iowa. Our family could support local farmers instead of having to go out of state to get our raw milk products that we use and love for our family. It keeps the money in our state and supports consumer choice. Consuming raw milk products is not illegal. This would also enable family farmers to make a better living, and get customers to the farm thus able to sell other goods. Thank you.

02-27-2023

Abby Abby []

I ask that you please pass the bill for iowa to sell raw milk. There are so many benefits to drinking raw milk and it is full of nutrients/probiotics that serve your body well. There are several other states who allow sales of raw milk, and I would love it if iowa would jump on board.

02-27-2023

Audrey Hockel []

For the last ten years I have spent a great effort on acquiring quality raw milk for my family as well as witnessed many friends and family doing the same. The health benefits it contributes to growing children are astronomical and can be easily researched, to say nothing of my families first hand experience. Its also a shame that Iowa farmers miss out on this revenue to Iowas border states, or have to jump through hoops with herd share sales. The only reason this hasnt passed in the past is because of big money lobbyists and big AG. We the people, implore our civil servants to speak for us, and pass this bill.

02-27-2023

Caleb Hockel []

Please Support this bill! our liberties we prize our rights we will maintain! This is Iowa the AGRICULTURE state and we cant even have our own farmers sell milk to their neighbors?! Who do we serve? Big ag or our fellow Iowans.

02-27-2023

Elizabeth Sanders []

As Iowans we know how prevalent our farming community is it is the backbone to this state. Let's help support our farmers further by giving them the option to distribute the milk from their dairy cows to the residents that want it! On top of the health benefits, and the support we would be giving to our farmers,let us make decisions for our families without government intervention. Have we not learned anything in the last few years? We are sovereign beings capable of choosing what is right for us. We are talking about milk here...milk!

02-27-2023

Courtney Williams []

I have 4 children whose bodies do not tolerate store (pasteurized) milk. But 3 of them can drink and use the nutrition available in raw milk without adverse symptoms! They deserve a choice other than nut water for growing their bodies. Iowans deserve the right to make the best choices for their families. Iowan farmers deserve the right to sell their product to consumers. No reason I should have to drive into Nebraska to purchase the milk my kids need to drink to grow and be healthy. Iowa is not about unnecessary government regulation interfering with families lives. Please pass the raw milk bill now!

02-27-2023

Renae Vande Brake []

I know of some people that have very small children that are severely allergic to cows milk. These kids have thrived on goats milk. The problem is, their parents live in town. So what are they supposed to do to help their kids? They are IA residents and people dont want to sell them goats milk because it is illegal in Ia. A very tough choice as a parent and also for the farmer. Iowa is very behind the other midwestern states on the raw milk and other programs to help small family farms. It would be nice to see legislation make some changes that help the small business/farms verse the larger corporations. It is hard for a young g farmer to get started without big money behind them. A few small programs To give them a boost would definitely help. Homesteading is becoming more popular and why wouldnt we want few Iowans to be able to shop local and more choices available if they choose them. Example right now would be farm fresh eggs. The price is horrendous.

02-28-2023

Mary & Jody Meyer []

Please vote YES on HF338 to enable us to be able to buy raw milk in Iowa and not have to go to Minnnesota to buy it. Raw milk is most beneficial to our health and we would like to help Iowa farmers and build up our state economy. Thank you.

02-28-2023

Tracy bagley` []

Raw milk is healthy! Please pass this. Can someone from the government explain to me why I can't buy it in Iowa, but I can go across the border and buy it in Nebraska? How come the government is so intrusive and wants to determine what I can put in my body? Preventing the sale of raw milk should NEVER have been a 'law' in the first place. I'd be real curious if it was ever officially signed into law to begin with.

02-28-2023

Susan Cenci []

Hello,As a lifelong resident of Ottumwa, I am a proud Iowan. I love our state and find that we have so much to offer the rest of the nation. But, one thing we lack is raw milk access. We aren't currently able to own a milk cow, and in our state, that currently means that we are unable to procure raw milk.We currently drive 30 minutes away every couple weeks to purchase milk pasteurized at the lowest legal temperature in Iowa from Fairfield's Radiance Dairy, and it is delicious milk. I appreciate the high quality milk and dairy products they produce, but would still prefer a raw milk option. Despite the consumption of raw milk being legal, we would have to drive across state lines to purchase this product. I would much prefer to support an Iowa farmer than a farmer in a different state, especially since raw milk sales often lead to other sales between the farmer and the consumer.Raw milk sales are legal in almost every state. Iowa is missing out on this economic opportunity, to sell a safe product and increase our agricultural and commercial impact. Please legalize the sales of raw milk in Iowa, and make this option one that is available to families, like mine, that want it.Thank you,Susan Cenci

02-28-2023

Ahna Brandhof []

Good morning,I hope this message reaches the committee in time. My name is Ahna Brandhof. I am the mother of 3 girls (12, 3, and 2). my husband and I have been blessed with healthy children, however, we noticed our youngest would get terrible stomach pains after consuming store bought milk. She would wake up at night and scream for no less than 20 minutes, until the pains passed. She was unable to be consoled, and nothing I did helped ease her pain. We tried changing milk brands, trying lactose free and organic, but were met with the same problem. We even tried milk alternatives (pea protein, almond, and coconut), but those made her throw up.I felt like a failure, because I couldnt figure out how to help her, thinking we would just have to make sure she avoided dairy altogether. One day I decided to look up raw milk, as I had seen other friends mention it, and to my surprise there were testimonies from people with lactose intolerance that were able to consume raw milk with no issues. I decided to give it a shot, because at that point I had already dealt with her issues off and on for a couple of months, so what was another interrupted night?We acquired milk from a reputable source, gave her a small amount, and to our surprise, we were not awoken by her pained cries. Serving after serving, we continued to be surprised. She was thriving and loved the milk, as did our other two girls. Since switching to raw milk, she has not had any stomach pains. I felt a huge weight off my shoulders, and much relief knowing she was getting much needed nutrients, vitamins, and minerals to grow.Please vote YES on HF 338. Consumers, such as myself, deserve the right to have local, raw milk. The bill supports consumer choice. The consumption of all raw milk products is legal in Iowa. Instead of having to cross state lines to exercise their legal right, shouldnt Iowans have access to those products from Iowa farmers?Passage of HF 338 would enable family farmers to make a better living. Raw milk in other states is often the product that first draws the consumer to set foot on the farm leading to sales of other foods such as meat, poultry, eggs, and produce.Passage of HF 338 will keep more of the food dollar in the state economy. With the sale of raw milk being legal in all of Iowas bordering states, there are lost revenues.Thank you for your time and consideration.