Food Safety News reports that the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) has lifted a cease and desist order against the sale of raw milk and raw milk products by Twin Rivers Farm in Ashley Falls, Mass. after testing proved a Brucellosis scare to be false.
Brucellosis is an infectious disease passed primarily between animals, but it can be passed to humans through the consumption of raw milk. The illness starts with flu-like symptoms but can become more serious, affecting the nervous system or internal organs and cause such chronic problems as recurring fever, joint pain and fatigue.
According to the Boston Globe, Robert Kilmer, owner of Twin Rivers Farm, had notified health officials that a preliminary test by his doctor was positive for brucellosis. More precise testing by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found no evidence of the infection. State officials tested all 270 cows on the farm and found no trace of Brucella bacteria.
Massachusetts health officials said they alerted the public a week before the tests were conclusive rather than take the chance that someone could drink raw milk from the farm and become infected.
“All in all, this has been a very trying experience, but the cooperation and willingness to take the steps needed by MDAR, DPH, USDA and most importantly, the farmer has helped immensely,” wrote Nathan W. L’Etoile, assistant commissioner of the MDAR in an e-mail to industry leaders.
Comments