SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Because of overwhelming response to its proposed raw milk rules, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has extended its public comment period until Dec. 4.

Wes King, executive director of the Illinois Stewardship Alliance (ISA), said about 75 people – primarily farmers and consumers – attended a public hearing hosted by the IDPH last Thursday, to comment. One farmer, Cliff McConville of Barrington Natural Farms in Barrington, offered to share some fresh raw milk with attendees and was told it was illegal to give it away on state property, and that if he tried officials would call the police.

“They wouldn’t even let a photographer take a picture of him pouring the milk,” King said. “That seemed unnecessary.”

The IDPH has created a 25-page set of rules to regulate dairies selling raw, or whole unpasteurized, milk direct to the public, to prevent foodborne illness. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), however, only two incidents of foodborne illness (for a total of 20 people affected) from raw milk have been reported in Illinois since 1998. None of those cases involved hospitalization or caused a death, stated the ISA.

Another report states that according to a CDC study from 1993-2006, the rate of outbreaks of illness caused by unpasteurized milk and products made from it was 150 times higher than outbreaks linked to pasteurized milk. In that study, 200 of 239 hospitalizations were caused by raw milk, and 75 percent of the problems associated with raw milk were in the 21 states where it was legal to sell it at the time.

McConville said the problem with the second report is it groups products like yogurt and cheese made with raw milk in with raw milk itself. “Most of the public health people throw in the cases of the Mexican bathtub cheese,” he said.

“All of those people died from eating queso fresco cheese, which is made with raw milk. There are a lot of large confinement dairies that hire Hispanic workers. They get raw milk from their employer and take it home to make cheese in the bathtub which they sell in Mexican grocery stores.”

The ISA reports an estimated 400,000 people in Illinois drink raw milk. About half of U.S. states prohibit its sale. McConville said just a few people spoke in favor of the proposed rules; he believed they were from public health departments.

“The vast majority was there to speak against the rules,” King said. “It’s really interesting that the IDPH is trying to protect the public from itself.

“They make it sound like people are stumbling across raw milk by accident.”

McConville said that is just not the case. “My customers are well-educated, they drive up to an hour to get it and pay premium prices. They are making a conscious choice, and they are some of the most health-conscious people I know.”

The proposed rules would require all producers to obtain a permit. They would be subject to regular inspections and be required to meet all the guidelines in place for Grade A dairies. Unlicensed dairies would be prohibited from giving milk away to family and friends.

“A lot of the cost would involve regular testing and equipment upgrades,” King said. “The government is trying to regulate an entire industry out of business.”

McConville said although he only milks seven Guernsey cows, he would probably go through the permit process. But he understands why many farmers would either go underground or stop selling milk. He calls that “unfortunate.”

“Selling raw milk is a good way to get started in farming. I can pay $2,000 for a really good lactating cow and start to see a return on that investment the very next day,” he said. “With beef cattle, it takes a year of feeding and caring for them before you see a return.”

IDPH officials said they are unable to comment on the proposed rules unless they are adopted by the state. The first step is review by the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules. King explained once the committee has the proposed rules in hand, it has 45 days to act. The committee can enact the rules, make changes or scrap the proposal completely.

“We’re going to be calling on the members of the joint committee to file a suspension against the rules until significant changes are made to address concerns expressed,” he said.