There has been some excellent discussion to provide guidance to Marcie McBee, the Tennessee raw-milk farmer who had an outbreak of illness traced to E.coli O157:H7.
What makes pieces of this discussion exciting is that it begins to lift the veil of silence that accompanies outbreaks linked to raw milk. Because the public health community tends to operate under the assumption raw milk is inherently unsafe, it doesnt seek to offer specific insights and potential solutions to farmers who must deal with the challenges of providing a healthy product.
The Raw Milk Institute (RAWMI) has pioneered this process of producer education, and has a number of programs ongoing on various aspects of reducing risk associated with pathogens.
I encourage further lifting of this veil, and to help in that effort, I am re-posting a couple of the important comments on how raw dairies can begin to approach dealing with E.coli O157:H7. This from Dr. Cat Berge, a veterinarian and member of the RAWMI board of directors:
I am a veterinary epidemiologist and Board of Director of the Raw Milk Institute. We work very hard to educate our raw milk listed dairies about hazards in milk and how to ensure that raw milk is safe. Unfortunately, the situation is not as simple as you have come to understand. I believe you have not not totally understood the complexity of E. coli O157:H7 in dairy farms.
There is a wide variability in E. coli O157:H7 shedding within and among dairy farms and the complexity of control at the farm level is high. (Edrington et al., 2004) E. coli O157:H7 is not only present in the cow feces. It has been identified in various locations on dairies such as feed, wild birds, pets, water. Strains can persist in a herd for more than two years. (Shere et al., 1998). Animal-to-animal and waterborne dissemination of E. coli O157:H7 is common and effective water treatment to reduce the spread of this pathogen in cattle is needed. (Shere et al., 2002). Heifers and calves are much more likely to shed E. coli O157:H7 and therefore simply monitoring the lactating cows is not sufficient to rule out the presence of the bacteria on the farm. (Cobbold and Desmarchelier, 2000; Stanford et al., 2005).
Some cattle may be ‘super-shedders’ of the bacterium. Super-shedders may be excreting >1000 to 10,000 bacteria/gram feces. Super-shedders have been found to constitute a small proportion of the cattle in a feedlot (<10%) but they may account for >90% of all E. coli O157:H7 excreted. Although super-shedders may account for a high level of infection, there is no such simple solution as if that cow walks away, every bacteria is gone. Low level shedding can be very intermittent, and therefore a negative sample does not mean that the bacteria is no longer there. (Robinson et al., 2004)
As I always repeat to our listed farmers when I talk about diagnostic or screening samples, there is a simple rule: A negative sample does not necessarily mean that the bacteria is not there!! Just remember this sentence and this will help you understand a lot about sampling and detecting bacteria. (References available in original post.)
Marcie McBee inquired further:
From my understanding different cows will shed each month but you will have at least one persistent shedder cow that will shed all the time. She if the “sick cow” is removed, then the others will shed it and then have to pick it up from somewhere else (as you say through other animals or water). Maybe this does not eradicate it off the farm but it should show it to not be in the cows. The persistent shedder cow will test positive every time. (Making this strain easier to find in stool rather than in milk ?)
Dr. Berge answered:
I wish it was that simple. But bacteria are not proprietary to an animal. They can be seen as passengers on a bus, they come and go. Some are regulars, some are sporadic. Some use other methods of transportation. Some hang out in pools… that is their favorite Residence, other camp out in manure, feed or take a ride on a car wheel or your hands. The key is to realize that you can not just test and when you have all negative results, that you are somehow safe and free. The supershedders are a problem, but the ecology of the bacteria is not simply explained by the existence of a supershedder.
Shawn Barr offered a RAWMI producer’s perspective to McBee:
The RAMP plan as recommended by RAWMI is a holistic plan. It doesn’t address just one thing. Rather, its starts by assessing the various potential risks on YOUR specific farm, and then building your management plan around those issues. It is highly individualize. Before you can do that though, you need to understand some basic bacteriology, so you are definitely asking the right questions!
If you want to talk a look as how the various RAWMI producers have assessed and minimized their risks, take a look at the rawmilkinstitute.net website. Under listed farms, each farm’s plan is available for public view.
Dr. Cat has become a friend of mine and an even greater friend of the community of raw milk LISTED dairymen and the many extended dairymen that are mentored by this growing community of focussed and tenacious raw dairy producing students!! We are all students or we will be forever ignorant and nieve.
With each passing year the methods, practices, protocols, evidence collection systems and data improves and we get better and better at raw milk production, but only if we stay in class. No ditching class on raw milk. There are too many families relying on us as trusted and responsible producers.
Thank you Cat!!
Terri,
As the Chairman of the RAW MILK INSTITUTE.ORG , we have become a clearing house for questions about raw milk that come from all over the world and the especially the USA. Thank you for reaching out to me with your raw milk question. RAWMI specializes in raw milk food safety standards ( including food safety plan development ), farmer training, and protocols and testing systems.
I was able to quickly review the proposed ( draft ) new standards for raw milk that would apply to your operations in Foxboro. My comments are just the high points and should not be considered comprehensive.
The proposed standards may be well intentioned and perhaps well-meaning, but when and if applied are not comparable to any other raw milk regulatory protocols that are being used in the USA or that has ever been used in North America that I am aware of. I have personally testified as an expert witness on this body of raw milk regulation in more than 25 states and presented at Universities ( Stanford, Rutgers, UCLA, CAL TECH, UC Santa Barbara, UC Davis, Chico State ) and all over north America on raw milk related safety issues.
In practically every location that raw milk is provided for sale, either in a store or on a farm, the raw milk standards will generally follow this theme:
1. For retail sale, a third party ( the state or county milk inspection service ) will sample and test finished products one time per month and test for coliforms, SPC and perhaps the presence of 4 pathogens ( Campy, Listeria M, Salmonella, and Ecoli 0157H7 ).
2. For on farm sale, the local requirements can range the gambit from no testing to semiannual testing and or even monthly testing.
3. In no case do we ever see a requirement for weekly third party or regulatory testing.
4. In no case do we see a requirement of immediate closure or shut down if bacteria counts are above the local limits. Each state has its own limits and they are different all over America.
5. The only time that we see protocols for immediate shut down is if there are confirmed pathogens found in finished products or there is responsibly collected and identified epidemiologic evidence of illness associated with a product.
6. The standard protocol for tests or samples that are above the set limits are a 3 out of 5 test schedule. SPC or Coliforms limits are the measures that are used for this set of compliance regulations. It is the national norm for retail authorized producers to be tested one time per month and if those tests reveal a failure to comply with set standards or limits then the tests are repeated in a two week period. If those tests are still above standard then something called a DEGRADE is issued. This only happens after 3 tests out of 5 fail the standard. The reason for the 3 of 5 test standard is because these tests are not indicative of a pathogen or disease causing condition. These tests reveal a quality problem that needs attention. Quality and Safety issues are not the same.
7. Reinstatement from a DEGRADE requires 2 tests of finished products back to back to come under the standard. This generally takes 3 days sometimes 4 days at most. There is no RECALL of products that fail this 3 of 5 test standard. Under a DEGRADE finished products cannot be distributed until 2 tests in a row reveal compliance. A RECALL of products only happens if a pathogen is detected or illnesses are suspected from confirmed epidemiologic evidence. A RECALL means an immediate public warning to stop sale & stop consumption and then collection of products from all stores or asking consumers to return products to the farm.
Under the draft and proposed Foxboro protocols, there are requirements for weekly testing and immediate shut down of up to 30 days if any tests that are above standards. This is not based on Grade A Raw Milk Standards and would be a complete and unusual departure from the most strict standards that are in practice in North America. Any informed outside observer would see this draft policy as an attempt to shut down raw milk and not an effort to improve safety( if that was needed or required ).
Perhaps the best measure of safety is the coliform sampling and test data that has been experienced by the dairy. If coliforms are very low then the odds of an ecoli 0157H7 pathogen being present are near zero.
If there is anything else I can do to assist please let me know. We have Dr. Cat Berge PHD & Vet that can also assist as well, she in on the RAWMI board of directors. She is an expert on pathogens but not state by state North American Raw Milk production & regulatory standards. That has been my area of expertise for 14 years.
Thank you!
Mark McAfee
Chairman RAWMI
If all of us can keep one thing in our hearts….it should be the nourishment and health of the next generation. Our current regulations, practices, systems and food culture has failed miserably at this vision and mission. It is up to us as farmers to rescue America from this disaster. It will be whole and unprocessed foods that will save our GUTS our MINDS and our HEALTH. It has always been plentyful whole foods that have nourished mankind.
For this and our wonderful consumers we are grateful and thankful for on this Thanksgiving season.
From all of us at OPDC…Thank YOU!!
I had to chuckle when it came to the end of the vid where it showed the glass quart bottles on your giveaway thingy, because a long time ago when we were getting our milk from a local farm, we ended up with one of those exact same bottles (the ones with the red lid) even though OP is not even available here in this area of the country. I’m still using it, too! I also have an adorable small cream bottle from Straus Family Creamery from Marshall, CA. Don’t know how these bottles made it all the way to this neck of the woods but glass bottles are much preferred by people in this area, so we hoard them no matter where they come from or how they get here! So, even if we can’t buy your product here, we can still advertise for ya!
Mark, thanks so much for the letter. Terri Lawton was prepared to read it tonight, as part of her testimony….except the hearing was postponed. There were 140 people ready to crowd into a room that holds 70….in a fire department building. Didn’t work. The Foxborough Board of Health was clearly blown away. “We’ve never had this much interest in something we are doing,” one of the members said.
The outpouring of interest, which included many dozens of emails, may well have had an effect. New “revised” town regulations are due to be posted in a day or two. We’ll see where that goes, but once again, people showing up and speaking up makes a difference.
Great to meet you at long last, Ora….BTW, you never did tell me your real name. Who was that masked man? 🙂
We heard there was a waiting line out the door, which was the very reason for postponing the meeting.
Evidently town laws require that all who want to attend, can. If that’s not possible then it needs to be rescheduled. They talked about moving it to a bigger room facility, but somehow decided that moving all the fire engines outside and having it in that parking area hangar, (the building where the meeting was held is a combination, Fire-Police-Town facility,) or calling the local high school and seeing if the gym available is too complicated and unattainable.
Please keep us up to date for the return match David.
I think we should be able to spread the word and have twice the size crowd or better after word of this meeting gets out. I had a customer in today that works for BOH towns locally, and has never heard of Lawton’s Farm or about the Foxboro legal crackdown. So we teach.
For some of us, pasteurized milk is not quite a death penalty, but raw milk access can surely be a matter of life and health. Pretty darn close and personal.
So proud of you for showing-up, standing- up and speaking- up!!
http://foxborough.patch.com/groups/politics-and-elections/p/support-for-lawtons-forces-delay-in-board-of-heath-public-hearing
Try this one out for size
Vancouver politicians must be getting desperate in their quest for things to ban. Talk about a bunch of doorknobs, pun intended.
http://www.thestar.com/life/2013/11/20/vancouver_bans_door_knobs.html
Universal design has its merits however I have to agree with the President of the Canadian Antique Doorknob Association that, such a by-law although perhaps acceptable for public buildings, forcing it on the private homeowner is a bit extreme.
I hear bears prefer leavers to doorknobs.
Ken
Forcing it, is the main point we have to resist. Have it your way and I’ll agree that you get to make that choice, but maybe that’s not what I want for myself.
Forbidden door knobs, I saw them open for back in the 60s I forget when.
1. Mark, that was a great letter and I’m sure it will be put to good use eventually. Event being the key word. Thanks for taking the time we’re all in this together, I may have posted this already but twice is nice.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqLRd4neGGE
2. The Fire Chief guy was super nice, very respectful and did his job admirably and without confrontation. Wish It could always be like that but you know, people have phobias from childhood and
http://bizarrocomics.com/files/2013/11/Bizarro-11-24-13-WEB.jpg
If you think I’m weird check out this guy’s site
(For a largerized view, click the 46th turkey from the left.)
http://bizarrocomics.com/
“The power of satire is never to be underestimated” unless you do.
Stay tuned. Whatever that means anymore. Or Google, search, wiki, turn off all the modern devices and go listen to your turkey. They are very wise.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKx0tdlxMfY