LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – A bill filed at the state capitol looks to open some of the sale limitations on raw milk in the state.
House Bill 1048 filed Thursday would change Arkansas law to no longer prohibit the off-farm sales of raw goat, sheep and whole milk.
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This means, if passed, consumers would be able to go to local markets to buy the milk rather than driving to the dairy farms producing it, which can often be at least an hour away, even for central Arkansas residents.
Logan Duvall, the owner of Me & McGee Market in North Little Rock has been extremely vocal about the issue already and his support of raw milk sales and consumption. He’s worked alongside legislators in the process of the crafting of this bill and potentially others, giving feedback on the proposed changes to state law.
Though Duvall said his support of further unpasteurized milk sales is not about the business, but the message it sends about people’s freedoms.
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Duvall said, while this bill is not about the raw versus pasteurized milk argument for him, he is confident of raw milk’s safety when it comes from healthy animals under significant testing protocols. He added that it has a whole host of vitamins and minerals compounds that boost the immune system. He went on to say raw milk is a “100% superfood.”
Duvall said raw milk has also become a regular part of his diet, along with his family’s.
“There’s very few people that have dove into this deeper than I have,” Duvall said. “My oldest son was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer 5 years ago. All I have done is try to understand health and do things that’re going to give him the best life. He’s doing great, but this is something I’m very focused on.”
Duvall said he feels this bill is a step in the right direction, but would like to see even more work down by lawmakers to lift limitations under the 2013 law currently in place.
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UAMS Internal Medicine Dr. Robert Hopkins said in a statement that he had concerns about raw milk.
“Nonpasteurized cow’s milk is dangerous and should not be imbibed by any humans. Without pasteurization it commonly contains any number of viruses and bacteria which commonly cause human disease.”