Personal Injury Law

PA Lifts Hendricks Raw Milk Permit And Then Gives It Right Back

Only last week's Dow experienced more up and downs than Hendricks Farm & Dairy in Franconia, PA.

On Sept. 12th, the state Department of Agriculture suspended the farm's raw milk permit  and instructed the Hendricks to stop selling raw milk for human consumption unless and until the permit is reinstated.

"HF&D is very concerned by the health issues some families have suffered from recently," the company said in a statement on its Web site last Sunday. "We are willingly complying with the Commonwealth's recommended temporary discontinuation of fluid raw milk sales."

Raw milk is milk that has not been pasteurized.

However before a full week had passed, the state did re-issue Hendricks' permit.

Lab tests on samples of raw milk from a Montgomery County farm linked to an outbreak of gastrointestinal illness in at least 10 people came back negative for the campylobacter bacteria, the state Department of Agriculture reported on Wednesday.

However, a sample of raw milk purchased at the farm by a Bucks County resident did contain the bacteria.

The farm's Trent Hendricks wasn't accepting responsibility for that one, however.

“It was out of our control,” he said.   Hendricks points to the fact that no pathogens have ever been found in the milk at his farm and the farm has never been found in violation of any regulations. “We have the best track record in the state.”

We still have to wonder about the state of regulation in Pennsylvania.   It appears that when the Commonwealth's Ag Department is making the call, the tie goes to the farm.

For more, go here.

Full post as published by Campylobacter Blog on September 20, 2008 (boomark / email).