July 22, 2008 - Raw milk is either bad for you or good for you, depending on whom you talk to. To state and federal regulators, raw or unpasteurized milk is a dangerous product that should not be consumed by anyone at any time.

To natural-food devotees, raw milk's beneficial microbes have almost mystical powers that can be used to treat everything from asthma to autism.

Roughly half the states, including Pennsylvania, allow the consumption of raw-milk products. The remainder prohibit the sale of raw milk, and the federal Food and Drug Administration bans cross- border sales of raw-milk products.

Whatever the health effects, raw milk is in greater demand today as consumers, in general, have become more concerned about chemicals and hormones used in traditional dairy farming.

State Rep. Brian Cutler and state Sen. Mike Brubaker recognize the significance of this trend for Pennsylvania dairy farmers.

The two local legislators are sponsoring legislation that would allow farmers to sell any product made from raw milk. Right now, farmers are limited to selling raw milk and aged cheese that's made from it.

If the legislation is approved, farmers could add a host of new products made from raw milk, including butter, soft cheese, ice cream and yogurt.

The measure would limit sales of raw milk and raw-milk products to the location where they are produced, and the products would not be allowed to be repackaged or resold.

The measure also would allow for a cooperative to obtain a permit to inspect and test its members' raw-milk products, which should encourage participation by Plain sect farmers who are wary of government intrusion.

Natural-food consumers welcome the legislation, as do many farmers who can sell raw milk directly to consumers for triple the money they get from milk companies.

Cutler, who grew up drinking raw milk, downplays the health risks.

If it is inherently dangerous, why don't we outlaw it? he says. Nothing is perfectly safe in life. A lot of things are inherently risky. Eating sushi is one of them.

Brubaker, on the other hand, is a bit more cautious about the health risks.

I very strongly have the opinion that raw milk needs to be regulated, he says.

Indeed, just this past June, the state Department of Agriculture ordered a York County dairy to throw out its raw milk after tests showed a harmful strain of bacteria that can cause listeriosis, a gastrointestinal illness. No illnesses were reported, however.

Nationwide, 1,000 people fell ill from raw milk between 1998 and 2005, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Two people died.

Regulation is a necessary component for any food product sold in the marketplace, as it should be with raw milk.

The Legislature is expected to take up Cutler and Brubaker's legislation in the fall, and it deserves a full airing.

The legislation benefits farmers and consumers alike, and addresses a growing demand in the natural-food market.