From dayne201 on Wed, April 16, 2008

Sad, very sad. Think about it. Factory farming affects more than meat production. It also affects dairy and egg production, and relies heavily on grain and soy feeding, and possibly even more grotesque foods (not grass, which
cows are supposed to eat. Their stomachs are designed to eat grass, over and over again).
I imagine dairy workers do have to work in dirty environments, especially with the high concentration of cows and of course, their waste products. Cows nor dairy workers should not have to endure the conditions they do. If cows were grass fed, and chickens left to roam, I think both the workers and the animals would lead happier, healthier lives, along with more nutritious products (eggs, milk, cheese, butter, etc.)
Pardon my french, but if cows did not sit in their crap all day, I don’t think the safety of raw milk would be in question. Besides, doesn’t cow manure make good compost? Why not put it to good use on the farm or in the fields, rather than let it sit around or throw it into large waste lagoons?
It frustrates me that raw milk costs so much as well. While it is sold here in the state of Washington, the prices are outrageous compared to pasteurized. I went to Larry’s Market one day, and the half gallon was about $8.00.  I rely on dairy for calories and nutrition pretty much every day, I just couldn’t afford it.
Cost is the main barrier that is preventing most people from giving raw milk, or raw milk products, a try.
The title of a class I am taking in school is “Food and Communities.” What has happened with most communities? Food has nothing to do with their communities. Their milk does not come from cows 1o or even an hour away. This is not necessarily bad or wrong; however it erodes the connection people have with their milk supply, and they have no way of telling what kind of product they are truly getting. Also, if they never experience what raw milk is like, or the benefits of it, they will probably not demand it like someone who drank raw milk, and then had to switch to store bought, pasteurized milk would. Finally, if they saw the workers at a factory farm, people who drank the milk would likely be frustrated or saddened by the worker’s conditions (if they were dirty, unsafe, or unsanitary). If milk was more of a community-based product, people might even know their milk farmers by name, or at least by farm name, and get to see just how the dairy is produced, how the workers are treated, how the cows are treated, if they even get to graze on grass or not, and maybe be willing to pay a little (not a lot) more for milk, butter, eggs, etc. Quality over quantity

From Salmonella on Fri, September 11, 2009

The issue is far, far more complex than I’ve described above and Johnson remains respectably objective. Please read the article. Johnson is an entertaining writer. His piece is reference quality and yet doesn’t compromise a bit on good storytelling.