(NewsNation) — The latest front in the culture wars in America now centers on milk.
Raw milk has emerged as the new symbol for conservative and right-wing politics, challenging established national public health directives that advocate pasteurized milk as the only safe option.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration have long emphasized that raw milk is unsafe to drink because of harmful bacteria that can cause illness or even death.
However, if you open social media apps like Instagram or TikTok, you might see influencers or even some conservative commentators promoting raw milk.
Raw milk sales up 65% from last year
Actress Gwyneth Paltrow recently said on a podcast that she drinks raw milk every day. Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. made headlines when he said at a recent campaign event, “I only drink raw milk.”
Recent data from Nielsen, a research firm, shows that sales of raw milk are up more than 20% since the bird flu was first detected in dairy cows in March and more than 60% compared to last year.
Some researchers believe that this surge is driven by conservatives who want to make their own choices about what they drink, rather than follow government guidelines.
Are there regulations on raw milk sales?
While drinking raw milk isn’t illegal, it’s highly unadvisable.
According to the New York Times, the sale of raw milk is either illegal or tightly controlled in about half of the states, and the FDA bans the interstate sale of raw milk.
However, several states allow producers to sell raw milk directly to consumers. Iowa, Louisiana and Delaware are moving legislation forward to legalize the sale of it.