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Judge doesn't swallow B.C. cow-share advocate's raw milk argument (www.cbc.ca)

submitted 6 days ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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Judge dismisses judicial review of Public Health Act regulation concerning raw milk

A man's latest attempt to challenge B.C.'s rules on unpasteurized milk — also known as "raw milk" — was dismissed in the province's Supreme Court.

Gordon S. Watson sought a judicial review of the province's regulation of unpasteurized milk as a health hazard subject to "significant restrictions" under the Public Health Act.

Justice Bill Veenstra wrote Watson mostly wanted a legal opinion that a practice known as "cow-sharing" allows raw milk distribution and to restart a previous constitutional challenge. Watson also sought "various declarations" and an injunction against the enforcement of raw milk rules.

But Veenstra noted Watson had been before the courts in 2010 and 2013 on raw milk issues and dismissed his latest effort under "res judicata" — a legal doctrine which prevents relitigating matters that have already been decided.

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[–] [email protected] 15 points 6 days ago (3 children)

Why do people want raw dairy milk?

[–] [email protected] 17 points 6 days ago (2 children)

Some argue the pasteurization ruins nutritional value. It's too bad these people don't remember all the people dying from drinking raw milk in the past, but it's outside of our recent memories. It's sort of down antivax lane.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 5 days ago

Flavor also. It just tastes different. OTOH, there's no reasonable way to ensure that it's safe when done on a large enough scale to be remotely profitable; most listeria is because the udders/teats are inadequately cleaned, and thus act as a vector for contamination.

[–] [email protected] -5 points 6 days ago

This really isn't the case. If dairy products are well handled, cows are monitored, and there's routine testing then you can avoid the kind of disease outbreaks we had in the past. It's just cheaper to boil the shit out of milk.

[+] [email protected] -9 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (1 children)

Because it's just plain better. I react badly to Canadian milk after it's been ultra-pasturized but I'm not fully lactose intolerant. I can eat and drink raw milk products without any issue in Europe.

People often scare monger over how dangerous unpasteurized milk is but it's only really problematic because of how unsanitary farms in Canada are allowed to be. A lot of the natural flora in milk actually aides in digestion and gut health.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 6 days ago (1 children)

I react badly to Canadian milk after it’s been ultra-pasturized but I’m not lactose intolerant.

Dawg I think you might be lactose intolerant.

yknow soy, almond, oat, etc non-milk beverages are seriously a great alternative with all needed nutrients...

[–] [email protected] -3 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Sure, in a pure form... but I can absolutely have lactose as long as I get the friendly microorganisms with it that help digestion.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 days ago (1 children)

But why?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Because my body seems to be only a bit impaired in processing lactose - having just a small helping hand with the natural sugar conversion from microorganisms that live in milk prevents any of the symptoms.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago)

For one, it's not an impairment. Most mammals cannot process lactose in adulthood.

I understand the mechanism that allows you to kind of consume it under special circumstances. But why do it? There are so many options that are superior in several objective ways, like not killing you, not killing other humans, and not killing innocent vulnerable creatures.

Farting and cramps are not the problem with animal milk. CVD is one of them. Raw milk does not protect you from dying of heart attack at 40-something.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 6 days ago (1 children)

I'd love to be able to get some to make cheese.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Raw milk cheese has exactly the same health risks unfortunately. Which is a shame because it's supposed to make better cheese.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 days ago

No it doesn't.

Raw milk is illegal in Canada. Raw milk cheese is legal everywhere in Canada as long as it's aged at least 60 days. Though in Quebec, higher risk younger unpasteurized cheese is also legal. Unpasteurized cheese is also ubiquitous - available just about anywhere you can buy cheese. Anyone buying high end cheese is probably eating it without realizing it.

I think people mix up young and aged raw milk cheese. Aged 60+ days, the risks of pasteurized and unpasteurized cheese are about the same (very low but not zero). There isn't even any sort of pressure to ban them.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 days ago

Dairy is scary!