Jerry Dell Farm, a New York dairy that was linked to a raw milk Campylobacter outbreak in October 2011, will no longer sell raw milk.
Owned by the Sherman family, the dairy, which has been certified organic since 2000, will continue to operate but has given up its raw milk license effective April 30. On its Facebook page, the dairy apologized for leaving raw milk customers without a source and thanked them for their loyalty. The dairy will continue to operate but the milk it produces will now be sold under an organic, pasteurized label.
“If you can not find raw milk I would encourage you to buy Wegmans Organic as that is what our milk will be packaged in through Upstate Niagara Coop. They do not use ultra pasturize,” Jeremy Sherman posted on the dairy’s Facebook page. “I know a lot of you are lost without raw milk because you can’t drink the crap in the stores, for this I am heartbroken. Maybe if some of you can convince your neighbors into sharing a a cow and the chores it won’t be much work and you all can have raw milk.”
Jerry Dell operates two locations in New York, one in Dryden, the other in Freeville. In October 2011, two people contracted campylobacteriosis after drinking raw milk produced at the Freeville site. Samples of milk from the dairy tested positive for Campylobacter the New York State Food Laboratory. Raw milk production at the diary was halted until all tests were negative and then resumed until sales ended permanently at the end of last month.
On May 4, 2012, Food Poisoning Bulletin talked to Jessica Ziehm, a New York agriculture department spokeswoman. She told us that in New York, dairies with permits are permitted to sell raw milk on farm.
“Currently, 37 farms have raw milk permits. Of those, 32 sell cow’s milk and five sell raw milk from goats. Some of the dairies also sell raw milk and raw cheese,” said Ziehm.
In the last 18 months, the number of New York farms with raw milk permits has increased by seven, Ziehm said. “Typically, we have between 25 – 30. In a year, we might add one or two and one might give up a permit.” The reasons cited for giving up a permit vary, she said, some find the safety testing a hassle, some have gone through a recall and some decide it’s just not for them.