Ted Yoho: “As a veterinarian, I rise to voice my opposition to the amendment. Madam Chairman, the amendment poses a threat to the…”

“As a veterinarian, I rise to voice my opposition to the amendment. Madam Chairman, the amendment poses a threat to the health of Americans. Consumption of raw milk has demonstrated public health risks, as you just heard. The link between raw milk and foodborne illnesses has been well documented in scientific literature for over 100 years. Raw milk is a key vehicle in the transmission of human pathogens, including E. coli, campylobacter, Listeria, tuberculosis, leptospirosis, cryptosporidiosis, brucellosis, cowpox, diptheria, and typhoid fever. You can throw some ascarids in there, too. Since the beginning of time, humankind has strived to improve survivability and increase human health. In fact, Louis Pasteur, in 1864--1864, over 154 years ago--discovered the benefits of heating milk to kill the microbes that were detrimental to human health, hence the term ``pasteurization.'' Nearly two-thirds of all raw milk or raw milk products--cheese, butter, ice cream--and the outbreaks that come from those involve children who are not able to make informed decisions on what to consume. And according to the CDC, at least one child younger than 5 was involved in 46 percent of the raw milk and raw milk product outbreaks reported between 2007 and 2016. It is obvious and scientifically proven that this amendment would threaten the health and well-being of all Americans.…”