If you’re on the “wellness” side of the internet, chances are you’ve seen videos or references to the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement spearheaded by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. According to KFF, many people who identify with this group are vaccine skeptics and view processed foods as one of the biggest threats to children today. While the concept of embracing natural remedies and whole foods may appear harmless, the MAHA movement has taken several dangerous turns, including a focus on raw milk.
The alternative to raw milk is the milk being sold in grocery stores across the country, known as pasteurized milk. According to UVA Health, pasteurized milk is heated to a certain temperature before being packaged and sold, eliminating harmful bacteria and viruses and thereby making it safe to consume. Raw or unpasteurized milk skips this step, meaning it can lead to serious illness. Raw milk can’t be sold across state lines, and some states prohibit it altogether.
Despite these risks, misinformation continues to spread online with influencers falsely claiming there are health benefits to raw milk. For example, members of the MAHA movement claim that raw milk has more nutrients than its pasteurized alternative. However, this claim is not true. In fact, according to UVA Health, pasteurization actually increases the amount of vitamin A in milk. And while the amount of vitamin C and B2 might decrease, they are not eliminated. Many farms will also fortify milk with vitamin D, as it’s easy to absorb with the calcium and fat already in milk. Most importantly, pasteurization removes harmful viruses, including Salmonella, E. coli, and even the bird flu.
The viral Ballerina Farm was especially known for promoting and selling raw milk. However, despite their well-cared-for cows and other animals, their milk did not pass inspection, and the farm switched to producing pasteurized milk in August 2025.
Recently, a company known as “The Raw Farm” has been in the news for its unpasteurized milk and cheese products, which led to an outbreak of E. coli. Instead of fixing the problem, the company “protested” the FDA’s request to recall the products and disputed scientific evidence. As of Apr. 3, the company has recalled only one product: cheddar cheese.
There are many dangers of raw milk, but the scariest part is that it represents a broader disregard for science and progress. Milk pasteurization standards have been in place since the early 1900s and have significantly reduced foodborne illnesses as a result. Reverting to raw milk is literally going back in time. It also plays into the rise of the anti-vaccine movement, which has led to measles outbreaks and even the deaths of several children across the nation, despite access to effective and heavily researched vaccines.
While Trump and RFK may claim they are keeping you “healthy,” the truth is that they’re trying to control you. Instead of allowing people to continue making progress and solve other problems, we’re stuck fighting in fights that should have been, and seemingly were, put to rest over a century ago.
Stay informed and don’t let the internet fool you!
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