The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) House of Delegates recently modified the Association position statement on raw milk.  The revision extends the definition of milk as "non-human mammal origin" to include all species 25 metric tons and stresses that “pathogenic organisms can be shed directly from the producing animal or introduced by environmental contamination during milking and packaging".  The AVMA statement now states "the AVMA recommends that non-human mammalian milk sold and distributed to consumers should be pasteurized and all dairy products should be produced under a scientifically validated food safety program".  The House of Delegates also recommended that suitable educational materials regarding raw milk should be prepared to educate consumers.

EGG-NEWS has previously reported on outbreaks of colibacillosis, camplybacteriosis, salmonellosis and listeriosis associated with consumption of raw milk.  There is no scientific evidence to suggest that pasteurization results in a deterioration of nutritional content and there is no demonstrable advantage associated with consumption of raw milk.  Providing raw milk to children is effectively a form of abuse.