Published August 10, 2026 at 10:30 AM PDT
On this edition of Your Call's One Planet Series, ProPublica reporter Annie Waldman discusses her investigation about McAfee farm, the largest raw-milk dairy in the country, which has been linked to more than a dozen recalls and outbreaks that left hundreds of people ill.
According to ProPublica, over the past two years alone, nine states have experienced outbreaks that regulators linked to raw dairy, not including those connected to McAfee’s farm. In Washington state, about 10 people fell ill with E. coli connected to raw-cheese consumption, and in Florida, where raw milk can be sold only as pet food, about 20 people got sick. Among them was a pregnant mother whose toddler was hospitalized.
Today, most scientists and health experts agree that raw milk has no significant, proven nutritional benefits over its sanitized counterpart, cannot treat or cure disease, and subjects its consumers to over 100 times the risk of foodborne illness, which can be especially dangerous for young children. Despite stringent hygiene efforts, contamination from deadly bacteria remains an inherent, unavoidable risk in unpasteurized dairy.
Guest:
Annie Waldman, ProPublica health reporter
Resources:
ProPublica: The Milkman
The Guardian: Trump’s deep public health cuts hinder response to record US cyclosporiasis outbreak
The New York Times: Kennedy Flips Food Pyramid to Emphasize Red Meat and Whole Milk
Malihe Razazan is the senior producer of KALW's daily call-in program, Your Call.
Rose Aguilar has been the host of Your Call since 2006. She became a regular media roundtable guest in 2001. In 2019, the San Francisco Press Club named Your Call the best public affairs program. In 2017, The Nation named it the most valuable local radio show.
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