Unpasteurized: The Raw Reality of America's Family Dairy Farms
Undercover investigation reveals suffering behind milk embraced by health secretary RFK Jr., soccer star Haaland, and other public figures as MAHA symbol gains national prominence, while outbreak confirms food safety risks .
From September to October 2025, an Animal Outlook investigator documented conditions at six family-run raw milk dairy farms across upstate New York—from Ulster County to Jefferson County.
The footage obtained reveals systemic cruelty at the types of farms often portrayed as humane alternatives to industrial dairy. Our investigation documented:
- Health issues: Cows with open wounds, swollen joints, and painful mastitis infections being milked despite their conditions
- Extreme confinement: Cows chained so tightly they couldn't turn around or properly groom themselves
- Unsanitary conditions: Massive accumulations of feces on animals, walls, and floors—the same conditions the FDA links to dangerous bacteria levels in raw milk
- Industry-standard cruelty: Tail docking, horn burning on calves, castration, electric shock devices, and forced separation of mothers and babies
- "Humane washing": Farms using piped-in happy music and sanitized tours to portray a pastoral image while hiding the reality of suffering
Enforcement Request and Campylobacter Linked to Investigated Farm
Following analysis of our undercover footage, Animal Outlook sent a formal enforcement request to the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets regarding conditions at Country Cousins, one of the six farms investigated. The letter detailed how this farm was milking cows with apparent mastitis infections, producing milk with visible chunks; milk that was then included for sale to consumers.
While the department opened an investigation in response, the health risks were confirmed just two weeks later when two people fell ill after consuming raw milk linked to Country Cousins. Testing confirmed Campylobacter bacteria in the farm's products. Country Cousins was subsequently prohibited from selling any raw milk until sampling proves their product is free of Campylobacter.
Endorsements Fuel Raw Milk Surge
This investigation is particularly timely as interest in raw milk has more than doubled in the last five years, according to Google Trends analysis. Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s support for raw milk has made it a rallying cry for the "Make America Healthy Again" movement, while soccer star Erling Haaland's promotion of raw milk to his 40 million social media followers has influenced a new generation of consumers.
Health Claims vs. Safety Realities
The same bacteria that many raw milk advocates praise as beneficial to health are what food safety experts warn make raw milk dangerous to consume. As the FDA states plainly: "High bacteria counts in raw milk only indicate poor animal health and poor farm hygiene."
Small Farms, Industrial Practices: The Hidden Suffering
Two-thirds of U.S. dairy farms are small and family-run, according to the U.S. Census of Agriculture—the highest such share of any agricultural sector. Yet our investigation reveals that regardless of size, dairy production involves practices that cause suffering:
- Calves separated from their mothers within hours of birth
- Cows kept chained and unable to turn around
- Painful procedures performed without anesthesia
- Cows forced to produce milk while suffering from infections and injuries
Act Now to Help These Animals
- Share this investigation on social media
- Choose plant milk alternatives that are nutritionally equivalent without the suffering
- Support our work to expose animal agriculture practices
Investigation Photos
