Mark McAfee, the owner of Raw Farm in Fresno, California, has become a central figure in the nation's debate over raw milk regulation. His dairy operation is America's largest producer of unpasteurized dairy products, generating approximately $30 million annually while operating under intense regulatory scrutiny from federal and state health authorities.
The ProPublica interview comes at a time when the political landscape around raw milk policy is shifting significantly. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has counted McAfee as a customer, has publicly advocated for expanded access to raw dairy products. Kennedy celebrated the release of a Make America Healthy Again report with what sources described as a toast of raw-milk shooters at the White House.
ProPublica's reporting details how more than 10 million Americans now consume raw milk, with national weekly sales rising 65% from 2023 to 2024 alone. The article presents five extended quotes from McAfee, offering his unfiltered perspective on the industry he has built over two decades of advocacy for unpasteurized dairy.
What the Right Is Saying
Conservative advocates and supporters of the Trump administration's health agenda view expanded raw milk access as consistent with their broader philosophy of reducing government interference in personal health decisions. They argue that informed consumers should have the right to purchase unpasteurized products without federal restrictions.
McAfee himself has framed his work as pioneering science that regulatory institutions are slow to accept. In one extended quote from the ProPublica article, he said: "I'm begging you to say: 'This is not anti-science, this is extremely pro-science. ... It's using science that is not conveniently accepted yet." He pointed to customer testimonials about health improvements as evidence of benefits that mainstream research has failed to capture.
The MAHA movement, which Kennedy leads from his position at HHS, has positioned raw dairy access as a cornerstone of its agenda for reducing chronic disease in America. Supporters argue that pasteurization destroys beneficial enzymes and bacteria that some consumers believe support digestive and immune health. Republican lawmakers have generally supported loosening restrictions on raw milk sales, with several states moving to permit wider distribution of unpasteurized dairy products.
What the Left Is Saying
Progressive health advocates and Democratic lawmakers have largely aligned with established scientific consensus that raw milk poses significant public health risks. Critics point to federal data indicating consumers face over 100 times the risk of foodborne illness from unpasteurized products compared to conventional dairy.
Representative Lauren Underwood, a Democrat from Illinois who has focused on food safety issues during her time in Congress, has previously emphasized the documented dangers of raw milk consumption, particularly for children and immunocompromised individuals. Public health organizations including the American Academy of Pediatrics maintain formal positions against raw milk consumption, citing evidence linking unpasteurized dairy to salmonella, E. coli, and listeria outbreaks.
Civil servants interviewed by ProPublica described a climate of fear within federal health agencies as the Trump administration reshapes regulatory approaches. Routine scientific assessments, they said, have become increasingly politicized under Kennedy's leadership. The shift in raw milk policy represents one visible example of how science-based regulation is being reoriented toward alternative health philosophies championed by the new HHS secretary.
What the Numbers Show
Raw Farm's business scale illustrates why this debate has become politically significant. The Fresno operation generates approximately $30 million in annual revenue, making it by far the largest player in a market that has grown substantially under the current political environment.
Federal and state regulators have linked Raw Farm to more than a dozen recalls and foodborne illness outbreaks over the years, affecting hundreds of consumers. In 2006, six people contracted E. coli connected to McAfee's farm during its first major outbreak; their median age was 8. One affected child, Chris Martin, was 7 years old at the time. He suffered permanent kidney damage and now, at 27, cannot consume alcohol and requires lifelong nephrologist care due to elevated health risks.
The scientific literature on raw milk benefits remains sparse. Comprehensive reviews of published research have generally failed to substantiate claims that unpasteurized dairy offers nutritional advantages over pasteurized alternatives. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention maintains that raw milk has no significant, proven health benefits while presenting substantially elevated risks of foodborne pathogen exposure.
The Bottom Line
The ProPublica interview with McAfee provides a window into how raw milk has moved from fringe health movement to mainstream political issue under the Trump administration's Health Secretary. Kennedy's public advocacy for unpasteurized dairy products represents a notable departure from decades of federal public health guidance that consistently recommended against raw milk consumption.
What happens next will likely depend on regulatory actions from HHS and the Food and Drug Administration. The department has signaled interest in reexamining current restrictions, though any policy changes would face legal challenges under existing food safety statutes. Consumer advocates warn that loosening regulations could lead to additional outbreaks, while raw milk proponents argue that informed adults should have the freedom to make their own dietary choices.
The $30 million question is whether expanded access will come with enhanced safety requirements or reduced oversight. That debate will play out in regulatory proceedings and potentially court challenges over the coming months.