Minnesota Dairy Farmer Takes Raw Milk Embargo to Court

GIBBON, Minn. - Michael Hartmann, a dairy farmer from Gibbon, Minnesota, is going to court in Sibley County on Thursday to ask a judge to lift an embargo on sales from his farm after E. coli cases were linked to raw milk from his farm.

The Minnesota Department of Health alleges eight cases of E. coli have been linked to raw milk from Hartmann Dairy Farm. The state has since banned Hartmann from selling any products.

Hartmann says he has meat, cheese and other dairy products in storage with an estimated market value of $10,000. The state alleges Hartmann’s products were produced in unsanitary conditions and wants to keep an embargo in place.

28 environmental and animal samples obtained by the Minnesota Department of Health from the Hartmann farm have now tested positive for E. coli. 26 samples had the same DNA fingerprint as the outbreak strain of E. coli.

These additional positive samples include environmental samples from the dairy barn where the cows are milked. The DNA fingerprint is unique among the more than 3,000 isolates of E. coli tested at the Minnesota Department of Health since 1993. This strain of E. coli has not previously been found in Minnesota.

MDH warns the consumption of raw milk and other raw dairy products has been associated with outbreaks in Minnesota as well as in other states. Raw milk-related illnesses have been caused by E. coli, Campylobacter, Salmonella and Listeria.

Anyone who has experienced illness after consuming raw dairy products should consult their health care provider.