It would seem ludicrous to call any Presidnet-elect’s term full of controversy before they’ve even taken office, but alas, such is very much the case with Donald Trump’s second term. In the time since winning the election a month ago, Trump has spent his time appointing cabinet members that have baffled and insulted the intelligence of the American public and even his fellow Republicans, including the likes of alleged sex criminals, WWE Personalities, and Fox News Hosts, just to name a few.

However, among Trump’s worst decisions has to be his appointment of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. RFK has already made a series of confusing statements regarding his bewildering stances on vaccines, health, and bacteria, and things are only getting more publicly humiliating. Now, Mark McAfee, a California raw milk producer whose products have been recalled several times recently due to bird flu contamination, says RFK’s team has approached him to guide the upcoming administration on raw milk policy.

It’s worth pointing out that cats who have drunk infected raw milk have exhibited severe neurological symptoms and died. Still, McAfee vehemently denies that raw milk could be implicated in any such risks.

McAfee’s Troubled History

McAfee, whose dairy products were recalled after state officials detected bird flu virus in milk samples, said that the transition team for Kennedy, the nominee to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, asked him to apply for a position advising on raw milk policy and standards development. If McAfee, whose farm is the largest producer of raw milk in the US, were to gain a role in the upcoming administration, it would be in line with the upcoming administration’s broader mandate to put industry heads in roles regulating the very products they sell.

Raw milk, which is not heated to kill harmful pathogens, has been linked to the outbreak of bacterial infections, including a strain of E. coli that can cause kidney failure. McAfee’s farm has also been involved in several lawsuits related to a salmonella outbreak that made at least 171 people in California sick last year. 

McAfee and other raw milk proponents have claimed that it has more beneficial enzymes and diverse probiotics than pasteurized milk. The current FDA and researchers have countered that milk is not, in fact, a significant source of probiotics in the first place and that the bacteria found in raw milk—which come through infected udder tissues or the dairy environment, including soil and cow manure, and milking equipment—are not the kinds that benefit our digestive systems.

However, the consumption of raw milk has come under particular scrutiny this year amid a bird flu, or H5N1, outbreak, which included the first documented human cases of the virus. No known cases of bird flu virus have been confirmed in people who drank raw milk, although there are three cases in North America where the source has not been identified. 

The Extensively Documented Dangers of Raw Milk

Specifically, contact with and handling of raw milk has been associated with infections, especially among dairy workers. Research suggests that milk carries huge amounts of viral particles. “The most infectious thing from the cows is the milk,” said Meghan Davis, a molecular epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins University studying environmental health. In some cases, cows that tested negative for H5N1 in their respiratory tracts were found to be carrying the virus in their milk.

Davis said consuming raw milk amid the bird flu outbreak is inherently risky. While most people who have been infected with bird flu have reported mild illnesses, people with compromised or suppressed immune systems could experience more severe symptoms. As more people are infected, the virus is more likely to mutate and develop more infectious or severe strains that could affect the broader population.

Another Pandemic on the Horizon Under RFK’s Leadership

“The impact of another pandemic would be awful,” said Davis. “Especially of a pandemic that affects our food-producing animals and people.”

This week, Raw Farm voluntarily recalled all milk and cream products made between 9 and 27 November after tests found bird flu virus in retail samples and dairy storage and bottling sites. The California Department of Food and Agriculture also quarantined the farm and suspended the distribution of Raw Farm products produced on or after 27 November.