Dairy resumes distribution in area

MONTROSE — Kinikin Corner Dairy is back online, after a campylobacter outbreak last month led to the suspension of its raw milk distribution.

Owner Scott Freeman said milk distribution under the dairy’s cow-share program resumed about three weeks ago after the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment began its second round of testing the milk.

“So far, the two milk tests they took early last month have come back negative. We have not heard any results from the next four they took after we resumed operations,” he said. “There are no final results from the customer interviews that they’ve performed.”

The dairy was ordered to halt its raw milk distribution April 7, after at least 11 people became ill with campylobacter, a food-borne bacteria that can pass from cows to humans. The bacteria causes such symptoms as diarrhea, fever, severe cramping, nausea and vomiting in humans, but is only rarely fatal.

Eight of the people infected last month reportedly drank raw milk from Kinikin Dairy. The Montrose County Health Department assisted the state by conducting inspections and interviews with the dairy’s cow-share customers.

The state health department issued testing and enhanced sanitation requirements for the dairy.

Patti Klocker, assistant director of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s Consumer Protection Division, said the dairy has since met the requirements.

“The order was removed because they met the parameters of the order,” she said.

Initial sampling at the dairy showed it was within the parameters, as was subsequent sampling.

Klocker said no further testing was taking place.

Freeman said the health department told him he wouldn’t likely receive a formal letter releasing him from the April 7 order.

“They have to be careful not to come across as approving anything (to do with raw milk),” Freeman said.

Cow-share programs, under which people own a share of a cow in return for the dairy products it produces, are legal in Colorado, but the CDPHE does not endorse them.

Raw milk enthusiasts believe the milk is better in its natural state; CDPHE experts previously told the Daily Press the risk of illness from unpasteurized milk is greater than the risk of neutralizing nutritional benefits through pasteurization.

But Kinikin’s customers are mostly happy with the raw milk and Freeman said most of them have resumed getting the milk.

“We’ve never had any problem and we think it’s the healthier way to go,” said customer Rod Davis. “As soon as we were able to get milk from them, we resumed it — the same day.”

Of about 180 cow-share customers, only six opted out of returning, Freeman said. Four of the six had experienced an illness in the family, but two left for other reasons.

“Not all of those quit because of the potential contamination. I’d say at least 99 percent of our customers are back with us, and they never left,” he said.

Freeman thanked his customers for supporting the dairy over the years.