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New York officials have barred Big Brook Farm in Lee Center from selling raw milk after state testing and follow-up testing found Listeria monocytogenes in a milk sample. No illnesses had been confirmed as of Oct. 1, but officials warn that symptoms can take up to 70 days to develop.
New York has barred Big Brook Farm in Lee Center from selling raw milk after a state-collected sample tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes, with follow-up testing confirming the bacteria, state officials said. No illnesses had been confirmed as of Oct. 1, but consumers are being warned not to drink the farm’s raw milk.
The state warning was issued on Sept. 30. Agriculture and Markets Commissioner Richard A. Ball said a state inspector collected the milk sample, which tested positive. Follow-up testing confirmed the result, according to the warning cited by Food Safety News.
The farm cannot sell raw milk until testing shows it is free of the pathogen. The published warning does not identify a specific batch, container size, sale date, or distribution location, and the report does not give details about how much milk was affected. Consumers are advised not to consume raw milk from Big Brook Farm.
As of Oct. 1, no illnesses were confirmed in connection with the milk. That status may not rule out later reports: Food Safety News said symptoms of Listeria infection can take as long as 70 days to develop after exposure. The source report advises people who consumed the implicated milk and develop symptoms to seek medical care and tell their clinician about the possible exposure.
Why the Sales Ban Matters
The suspension stops further raw milk sales from the farm while the state’s testing condition remains in force. It also gives consumers a clear instruction: do not drink the farm’s raw milk. Because Listeria-contaminated food may look, smell, and taste normal, appearance alone cannot establish that a product is safe.
Listeria infection can be serious, particularly for pregnant people, older adults, young children, and people with weakened immune systems. The source report lists symptoms that can include nausea, vomiting, persistent fever, muscle aches, severe headache, and neck stiffness. These symptoms can have other causes, and diagnosis requires laboratory testing, so a person with concerns should contact a health professional rather than rely on appearance or taste of the milk.
The possible delay between exposure and symptoms is also relevant: the reported window of up to 70 days means the absence of immediate illness does not establish that no one will become sick. At the same time, officials had not confirmed any cases as of Oct. 1, and the available reporting does not establish that any consumer was infected.
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A Previous Listeria Warning
The latest warning follows a similar development at Big Brook Farm in 2024. Food Safety News reported that a warning was issued that year after testing showed the farm’s milk was contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The current report does not provide further information about the earlier episode or whether it involved the same source, production conditions, or corrective measures.
Raw milk has not undergone pasteurization, a heat treatment used to kill harmful bacteria. The source report identifies Listeria, Salmonella, and E. coli among pathogens that can be present in raw milk. It also states that selling raw milk across state lines is illegal. The article does not say that the milk in this case was shipped across state borders; the reported action concerns the farm’s sales in New York.
Food Safety News cited research indicating that people who drink raw milk are 800 times more likely to become sick than people who drink pasteurized milk. That figure is a comparison reported by the publication; the supplied report does not give details of the underlying study or its population and measurement period.
“A sample of the dairy’s milk collected by a state inspector returned a positive result.”
— New York Agriculture and Markets Commissioner Richard A. Ball, as quoted in the Sept. 30 warning
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Exposure and Test Details
The available report does not state how much milk was affected, when it was produced or sold, or how many customers may have purchased it. It also does not provide a lot number, packaging details, or a list of retail locations. The warning covers raw milk from Big Brook Farm, but the source material does not clarify whether officials identified a particular batch or whether other products were involved.
No illnesses had been confirmed as of Oct. 1, but the reported incubation period can reach 70 days. The report does not include later public-health updates, the results of any consumer investigation, or details about the farm’s testing and sanitation work. It is also unclear when the state will conduct further sampling or how many negative results will be required before sales may restart.
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Testing Before Sales Resume
Big Brook Farm remains barred from selling raw milk until tests show it is free of the pathogen, according to the state warning. The source report does not specify a testing schedule, the number of samples required, or a date when the suspension will be reviewed. Any return to sales depends on meeting the state’s testing condition.
Consumers who drank the farm’s raw milk and become ill should seek medical care and tell their clinicians about the possible Listeria exposure, the report advises. People who feel well should remain alert to symptoms during the period after exposure described by the report. Further information about affected products, additional test results, or illness reports may clarify the scope of the warning.
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Key Questions
Why was Big Brook Farm barred from selling raw milk?
A milk sample collected by a New York state inspector tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes. Follow-up testing confirmed the bacteria, according to the state warning described by Food Safety News.
Can the farm resume raw milk sales?
Not until tests show the milk is free of the pathogen, according to the warning. The report does not specify the testing schedule or the number of negative results required.
Have any illnesses been reported?
No illnesses had been confirmed as of Oct. 1, 2026, according to Food Safety News. The report says symptoms can take up to 70 days to develop, so that status could change.
What should someone do after drinking the farm’s raw milk?
Anyone who develops symptoms should seek medical care and tell the clinician about the possible Listeria exposure, the source report advises. Symptoms can include fever, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting, headache, and neck stiffness, but diagnosis requires laboratory testing.
Does the warning identify a particular batch of milk?
The report does not provide a lot number, sale dates, or packaging details. It advises the public not to consume raw milk from Big Brook Farm.
Source: rss
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