Consumer Alert: Salmonella Contamination in Next Generation Farm Raw Milk

New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets Commissioner Richard A. Ball today warned consumers not to consume unpasteurized raw milk from Next Generation Farm due to possible Salmonella contamination. Next Generation Farm is located at 9922 County Route 152, Adams New York in Jefferson County. To date, no illnesses have been reported to the Department associated with this product.

A sample of the milk collected by an inspector from the Department was discovered to be contaminated with Salmonella. On March 9, 2022 the producer was notified of a preliminary positive test result. Further laboratory testing, completed on March 21, 2022, confirmed the presence of Salmonella in the raw milk sample. The producer is now prohibited from selling raw milk until subsequent sampling indicates that the product is free of harmful bacteria.

The Department recommends that any consumers who purchased raw milk from Next Generation Farm immediately dispose of it and call the farm at (315) 486-2340.

Salmonella is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea which may be bloody, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e. aneurysms), endocarditis, and arthritis. 

It is important to note that raw milk does not provide the protection of pasteurization. Pasteurization is a process that heats milk to a specific temperature for a set period of time. Pasteurization kills the bacteria responsible for numerous illnesses and diseases such as listeriosis, salmonellosis, campylobacteriosis, typhoid fever, tuberculosis, diphtheria, and brucellosis. Pasteurization of milk is recognized internationally as an effective means of preventing outbreaks of foodborne illnesses, including salmonellosis.