California Raw Milk Producer Under Fire For E.coli Outbreak, 'We Disagree with FDA', CEO Tells Health Experts

Raw Farm CEO Mark McAfee has sparked a high-stakes standoff with federal health officials by refusing to recall raw cheddar cheese products linked to a multi-state E. coli outbreak that has hospitalised children.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a joint warning on 16 March 2026, identifying the California-based dairy as the 'likely source' of at least seven infections across California, Florida, and Texas.

Despite epidemiologic evidence showing that 100 per cent of interviewed patients consumed the brand's raw cheese, McAfee has dismissed the findings as 'premature' and 'false', insisting that independent testing of his inventory has returned no pathogenic results.

National Outbreak Impacts Vulnerable Children

The current spike in Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) O157:H7 infections began in September 2025, with the most recent case reported in mid-February 2026.

Health officials are particularly alarmed because four of the seven confirmed patients are aged three or younger, a demographic at high risk for Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS), a life-threatening form of kidney failure. While no deaths or HUS cases have been reported in this specific cluster, two individuals have been hospitalised, as the bacterial strain continues to circulate through nationwide distribution channels.

The FDA maintains that whole-genome sequencing has confirmed that the cases are genetically related, pointing to a common point of contamination. 'Epidemiologic evidence indicates that RAW FARM-brand raw cheddar cheese products are the likely source,' the agency stated, noting that the investigation remains active to determine if further products are compromised.

McAfee Rejects 'Science-Free' Regulatory Pressure

In a series of defiant communications, McAfee has accused regulators of 'denying the science' and causing unnecessary panic. He argues that because the FDA's own samples have not yet yielded a positive E. coli result, the link is purely speculative. This is not the first time Raw Farm—formerly known as Organic Pastures—has clashed with the government; the company has a decades-long history of litigation and recalls involving E. coli, Salmonella, and Campylobacter.

McAfee, who also leads the Raw Milk Institute, continues to champion the safety of unpasteurised dairy through his own certification standards. He claims the farm's protocols, including on-site pathogen testing, exceed federal requirements, despite a 2024 incident where the dairy's products were briefly suspended due to bird flu contamination detected in the region's milk supply.

'100% disagree with the FDA's false 'possible link' and extreme allegations,' McAfee sent an email to The Guardian. He claimed their cheese was safe and blamed the authorities for 'denying the science.'

Regulation and Safety Issues

Consuming raw milk has long been opposed by health officials. CDC underlines the risks, particularly in children, posed by bacteria that are killed by pasteurisation. Nevertheless, the consumption of raw milk has increased significantly over the past few years.

McAfee, one of the leading advocates of the raw milk movement, has made a name for himself on the safety and natural purity of raw milk. Nevertheless, health experts refer to the risks associated with it. The dangers can be seen in past lawsuits and health crises involving the predecessor of Raw Farm, Organic Pastures.

There have been cases of severe illnesses, such as haemolytic uraemic syndrome, associated with raw milk, which have been reported by families. In 2023, the company paid claims to the children who had become seriously ill after consuming its products. McAfee asserts that all concerns have been addressed and that the milk on his farm is safe, citing continued certification by his Raw Milk Institute. In December 2024, Reuters reported that Raw Farm's milk products were suspended after being contaminated with bird flu.

Political Friction Under HHS Secretary

The controversy arrives during a turbulent period for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. While Kennedy has long been a vocal proponent of raw milk—calling for a 'historic reset' of US nutrition policy to favour 'real food', he has faced criticism for his agency's handling of the current outbreak.

Prominent food safety attorney Bill Marler has publicly questioned why the HHS and FDA have not yet utilised their mandatory recall authority under the Food Safety Modernisation Act (FSMA).

'FDA's longstanding policy is based on the historical fact that most public health officials everywhere think raw milk consumption is a bad idea,' Bill Marler told Mother Jones.

The political landscape remains split, as the administration balances its 'Make America Healthy Again' (MAHA) agenda with the mounting pressure to protect public health.

For now, federal authorities can only 'strongly urge' consumers to discard the suspect cheddar, as the legal and ideological battle over the future of the raw milk industry intensifies in both the courtroom and the newsroom.