Raw milk has been getting a lot of attention of late, as health influencers promote it as a practical superfood and panacea for everything from allergies to lactose intolerance to dull skin (and Surgeon General Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is a vocal supporter). People eager to become healthier naturally are swallowing it. But is its reputation starting to deteriorate?
One of the biggest influencers, fans and purveyors of raw milk is Hannah Neeleman, better known as the founder of Ballerina Farm, which has over 10 million followers on Instagram. Recently, though, she suffered stomach aches from drinking raw milk, which she and her husband, Daniel, produce and sell locally on their 328-acre Utah farm: Local outlet KPCW reviewed records from the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food and reported that Ballerina Farms failed health inspections in late May and early June 2025 because high levels of coliforms (bacteria including E. coli) were found in the farm’s bottled raw milk.
A spokesperson for Ballerina Farm told KPCW that their raw milk is tested daily and batches that fail the test will not be sold to customers. Representatives also told PEOPLE that their raw milk passed the testing required by Utah. Nonetheless, Ballerina Farms has suspended raw milk sales.
Adding fuel to the fire: Daniel admits that Ballerina Farms was not really set up for raw milk production, their farm was set up for pasteurized dairy products. “Producing raw milk requires careful planning from a facility and infrastructure perspective,” the farm said in a statement shared with KPCW on Jan. 29. “Unfortunately, we learned this only after the fact.”
On February 10, Ballerina Farm issued a more detailed statement on this issue, saying: “Balerina Farm passed state-mandated testing during the sale of raw milk. In addition, Ballerina Farm has never recalled any products, including its raw milk. Raw milk that does not meet regulatory or industry standards will not be sold, and the responsibility has been handled.”
The farm said it stopped selling raw milk on August 11, 2025 “due to regulatory requirements, operational complexities and economic considerations” and began offering pasteurized milk exclusively.
It added: “As a company, we appreciate raw milk, but consuming raw foods, including dairy, may pose certain health risks that vary by individual and product.” The statement, shared on Instagram, was mostly supported, with one fan posting, “It’s a shame you can no longer sell raw milk.” Many commenters praised the Neelemans for their “transparency.”
Bree Phillips, a registered dietitian, told Yahoo that it’s important to acknowledge what happened — “especially when someone has a large following and is selling products to those followers.”
Wait, who is Ballet Farm?
You might think that ballet dancers and farming have nothing in common, but you’d be wrong.
Ballerina Farm is run by Daniel, the son of Juilliard-trained dancer and former Mrs. America Hannah and David Neeleman, the billionaire founder of several commercial airlines including JetBlue. (Hannah’s brother came up with the farm’s name, inspired by Hannah’s dance background.) Hannah and Daniel are the first generation farmers to sell raw milk (or at least, they did), protein powder, ground beef, and sourdough starter while raising eight children.
Hannah was thrust into the spotlight after a report in the Sunday Times and later an article in the New York Times came out after she competed in the Miss World competition just two weeks after giving birth to her eighth child (unmedicated at home).
Critics and others were quick to dub her a “traditional wife” – short for traditional wife, a term used to describe women who embrace old-school, often patriarchal gender roles. It’s not entirely surprising that Hannah was given this label: some of the most famous traditional wives are content creators like her (technically, that would make them entrepreneurs rather than traditional housewives, but I digress). Hannah is known for posting impeccable videos of herself making food from scratch, sometimes with an innocent baby on her hip or wearing a pastoral milkmaid dress or plaid apron, which she also sells. (Hannah herself has said that she doesn’t identify with the term “traditional wife.”)
Is raw milk good for you?
“It’s hard,” Phillips said. “Pasteurization exists for a reason.”
Food experts have long known that raw milk carries risks. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns, “Raw milk, that is, milk that has not been pasteurized, may contain dangerous bacteria that may pose serious health risks to you and your family. We’re talking diarrhea, stomach cramps, and vomiting; in severe cases, it can lead to kidney failure, stroke, and even death.”
But don’t just take the FDA’s word for it: Even the National Milk Producers Federation, the nation’s largest dairy farmers’ organization, has spoken out against raw milk, saying “raw milk does contain pathogens that can make people sick.”
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that from 1998 to 2018, drinking raw milk was linked to 202 outbreaks, resulting in 2,645 illnesses and 228 hospitalizations. Recent cases highlight the danger: In early February, nine people, including two children, were hospitalized in Idaho after drinking raw milk from R Bar H, a family-run dairy farm. Just days ago, a newborn in New Mexico reportedly died from listeria after drinking unpasteurized milk while pregnant.
Pasteurization works by briefly heating milk to a high temperature (usually around 161 degrees for 15 seconds) to kill harmful bacteria, such as salmonella, E. coli, Listeria and Campylobacter. “We’ve had pasteurization for a long time and it’s a very important public health initiative that saves many lives,” Phillips said.
So why do people drink raw milk?
Raw milk’s popularity is fueled by MAHA’s advocacy for eating less processed foods and more whole foods — echoing advice health experts have given for years. This is usually a good thing, but not when the food makes you sick.
Raw milk enthusiasts have made a slew of health claims about the drink, and its “closer to nature” reputation has given it a huge (and undeserved) health halo. Some claim that the pasteurization process kills beneficial bacteria, nutrients, and enzymes, but the FDA (and food experts) have refuted this claim and many others, stating that pasteurization does not reduce the nutritional value of milk.
Phillips explains that the protein, fat and calcium content in raw and pasteurized milk is the same. “There’s really no nutritional trade-off that justifies the increased risk of consuming unpasteurized dairy,” she said.
Another theory is that raw milk can provide beneficial bacteria, e.g. Bifidobacteriasupports a healthy gut. But here’s the rub: According to the FDA, “the presence of bifidobacteria in raw milk indicates fecal contamination and poor farm hygiene.”
Another argument about raw milk is much simpler: Some people think raw milk tastes better than pasteurized milk, and Phillips said she can understand that. “If you go to a farmer’s market and buy fresh produce or anything that’s closer to where it comes from, it’s probably going to taste better,” she said.
Phillips suggests a safer approach: Find a reputable local dairy that has grass-fed cows and produces small-batch pasteurized milk. “It also helps local farmers and supports your community,” she added.
What happens next?
It’s unclear when or if Ballet Farms will start selling raw milk again. Currently, they only sell pasteurized milk. However, a spokesperson told KPCW that Ballerina Farm does have plans to build a second dairy plant dedicated to raw milk products.
Meanwhile, a Utah lawmaker and longtime dairy farmer is pushing for stricter standards for those selling raw milk in the Nieman state and tougher penalties for health violations. As he puts it: “I’m stepping up my efforts against raw milk producers who are making people sick.”
What’s the lesson here?
To some critics, this feels like raw milk’s “discovery” phase—a belated wake-up call for those who promote and drink raw milk, despite years of public health warnings.
As one Reddit user said in response to the Ballerina Farm news: “It would be nice if we had a way to remove bacteria from raw milk in a super safe and convenient way…I don’t know maybe they could boil it or something…just spitting here.”
Beyond the bad reviews online, Ballet Farm’s failed health inspection is a broader reality check on health culture. Just because something is natural, or looks wholesome on social media, doesn’t mean it’s safe.
Raw milk also highlights that health trends aren’t always about the product itself. It’s also about resonance. “You want to try something because you’ve seen other people’s success, but it might not be about the product at all,” Phillips said. “It could have something to do with the energy a person has, their appearance, their lifestyle, or something else. Because no one product — whether it’s a supplement, whether it’s food, whether it’s a bath product — is going to change someone’s life.”
Yet we are always chasing those magic bullets, especially when it comes to health. “We all lead busy lives,” Phillips said. “Simple things” — like drinking raw milk to be healthier — “are easy to do and realistic for consumers. It feels like we’re doing what we should be doing to improve our health, even though it may or may not.”
