TL;DR
New York officials warned consumers not to drink raw milk from Big Brook Farm in Lee Center after state testing found Listeria monocytogenes. The farm cannot sell raw milk until tests show it is pathogen-free; no illnesses had been confirmed as of Oct. 1, 2026.
New York officials have barred Big Brook Farm from selling raw milk after a state sample and follow-up testing detected Listeria monocytogenes, and are warning the public not to consume the farm’s milk. As of Oct. 1, 2026, no illnesses had been confirmed in connection with the finding, but officials say symptoms can take as long as 70 days to appear.
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The warning was issued on Sept. 30. State Agriculture and Markets Commissioner Richard A. Ball said a state inspector collected a sample of the dairy’s milk and that it tested positive for Listeria. Follow-up testing confirmed the bacteria’s presence, according to the warning described by Food Safety News.
Big Brook Farm, in Lee Center, New York, is prohibited from selling raw milk until tests show the product is free of the pathogen. The state warning advises the public not to consume the farm’s raw milk. The available report does not specify the amount of milk involved, particular containers or sales dates.
The farm was the subject of a similar warning in 2024, when testing also found Listeria monocytogenes in its milk, Food Safety News reported. The source does not say whether the current finding involves milk from the same herd, production process or distribution period as the earlier case.
Risks for Raw Milk Consumers
The finding matters because raw milk has not been pasteurized, a heat-treatment process used to kill harmful bacteria. Listeria can cause serious illness, and contaminated food may not look, smell or taste spoiled. Consumers therefore cannot reliably identify unsafe milk by checking its appearance or odor.
People who drank the farm’s milk should pay attention to symptoms in the weeks after exposure. The report lists nausea, vomiting, persistent fever, muscle aches, severe headache and neck stiffness among possible symptoms. Because Listeria illness can resemble other conditions, diagnosis requires specific laboratory testing. Anyone who consumed the implicated milk and develops symptoms should seek medical care and tell a health professional about the possible exposure.
Pregnant people, older adults, young children and people with weakened immune systems face a greater risk of severe illness, according to the source material. In pregnancy, infection can be mild for the pregnant person but can lead to premature delivery, infection in a newborn or stillbirth. The report cites research finding that raw-milk drinkers are 800 times more likely to become sick than people who drink pasteurized milk; that figure is presented by the source, and its study details are not provided here.
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Farm’s Earlier Listeria Warning
The current action follows a previous warning in 2024 after testing found Listeria monocytogenes in milk from Big Brook Farm. The source report does not provide additional details about that episode, including how long sales were restricted or what testing led to the restriction being lifted.
Raw milk is sometimes marketed as fresh milk, but it differs from pasteurized milk because it has not undergone treatment intended to kill pathogens. The bacteria named in the report include Listeria, Salmonella and E. coli. Federal law prohibits the sale of raw milk across state lines, according to Food Safety News. The current restriction described by New York officials applies to the farm’s raw-milk sales until testing finds the product pathogen-free.
“A sample of the dairy’s milk collected by a state inspector returned the positive result.”
— Richard A. Ball, New York State Agriculture and Markets commissioner, as quoted in the Sept. 30 warning
Exposure Dates and Case Status
No illnesses had been confirmed as of Oct. 1, but the available reporting does not establish how many people may have bought or consumed the milk. It also does not give sales dates, distribution locations, batch identifiers, quantities or instructions for returning or disposing of product.
The source says Listeria symptoms may take up to 70 days to develop. That delay means the illness count reported on Oct. 1 may not capture every possible case linked to the exposure. The report does not describe any confirmed consumer exposure, illness investigation or recall of specific containers.
It is also not clear when the farm’s sales restriction might be lifted. The stated condition is that tests show the milk is pathogen-free, but the source does not provide a testing schedule, the number of negative samples required or a date for another state update.
Testing Before Sales Resume
Big Brook Farm may not resume raw-milk sales under the reported restriction until testing shows the product is free of the pathogen. No timetable for further testing or a decision on reopening sales was given in the source report.
Consumers who believe they drank the farm’s milk should monitor for symptoms during the weeks following possible exposure. Anyone who becomes ill should contact a health professional and mention the possible Listeria exposure. Further information about affected sales dates, product identification, testing and any reported illnesses would clarify the scope of the warning.
Key Questions
Which farm’s milk is affected by the warning?
The warning concerns raw milk from Big Brook Farm in Lee Center, New York. Officials advised the public not to consume it.
What did state testing find?
A state-collected milk sample tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes, and follow-up testing confirmed the bacteria’s presence, according to the report.
Are illnesses linked to the milk confirmed?
No illnesses had been confirmed as of Oct. 1, 2026. The source notes that Listeria symptoms can take as long as 70 days to develop.
What should someone do after drinking the milk?
Monitor for symptoms and seek medical care if illness develops. Tell the health professional about the possible Listeria exposure. Symptoms listed in the report include fever, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting, severe headache and neck stiffness.
When can the farm sell raw milk again?
The farm is barred from selling raw milk until testing shows it is pathogen-free. The report gives no testing timetable or date for when sales could resume.
Source: rss
