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New York officials have warned consumers not to drink raw milk from Big Brook Farm after a state sample tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes and follow-up testing confirmed the bacteria. The farm is barred from selling raw milk until tests show it is pathogen-free; no illnesses had been confirmed as of Oct. 1, 2026.
New York officials have warned consumers not to drink raw milk from Big Brook Farm in Lee Center after a state inspector’s sample tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes, with follow-up testing confirming the bacteria. The farm is barred from selling raw milk until tests show it is free of the pathogen. No illnesses had been confirmed as of Oct. 1, according to the report.
The state warning was issued Sept. 30 by Agriculture and Markets Commissioner Richard A. Ball. The department said a sample collected by a state inspector returned a positive result and that follow-up testing confirmed Listeria. The warning names Big Brook Farm in Lee Center and advises the public not to consume its raw milk.
The sales restriction remains in place until testing shows the milk is pathogen-free. The available report does not identify specific product sizes, lot codes, purchase dates, or retail locations. Consumers who may have bought the farm’s raw milk should check the state’s notice or contact the relevant authorities for product-specific guidance.
As of Oct. 1, officials had reported no confirmed illnesses associated with the milk. That status may change as health authorities monitor for possible cases: symptoms of Listeria infection can take up to 70 days to develop after exposure, according to the report.
The Risks of Raw Milk Exposure
The warning matters because raw milk has not been pasteurized, a process used to kill harmful bacteria. It can carry Listeria, Salmonella and E. coli even when it looks, smells or tastes normal. A positive test does not establish that anyone has become ill, but it identifies a potential exposure that consumers should take seriously.
Listeria infection can cause vomiting, nausea, persistent fever, muscle aches, severe headache and neck stiffness. The illness may resemble other conditions, and laboratory testing is needed to diagnose it. Anyone who drank the implicated milk and develops symptoms should seek medical care and tell a health professional about the possible exposure.
Some groups face a greater risk of severe illness, including pregnant people, older adults, young children and people with weakened immune systems, such as some cancer patients. Infection during pregnancy may be mild for the pregnant person but can lead to premature delivery, infection in a newborn or stillbirth, according to the report. These risks make the state’s warning relevant even though no cases had been confirmed at the time of publication.
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A Prior Listeria Warning at the Farm
The current notice follows a similar warning in 2024, when testing also found Listeria monocytogenes in milk from Big Brook Farm, according to Food Safety News. The supplied report does not provide further details about that earlier incident, including how long restrictions lasted or what testing followed.
Raw milk, also called fresh milk, is milk that has not undergone pasteurization. The report cites 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 presented as a research finding in the source report; it is not a measurement of illnesses linked to this farm.
The report also notes that selling raw milk across state lines is illegal. It does not say that the milk involved in this warning was shipped across state lines. The action described is a New York state restriction on Big Brook Farm’s raw milk sales until testing clears the product.
“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, in the Sept. 30 warning as reported by Food Safety News
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Illnesses and Product Details Still Unknown
The available report does not state whether any consumers have contacted health officials with symptoms, or whether an investigation has identified people who drank the milk. No illnesses were confirmed as of Oct. 1, but the reported incubation period means authorities may continue watching for cases in the weeks ahead.
The source material also does not specify how much milk was affected, when the sampled milk was produced, whether any product remains available to consumers, or the date and method of the next tests. It is not clear how long the sales ban will last. The restriction is tied to test results, and the farm’s return to sales has not been announced.
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Testing Must Clear the Farm’s Milk
Big Brook Farm cannot resume raw milk sales under the reported restriction until testing shows the milk is free of the pathogen. New York officials’ next relevant update would be confirmation of test results and any change to the sales restriction. The source report does not give a timetable for that testing or say when another public notice is expected.
People who consumed the farm’s raw milk and develop symptoms should seek medical attention and tell their clinicians about the possible Listeria exposure. Because symptoms may take up to 70 days to appear, consumers should remain alert during the weeks after exposure. Anyone with questions about whether a product they purchased is covered should consult the state notice or contact New York agriculture or public-health officials.
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Key Questions
Which farm’s raw milk is covered by the warning?
The warning concerns raw milk from Big Brook Farm in Lee Center, New York. The report does not list product sizes, lot codes or specific stores.
What did testing find?
A sample collected by a state inspector tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes. The report says follow-up testing confirmed the bacteria.
Have any illnesses been confirmed?
No illnesses had been confirmed as of Oct. 1, 2026, according to the report. That is a status update for that date; symptoms can take up to 70 days to develop.
When can the farm sell raw milk again?
The farm is barred from selling raw milk until tests show it is pathogen-free. The report does not provide a date for testing or for the restriction to end.
What should someone do after drinking the milk?
Anyone who drank the implicated milk and develops symptoms such as fever, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting, headache or neck stiffness should seek medical care and mention the possible Listeria exposure. Pregnant people, older adults, young children and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of severe illness.
Source: rss
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