EXCELSIOR SPRINGS, Mo. – Missouri’s Be Whole Again Farm is certainly going against the grain with its marketing of much-debated grass-fed A2 raw milk – which hasn’t been pasteurized – alongside other healthy products.

Scott and Rachel Moser embarked on a health journey in Utah, where they started growing their own food. Following their consumption of raw milk and other dietary changes, the couple made a committed decision to purchase land in a renowned farming state. The Mosers learned about Missouri’s fertile land and hospitable farming community through family friends who had settled in Kearney and Gallatin. 

Rachel’s research revealed raw milk is allowed in Missouri, which instantly captivated her. Despite lacking farming experience, the couple sold their home theater and automation business and relocated to Excelsior Springs in 2011.

“We put all the kids in an RV and drove out here,” Rachel tells The Heartlander. “The property we ended up on was the last property on the list. It checked all the boxes, and we stayed. We love it.”

Moser says she’d never milked a cow before, and she and her husband lacked support when they first started. The family began with a small number of bottle-fed calves and cows. Moser says she started reading books about agriculture and seeking information on dairy farming websites. 

The Mosers were struggling financially as they attempted to enter the farming industry. Rachel says they achieved profitability only two and a half years ago, despite farming for 13 years. The farm can now employ additional workers and support itself. 

“Initially, we were flying by the seat of our pants and reading as much as we could find off of the internet. We jumped in deeper than we had intended. We had extra milk that we had to move, so it didn’t go to waste. We threw up an ad on the Real Milk website, which is where a lot of people looking for raw milk go. Within a short period, we were selling all the milk we had that was extra.

“My husband was like, ‘Let’s go and buy more cows.’ So we did, and by the end of that first year, we were milking about eight cows.”

Missouri allows the sale of 100% grass-fed A2 raw milk and cream, but with some provisions. Raw milk farmers must require customers to purchase directly from them, and may arrange specific drop-off locations. To participate in drop spots, milk needs to be pre-ordered. It is possible to purchase raw milk from a website, too. Farmers are prohibited from selling raw milk anywhere else, such as farmers’ markets. Selling across state borders is not permitted, either.

Rachel says misinformation about the legality of raw milk abounds, with many people erroneously thinking it’s illegal in Missouri. As a result, customers are often hesitant to try it until they learn more. She says it’s vital to educate people about the product.

Raw milk is gaining legal status in an increasing number of states. Consumption was legalized in Iowa, North Dakota and Georgia last year.

The FDA and CDC have expressed concerns about bird flu and the risk of contamination through raw milk products. It remains unclear if humans can catch bird flu from drinking unpasteurized raw milk from a cow infected with HPAI H5N1. Studies have shown the virus can be shed in the milk of infected cattle. Three cases of dairy workers contracting H5N1 have been documented.

The CDC cautions consuming raw milk or products derived from it can lead to the transmission of serious germs such as brucella, salmonella, E.coli, listeria, campylobacter and cryptosporidium. The CDC warns children under 5 and those with compromised immune systems may be at an increased risk of experiencing severe food-borne illness.

Rachel says that hasn’t stopped people from buying it and that, contrary to FDA and CDC warnings, grass-fed A2 raw milk actually does do the body good. 

Prior to the introduction of pasteurized milk, people often relied on raw milk fasting to heal their bodies. She maintains raw milk is easily digested and provides optimal nutrition. 

“Back in the day, it was actually considered a medicinal treatment. Right now, you have so many people who are having generalized inflammation, gut permeability issues, autoimmune diseases, and gut dysbiosis where their gut bacteria is out of balance. The vast majority of store-bought milk is pasteurized and homogenized.

“Pasteurization is heating, and homogenization is a high-pressure process. It destroys the proteins and denatures the fat. It’s really hard to digest after that. You also lose any naturally occurring lactase, which can help offset the lactose that is more digestible. You destroy a certain amount of the vitamins, minerals, and probiotics.”

Rachel says most milk available in stores is sourced from GMO (genetically modified organism) corn and soy, resulting in allergies and inflammation for many people. A1 beta-casein is found in the majority of store-bought milk and can disrupt the seven-peptide amino acid chain that passes through a leaky gut. Once it enters the bloodstream, it causes widespread inflammation and forms opiate receptors in the brain.

“A lot of people who think they are lactose intolerant, they try our milk and they can drink our milk without any issues at all. If they were truly lactose intolerant, they would have to have cultured products that eliminate lactose. If they’re drinking our milk, it still has lactose in it but they are not having that inflammatory response to it. We have a lot of people who switch to our milk and feel like their guts get back in balance, their inflammation goes down and their nutritional absorption is increased.”

Regular tests are conducted on the cows at Be Whole Again Farm to confirm they produce A2 beta-casein, not A1. The farm also provides soy-free, non-GMO pork, pastured eggs, chickens, local honey, soap and lotion. 

To order products from Be Whole Again Farm, visit the website.