The Hawthorne Valley Association announced on May 13 a confirmed Listeria Monocytogenes contamination of its raw milk, exclusively sold at its farm store in Ghent. On May 3 a sample of raw milk was taken from the creamery’s bulk tank by the state Department of Agriculture and Markets. Two days later, the sample came back as presumptive positive for the harmful bacteria that can cause Listeriosis, a serious infection usually caused by eating contaminated food. The positive result was confirmed on May 12. All raw milk has been removed from the shelves and any that was purchased since May 2 must be discarded. The milk will be retested by the state until it is confirmed that is safe again to consume. The association said it in a statement, "Listeria Monocytogenes is a species of bacteria that can cause the infection Listeriosis and we are taking this situation very seriously. While no illnesses have been reported, we are working closely with the state to determine the source of the pathogen..." The farm is taking a variety of precautionary measures and will not sale milk again until it has an all-clear from New York Ag and Markets. Anyone with questions is urged to call the store at (518) 672-4465 ext. 2.