MADISON, Wis. -- A bill that could legalize the sale of raw milk has not been set for a vote yet, but those in favor of raw milk production aren't standing still while they wait.

Both sides of the raw milk debate are very passionate, but supporters of the proposed bill gathered Saturday at the Monona Terrace for the 2nd Annual International Raw Milk Symposium said it's not just about raw milk, it's about freedom.

Mark McAfee produces 2,000 gallons of raw milk each day and sells it in 400 stores legally in California.

"It's a wonderful God-given product that's just unprocessed in whole form," said McAfee. "We test our raw milk like crazy. We believe in Mother Nature but we test and verify."

"In California, raw milk has to be produced so clean that you have less living bacteria that is actually allowed in pasteurized milk," he said.

In California, as long as farmers follow regulations, raw milk production is fair game. And fairness is what folks at the raw milk symposium said they are hoping for in Wisconsin.

"What we want really is recognition of the farmers' right to sell and the consumers' right to consume this product," said attorney Elizabeth Rich, who is representing two farmers in lawsuits against the Department of Agriculture. "Whether people want to consume it or not, whether they believe it's healthy or not."

But Steve Ingham with the Department of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection's Division of Food Safety said public health is their top priority.

"If it's a wide-spread legal sale to people of all sorts of immune competence, underlying illness, kids, the elderly, we have to consider all of that and the short answer is the illnesses can be deadly," said Ingham about the health risks surrounding raw milk.

According to Ingham, right now pasteurization is the only way to be sure milk is safe.

"It is possible to have raw milk that is safe to drink," he said. "The catch is you can't always be sure. Very healthy looking cattle, and cattle that test as healthy, can carry pathogenic bacteria."

But back at the symposium, McAfee hoped to show Wisconsin a middle ground can exist.

"Raw milk shouldn't be a free-for all," said McAfee. "It should be something that is taken very seriously and set up good responsible standards and when you do that raw milk can be very, very safe."