Graziers Recall Widens: Every Lot Pulled, Production Halted

Sierra Nevada Cheese Company has halted production and recalled all lots of its Graziers raw milk cheeses as the E. coli outbreak reaches nine states.

Sierra Nevada Cheese Company of Willows, California, has gone beyond a targeted pull: outlets including KCRA report the company is halting production and recalling all lots of its Graziers raw milk cheeses, with no specific lot, date code, or production date linked to the contamination. The products named are the Grass-Fed Raw Medium Cheddar, Raw Sharp Cheddar, Raw Monterey Jack, and Raw Jalapeño Jack. The FDA says 13 illnesses nationwide are believed tied to E. coli O26:H11 in the raw milk products, and the voluntary recall began after the FDA contacted the company about reported illnesses. Sierra Nevada says it is cooperating with the FDA and the CDC and has posted notices on its website and social media.

For a niche built around raw milk cheesemaking, this is the worst-case scenario: a beloved grass-fed producer whose entire raw line is implicated, with no way for a cheesemonger or home fridge-stocker to check a code and feel safe. The FDA's warning language is stark — E. coli O26:H11 can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems, and can trigger Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome, a severe illness involving red cell breakdown, low platelets, and kidney failure that can lead to death. Most people recover within a week of acute diarrheal illness, often with bloody stools, but the vulnerable-face-HUS risk is why the recall spans every lot rather than a narrow date window.

According to KCRA, states with reported illnesses linked to the products include California, Colorado, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, Nevada, Oregon, Tennessee and Utah — a coast-to-coast footprint that explains why the company pulled everything at once rather than waiting for lot-level traceability. The company said the recall started only after the FDA reached out regarding illnesses tied to its products, and it has since issued notices on its website and social channels. In an Instagram post quoted by KCRA, Sierra Nevada said, 'We sincerely appreciate the understanding and continued support of our customers and community as we work through this recall.'

The guidance is simple: do not eat or serve any Graziers raw milk cheese. Consumers who bought the recalled products should return them to the place of purchase for a refund or dispose of them. Sierra Nevada Cheese Company is taking questions at (530) 934-8662, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time, or by email at recallinfo@sierranevadacheese.com. The open question for raw milk devotees is what a full production halt means for the brand's future — the company is cooperating with federal investigators, and any return to shelves will presumably depend on what the FDA and CDC investigation finds next.