Family Farmstead Raw Cheddar Recalled in 12 States Over Listeria Risk — Check Your Fridge

Family Farmstead Dairy is recalling all of its raw cheddar cheese sold in 12 states after federal regulators posted a warning that the cheese may be contaminated with Listeria, a bacteria that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration posted the company's announcement on November 10, 2026. The recall covers every block of Family Farmstead Raw Mild Cheddar and Raw Sharp Cheddar in 8-ounce plastic-wrapped packages with a lot code dated October 16, 2027, or earlier.

The cheese was sold through retail stores in New York, New Jersey, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Delaware, Virginia, West Virginia and Tennessee.

What is recalled

The recall includes two products, both in 8-ounce plastic-wrapped packages:

• Family Farmstead Raw Mild Cheddar — all lot codes dated 10/16/27 and earlier
• Family Farmstead Raw Sharp Cheddar — all lot codes dated 10/16/27 and earlier

The lot code on this cheese is its best-by date, printed on the back label. No other Family Farmstead Dairy products are included in the recall, the company said, "unless specifically identified by the company."

Shoppers should check their refrigerators carefully. Aged cheddar keeps for a long time, and the best-by dates in this recall run to October 2027, which means recalled blocks could sit in home refrigerators for most of a year. Listeria can survive and grow at refrigerator temperatures, so any shelf or drawer that held the cheese should be washed, along with any knives and cutting boards that touched it.

What to do if you have it

Do not eat the recalled cheese. The company says it can be returned to the place of purchase for a refund, or consumers can contact Family Farmstead Dairy at (607) 397-4044, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., or by email at customerservice@familyfarmsteaddairy.com.

Anyone who ate the recalled cheese and develops symptoms should call a doctor and mention the possible exposure.

How this recall is different from the October one

This is the second recall from the Worcester, New York, dairy in less than a month — but it is a new and wider one, not a repeat of the first.

On October 15, Family Farmstead Dairy recalled a single lot of Raw Mild Cheddar, lot code and best-by date 7/22/27, after a Maryland laboratory sample found two strains of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli in the company's A2 Raw Cheddar. That recall covered seven states and no illnesses were reported.

The new November recall is broader in almost every way: it covers all lots of both mild and sharp cheddar, adds six states that were not on the October list — Vermont, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Delaware, West Virginia and Tennessee — and involves a different pathogen, Listeria monocytogenes. Sharp cheddar was not part of the October recall at all. Maryland, which was on the October list, is not among the twelve states in the new recall.

The November notice does not say whether anyone has gotten sick, and it does not say how the Listeria was found — whether a finished cheese or the plant environment tested positive, or whether the company, a state laboratory or the FDA did the testing. It also reports no cause for either pathogen.

The recall is the latest in a run of Listeria warnings that have kept American shoppers checking labels this fall. Just last month, a major ice cream recall drew heavy attention after Dreyer's fruit bars were pulled from shelves nationwide, and toddler snack bars were recalled earlier this month after choking reports. Readers who want the full picture on the biggest recent recalls can read our coverage of the Dreyer's and Outshine fruit bars recall — still the site's most-read recall story — and the Once Upon a Farm toddler snack bar recall.

Listeria symptoms and who is most at risk

Listeria infection usually causes fever, muscle aches, headache, a stiff neck, confusion and loss of balance, sometimes after diarrhea. Symptoms usually begin within two weeks of eating contaminated food but can take as long as 70 days to appear.

Pregnant women, newborns, adults over 65 and people with weakened immune systems are at highest risk. Infection during pregnancy can cause miscarriage or stillbirth.

FAQ

Which Family Farmstead cheese is recalled?
All Raw Mild Cheddar and Raw Sharp Cheddar in 8-ounce packages with a lot code or best-by date of 10/16/27 or earlier, sold in twelve eastern states.

Has anyone gotten sick?
No illnesses have been publicly reported in connection with either Family Farmstead recall. The November notice is silent on the question.

What should I do with the cheese?
Do not eat it. Return it to the store where you bought it, or call Family Farmstead Dairy at (607) 397-4044.

Is this the same recall as the one in October?
No. The October recall covered one lot of mild cheddar for E. coli in seven states. The November recall covers all lots of mild and sharp cheddar for Listeria in twelve states.

How do I know if my cheese is affected?
Check the best-by date on the back label. If it is 10/16/27 or earlier and the package is Family Farmstead Raw Mild or Raw Sharp Cheddar, it is part of the recall.

References

• U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Recalls, Market Withdrawals, & Safety Alerts — Family Farmstead listing dated 11/10/2026
• Marler Clark / LexBlog, "Family Farmstead Dairy Recalls All Raw Cheddar for Listeria in 12 States, 26 Days After Its E. coli Recall"
• Food Poisoning Bulletin, "Family Farmstead Raw Cheddar Cheese Recalled For Listeria"
• FoodReady, Live FDA Recall List — November 10, 2026, Family Farmstead