list of states without strict selling of raw milk regs

greenspun.com : LUSENET : Countryside : One Thread

Hello,

I have searched the internet until I think i have callouses on my fingers to find a listing of states that do not have strict regulations governing the sales of raw goats milk or milk. I looked in the archives and found a little bit of information, actually 2 states, Mississippi and kansas. But I would really appreciate any help in finding a list somewhere of states that do not have strict guidelines. thanks.

Bernice

-- Bernice (geminigoats@yahoo.com), January 15, 2001

Answers

Maybe if people from different states write in with their states info? New Hampshire allows the sale of up to twenty quarts of raw milk, or the equivalent in soft cheese, per day. This is an average, meaning you could sell ten quarts one day, and thirty the next. This is for a non-grade A dairy. So no regs. But also no advertising and customers have to come to the farm for their purchases. If you make hard aged cheeses, over either three or six months old (I don't remember which) you don't have the quantity restrictions anymore. And if you can go grade A, you can sell unlimited raw milk from the farm, so far as I know (we are buying raw cows milk from a local dairy to supplement the little bit of goats milk we are getting right now, and they have quite a list of customers on their board). I'd be interested in seeing regs for different states also, especially Maine.

-- Kathleen Sanderson (stonycft@worldpath.net), January 15, 2001.

I haven't checked regulations for some time, but from what I can recall Oregon does not allow you to advertise raw milk for human consumption (I THINK you can advertise for pet use, I'm not certain.) but you can sell it for human use if someone comes to you. The customer must pick up the milk from your farm, you cannot take it to them. And there is a maximum number of milking goats you can have, 10 if I remember correctly. Will try to find out for certain.

-- Lenette (kigervixen@webtv.net), January 15, 2001.

Anyone have the info for Florida?Our local extension agent is no help.He is always"going to get back to you". I sell for animal consumption only and have no idea whether I am legal or not.Some of my customers bring their pets with them when they come for a pickup.....in car seats.

-- JT in Florida (gone2seed@hotmail.com), January 15, 2001.

Last I heard here in California, is to sell "Not for human Consumption". Most folks who buy raw goats milk know you have to advertise it that way and call.

-- Nancy in CA (sonflower35@icqmail.com), January 16, 2001.

Anybody know anything about MO's laws?

-- Soni (thomkilroy@hotmail.com), January 16, 2001.


Have you looked at www.realmilk.com? Under the "What's Happening" heading there is a listing of the legal status of selling raw milk in each state. (Some states' status not known, however). I think this mainly applies to cow's milk - not sure if it's the same for goat's.

-- Barb (rosemontfarm1@aol.com), January 16, 2001.

i just want to thank everyone who has taken the time so far to help. I really enjoyed reading your posts and looked up that real milk website. Amazing... the list there, not all is complete but it sure is handy. i am still looking for more information and i suppose I should save it all so i don't loose it. Here in VA its so difficult because it got political and we cannot sell raw milk nor products either. I recall speaking to the gentleman who is in charge of the st. regs last summer and the mere mention of certain names or farms sends him into a tailspin..... its just a big mess here in VA and the st govt. is trying to sew up their loophole that many of us have used to sell cheese and fudge here. Guess they got their chains rattled a bit much in the lawsuit. But as for us, w eneed to move on to a state where the regulations are realistic so to speak and there is not the adversity to farmers. I guess we can stay but it shall be a great financial undertaking and mean a great loss for us. I know of a few other cheese makers who are tired of the fight too and want to move. Not that its better anywhere else, just maybe the opportunities are there and the support, that in itself would mean a lot.

-- Bernice (geminigoats@yahoo.com), January 17, 2001.

As far as I know, dairies cannot sell milk to people in Maryland, only to companies and it is strictly tested.

As far as I know, you can buy raw milk from dairies in Pennsylvania and it is legal but I don't know about limits on amounts.

Gotta go North of the Border around here.

-- heather (heathergorden@hotmail.com), January 19, 2001.


PS: They don't call this the Peoples Republic of Maryland for nothing.

-- heather (heathergorden@hotmail.com), January 19, 2001.

I don't know if Idaho has any regs or not.We get our milk from my uncle and love it. (I have trouble drinking store milk)He has a small cow dairy in todays standards. Maybe you're thinking of selling all of it raw?

-- Darren in Idaho (darrencindy2000@yahoo.com), January 20, 2001.


Here at clearview in Hayward Wisconsin we are the home for the milk direct(tm) program which allows the the public access to unprocessed milk through a share program allowing multiple owners on one cow, which in turn allows people to consume their own milk from their own cow. I have a consulting service, testing and milkhouse protocols to get other farms in the nation on the program to begin to meet the demand for this product. Check us out at milkdirect.com or call 715/462/3076 or clearvu@cheqnet.net

-- Tim Wightman (clearvu@cheqnet.net), April 06, 2001.

Massachusetts allows sale of raw milk at the farm for registered users, but the folks at the food and ag dept. and the board of health aren't keen on it. Every town can determine if they allow it or not and there is a list that can be obtained. I'm trying to amend the lack of availability on several fronts: by setting up a cowsharing program, based on Tim Whightman's in Wisconsin, by raising public awareness to the benefits of raw milk, by strategizing on introducing legislation to ensure choice. CT has a licensing system which is lenient, CA of course. Go to Google and Search for raw milk regulations (state). You'll get good info. And call to speak to the dept. of dairy. You can tell by how they respond, how comfortable it will be.

-- Linda Ugelow (linda@libana.com), June 30, 2001.

Bernice, I live in Virginia, and I "give" milk for a "donation", like some non-profit groups do. I figure if it is legal for them to sell stuff that way and not call it selling, then I can too. I know many people who do it that way around here, in fact. and no one I know has ever gotten in trouble for it, as long as they make sure they educate the customer about the law and illuminate them to the fact that waht they were doing is not buying and selling, but freely exchanging gifts.

-- daffodyllady (daffodyllady@yahoo.com), June 30, 2001.

Here's a brief description of raw milk sales laws in most of the 50 states:

Milk Laws

Here in Missouri it is legal but the milk board will tell you it is NOT legal. They are lying. I have the URL for the exact section of the code that allows raw milk sales.

Excep tion to pasteurization requirements

It's safest to hunt up the ACTUAL chapter and verse in your state even if raw milk sales are allowed because the milk board or other government officials will, honestly or not, often claim otherwise.


-- Sojourner (notime4@summer.spam), June 30, 2001.


Mass allows raw milk to be sold from those dairies that possess a special license. There are only three dairies that have this license. Farms are inspected regularly, and milk is tested on a monthly basis.

Milk can be purchased from

Victor and Linda Kalgren Pleasant View Farm 110 Ramshorn Road Dudley, MA 01571 508-943-3204 Farmstand open from 7:00 AM - 8:00 PM

(I talked to Linda. They've been in business for 20 years.)

Richard Anderson 201 Howard Street W. Bridgewater, MA 02379 508-586-0354

Since the state is not giving them much support, it might be worth setting up a letter writing campaign to support these farmers. State officials were very surprised that anyone cared that dairies like these existed.

-- Chris Shustak (cshustak@sys-works.com), August 16, 2001.



Bernice, I live in Virginia, and "give" milk to my friends, who then give a "suggested donation" of money to me. Hey, non-profit religious organisations like Focus on the Family with James Dobson have done this for years, and still retain their tax exempt status! And since gifts are not taxable, none of this has to be reported on your income tax return, legally. This is totally legal.

-- daffodyllady (daffodyllady@yahoo.com), August 16, 2001.

oops, sorry about posting twice on this string with basicly the same response. I didnt realise when it came back up on the list of recent answers, that I had already posted on this string.

-- daffodyllady (daffodyllady@yahoo.com), August 16, 2001.

Do not have an answer...in fact found one I was looking for with 'notime4@summer.spam'answer (thank you). I am very perplexed with this situation. Have recently started raising dairy goats. With as many 'goat people' as there are in this area, I do not understand why this is not treated as a serious viable industry. So much potential. Will welcome and ideas and suggestions on help with getting this off the ground.

-- Lacey Donaldson (cddllt@webtv.net), August 18, 2001.

It IS a serious, viable industry. That is why the existing big monopolies of the dairy industry are so involved in political lobbying; to make any serious competition illegal.

-- daffodyllady (daffodyllady@yahoo.com), August 18, 2001.

You are so right Diane, it is a viable industry with a lot of potential. I think one of the biggest roadblocks dairy goat producers face is their own fellow producers. By that i mean the politics involved in the industry and the deliberate "squashing" of competition has gravely hindered productivity, promotion and expansion. I feel we will be the laughing stock of the dairy industry until we as producers get serious and work together to promote our products. How can w epossibly be taken seriously if such strife exosts? we are so alienated and have so many small factiosn amongst us that we can never unite to do any good.

I don't really want to get into a "pissing match" here with anyone about this. Sorry for the verbage, but I suppose it reflects my sediments about now regarding the dairy goat industry. Folks are so quick to jump on each other and criticize and not work together. and I don't mean here on this forum, I am referring to the industry as a whole. I know of a situation in another state where the raw milk regs for goat milk were being reviewed. There was an individual who seized the opportunity and became "political" and ended up writing the new regulations for the state in such a way as to eliminate their competition.

then there is the issue of educating Mr Joe Public about goat milk and goat milk products. Mr joe just doens't have any idea as to how good goat milk cheese and fudge can be or the taste of fresh goat milk.

We also need to enlist the assistance of our Organic friends if we are going to promote goats milk as they seem to be one of the biggest buyers of goat milk and goat milk products.

I could go on and on about this all day. But i will stop here by asking, where can we go from here to help promote our dairy products when we are so divided and will be for a long time.

For me I could say easily it doesn't matter to me anymore because i moved and now have been blessed with a Grade A dairy operation for our goats. but that is selfish and doesn't help me in the long run or my dear friends and associates.

if anyone is interested in trying to work together to promote goat milk and its products let me know. I'll try my best to help, don't know if i can, but its worth a try!

-- Bernice (geminigoats@yahoo.com), August 18, 2001.


I never dreamed there would be a huge mountain to climb within dairy goat people themselves. I had thought of the dairy cow people. I have only been raising goats for about a year now, and attended a dairy goat show a couple of weeks ago in order to meet and see how everyone was marketing their products. I came away very perplexed. The shows seem to be excellent for being able to sell breeding stock and such; but what about the wonderful goat milk? This was a ADGA show.....which I have recently become a member. Now I don't mean to step on anyones toes....but these are dairy animals so why isn't that part a major concern to ADGA (it could be I just haven't seen it yet) ? What good is it to have does with nice large udders capable of giving large quanities, if the majority of the milk is going to feed their livestock? How many $600 dollar does can one sell in a year without there being a market for the milk?

There is one lady south of me here in MO that does market her milk. She is wanting to get out of it and concentrate on shows. Can't blame her, she has to haul her own milk to the processor in Arkansas. Takes her most of the day.

Is there not any Dairy Goat Co-op? If not why can't we start one? Am guessing we need to pull together first and get some things done. Wouldn't it be nice if people in their regions got together and help with getting parlors built....much like old barn raisings. I know that may sound laughable....but would perhaps entice co-operation. I'm not talking about filling it up with fancy equipment right off the bat, but to have the separate building, that seems to be needed, with concrete floors. And go from there, unite with buying grain, hay, and yes equipment.

Guess I am just needing some direction, and the sound of people wanting to do this.....I was beginning to think I was the only one. Lacey

-- Lacey (cddllt@webtv.net), August 18, 2001.


I'd be hesistant to buy raw milk from a dairy that normally sells most of its product to bottlers that pasteurize the milk. I surmise that dairies who milk hundreds of cows can't effectively monitor the health of each one of the cows, and can't properly clean each cow before milking.

My dairy only milks 7 cows, and is very conscientious about sanitation. Their milk is inspected on a monthly basis, and they're very careful about keeping the milk clean and cold.

MHO.

Chris

-- Chris (cshustak@sys-works.com), November 20, 2001.


Chris,

I beg to differ. In some cases yes, there are some very unsanitary conditions and herd health management is an issue. I wish that you would NOT catagorize everyone who has a large dairy operation, albeit cow or goat as such. I am very offended at your post and irritated because its those very stigmas we as goat milk producers are trying to change with the public. In your post you state, "I surmise...." which indicates to me that you are transmitting information that is not founded on facts. Are you not aware that dairy operations, especially Grade A have to pass a higher standard of scrutiny and we are inspected monthly? We also have to have low SCC as well or we can't ship. Do you know how that is accomplished? By careful herd management and sanitary conditions.

However, you did mention cow and there is a difference between cows and goats. So I won't levy my rath on you too badly. I also disagree with your thinking on the premise that a farmer with many cows can't possibly keep up on herd health of each individual cow or clean throughly before milking. That is definately also not accurate information. I will admit before I launch into another written tirade that there are some who don't give a damn, however, those farmers soon went out of business quickly and had a lot of problems. I have seen some really dirty cow dairies with only 5 cows and then some really clean dairies with over 500. Its all up to the individual farmer how they choose to operate. For those of us who depend on that for our income we NEED to be careful and practice excellent herd management and sanitary methods.

-- Bernice (geminigoats@yahoo.com), November 20, 2001.


Moderation questions? read the FAQ