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information, please visit OCA's
Healthy Raw Milk page.
Despite
studies showing that raw milk is safe, getting the laws
changed to allow sales of milk is an uphill battle, as this
recent
article in POLITICO points out.
But many states have already legalized the sale of raw milk in
certain circumstances, and several more are working on laws to
loosen regulations. Here’s state-by-state a breakdown (Source:
POLITICO) of what’s happening:
California:
AB 2505
was introduced Feb 21 and would allow dairies to sell or share
raw milk from cows on that facility directly to consumers. The
bill was referred to the House Committee on Agriculture March
13.
Georgia:
HB 718
would set requirements for the sale of “ungraded milk” to
consumers as long as it is labeled.
Hawaii:
HB 1987
and its companion S 2562 would allow the distribution of raw
milk as part of a cow share, goat share or sheep share program.
The measure was approved by the House Agriculture Committee,
Jan. 27, but the House Committee on Health, the next hurdle for
the legislation, has deferred on taking up the bill. S 2562 has
yet to see any committee action.
Iowa:SF
61 was carried over from 2013, and would put a
moratorium on the enforcement of all state rules governing the
sale of raw products, including produce, honey, nuts eggs and
milk.
SF 2306, meanwhile,
would allow for the sale of cheese produced from raw milk and
details labeling requirements for the product.
Louisiana:HB
247 seeks to allow the sale of raw milk and
unpasteurized cheese on the farm where it has been produced,
though it would require the milk be clearly labeled as raw and
deny liability by the state or farm in the case of illnesses
from consumption. The bill, filed Feb 20, also would prohibit
advertising.
Maryland:
SB 1092
was introduced Feb. 28 and would require producers of raw milk
to have a written contract with consumers of the product and set
up testing, safety and labeling requirements. It also would
require producers to register with the state Department of
Health and Mental Hygiene: However
HB 3, which would
have allowed for the distribution of raw milk to a cow share or
Community Supported Agriculture agreement member, was withdrawn
March 24 after an unfavorable report by the Health and
Government Operations Committee.
Massachusetts:
HB 3857
would allow for the home delivery of raw milk to members of a
cow share or a CSA agreement, and allow for farmers to sell raw
milk from farm stands that are not on the site of where the milk
is produced.
Michigan:
HB 5336
would prohibit federal regulation of any food, including raw
milk, that is produced and then sold in the state.
New Jersey:
AB 543
would create a permitting program to allow farmers to sell raw
milk, though only on the property where the milk is produced.
The bill also seeks to set up testing requirement, storage
temperature requirements and would mandate warning labels.
New Jersey:
S 1285
would permit the sale of raw milk and milk products to
individuals and retail stores and sets inspection and testing
standards, in addition to requiring that producers do not use
growth hormones on the cows.
Oklahoma:
HB 2595
would amend the state’s Milk and Milk Products Act to ensure it
does not prohibit the sale of raw milk. The measure would take
effect Nov. 1, 2014.
Rhode Island:
S 2224
would require the state’s milk commission to establish rules for
the sale of raw milk, but the Senate Health and Human Services
Committee recommended the bill be held for further study on
March 11.
South Dakota:
SB 126
would have created an exemption from state laws governing dairy
products for raw milk that is packaged on the farm where it is
produced and sold by the farmer, but the measure was tabled Feb.
21 by the Senate Health and Human Services Committee in a 5-1
vote.
West Virginia:
HB 4274
would have permitted the sale of raw milk in the state as of
Jan. 1, 2015, and
HB 4273 would have
allowed for participants in cow share programs to receive raw
milk. However, the bills did not make it to a vote before the
West Virginia legislative session ended, March 14.
http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_29661.cfm