Raw Milk Laws By State

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This article is part of the Food Rights Network, a project of the Center for Media and Democracy. Find out more here.

Raw Milk Laws By State lists the laws for raw milk for each U.S. state.

As of 2011, the following states allow retail sales of raw milk:[1]

  • Arizona
  • California
  • Connecticut
  • Idaho (Herdshares are also legal; see below.)
  • Maine
  • New Hampshire
  • New Mexico
  • Pennsylvania
  • South Carolina
  • Washington

As of 2011, the following states ban raw milk sales:[2]

  • Alabama
  • Florida
  • Georgia
  • Hawaii
  • Indiana
  • Iowa
  • Louisiana
  • Maryland
  • Michigan
  • Montana
  • Nevada*
  • New Jersey
  • North Carolina
  • North Dakota
  • Ohio (Herdshares are legal; see below.)
  • Virginia
  • West Virginia
  • Wyoming
  • According to the Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund, "Nevada (NV) is categorized as a state where the sale of raw milk is illegal because, even though licensed retail sales are technically legal by statute, the criteria established to become licensed is impossible to meet."

Other States:[3]

  • Alaska: Herdshares are legal by statute regulation, or court decision.
  • Arkansas: Unlicensed on farm sales of goat milk are legal, but the state limits production.
  • Colorado: Herdshares are legal by statute regulation, or court decision. Farms operating share programs must register with the state.
  • Idaho: Herdshares are legal by statute regulation, or court decision. Farms operating share programs must register with the state. (Retail sales are also legal; see above.)
  • Illinois: Unlicensed on-farm sales are legal.
  • Kansas: Unlicensed on-farm sales are legal.
  • Kentucky: Unlicensed on-farm sales of goat's milk are legal with a doctor's prescription.
  • Massachusetts: Licensed on-farm sales are legal
  • Minnesota: Unlicensed on-farm sales are legal.
  • Mississippi: Unlicensed on farm sales of goat milk are legal, but the state limits production.
  • Missouri: Licensed on-farm sales are legal, delivery is legal, and sales at farmers' markets are legal.
  • Nevada: Licensed on-farm sales are legal
  • New York: Licensed on-farm sales are legal
  • Ohio: Herdshares are legal by statute regulation, or court decision. (Sales of raw milk are illegal; see above.)
  • Oklahoma: Unlicensed on-farm sales are legal.
  • Oregon: Retail sales of goat and sheep milk are legal. Unlicensed on-farm sales of raw milk (including cows' milk) are legal but the state limits the number of lactating animals a farmer may have.
  • Rhode Island: Unlicensed on-farm sales of goat's milk are legal with a doctor's prescription.
  • South Dakota: Licensed on-farm sales are legal, and sales at farmers' markets are legal.
  • Texas: Licensed on-farm sales are legal.
  • Tennessee: Herdshares are legal by statute regulation, or court decision.
  • Utah: Licensed on-farm sales are legal. The sale of raw milk at retail stores is legal if the milk producer has a majority ownership in the store.
  • Vermont: A limited amount of raw milk may be sold on farms without a license. Delivery is legal.
  • Wisconsin: Allows incidental sales only of on-farm sales without a license.

Resources and Articles

Related SourceWatch Articles

References

  1. Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund, Raw Milk States by category, March 16, 2011.
  2. Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund, Raw Milk States by category, March 16, 2011.
  3. Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund, Raw Milk States by category, March 16, 2011.

External Resources

External Articles