Raw milk warning label

The dairy in Az. is Medowayne Dairy in Colorado City. I believe they are the only ones in AZ that are certified to sell raw milk also. Arizona will allow the retail sale of raw milk, it can be shipped within the state and sold but it cannot be shipped to another state. I tryed to get Utah to let me bring the arizona dairy inspecter in and inspect my dairy then let me take my raw milk into Arizona to sell. NO DEAL!! Raw milk cannot be shipped accross state lines for any reason. Medowayne was shipping their surplus milk to a cheese plant in Utah untill they realized it and shut that down.

Finney

Dosthouhavemilk, that's amazing. I didn't realize there was anywhere that wouldn't even let you give it away.

Mrs. Homesteader, you're exactly right about the lobbying. It's all about who has the money and how well the politicians' palms get greased.

I'm going to milk with a portable. Not going to put in line, there will be a dumping station with me, so it won't involve carrying it to the bulk tank. If I have to, and im making money, I won't mind it a bit. But what im going to do is put a feeler out, to see if there are any interested. I want to see if there is a demand before I start looking into it more. If there is a demand, enough to make it worth while (selling what I am producing), I will deal with the state's BS. If the market is here, and I have more demand than supply (better to be short, than over stocked), it would be a bonus. I could still buy organic grains, and I would still keep everything organic. I could call it all natural milk, of course explain to anyone curious what that is, if a cow gets sick I could treat her and not have to take her out of the milking herd once she is better, and the antibiotics are out of her system (as with any farm). It would be 100% legit, and would keep the animal here. But if this didn't work, it should make things interesting if I have to ship to dairylea.

So tell me if this would work. Say I took the back side of the shop, pretty good area. I had a stainless steal type sink (would be for bottleing), floors were lined to prevent any bacteria, and can be cleaned. Basically a sterile, clean, dust "free" eviornment. Would that work? A wood floor wouldn't be liked, unless it was covered with something that can get wet, and cleaned up, kinda like most kitchens. It seems the biggest gripe with any inspectors that inspect this kind of stuff. They want it clean, clean, clean. Heck, lick the floor clean. But the reason why I would put out a feeler, is because I would know whether it's worth working my arse off to make that back section like an operating room.


Jeff

I'm located upstate ny with the st. lawrence river across the road and then Canada, and do not know of anyone close selling raw milk, currently I'm giving 5 to 6 gallons of raw milk to family or an old family friend. It looks like I'll be getting a bit larger in the near future, I have 12 head and looks like the raw milk market will be worthwhile looking into. My wife has a state certified day care on the farm in the other house and yes the state has more BS than you can imagine, but it might be well worth my while to pursue this. Jeff farms you're quite a distance from where I am, but I like what you're doing. Like all the info from this website. Thanks.

Maybe those of us out there who have raw milk available should some how post it. As us real small producers do not let the word out because ya never know if the State is listening.... :no:

Yes, and they are going after supplements now. They will make it so that you cannot buy vitamin c (except in small amounts, ie. your RDA), with a prescription from a doctor (and they will be OUTRAGEOUSLY expensive). They are currently trying to pass a law so that you have to have a presription for vitamins, minerals, ect. in any decent dose. Look up CODEX. Anybody find it odd that this has not been on the news? :no:

http://www.natural-health-informatio...mentarius.html

http://newswithviews.com/Howenstine/james24.htm

http://sumeria.net/health/hpb-codex.html

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It is illegal to give away stuff too. If I butcher my own steer, I cannot give it away. I can use it for myself and my family only.

Jena

It seems the best way to combat any state reg, is to play their game better, than they do. What I mean is, exceed their needs. If the demand is high here, high enough to empty the tank each day (can't see why not, especially if someone buys 5 gallons to make something). Not many 5 gallons to add up to an empty tank . We sold raw milk in 1993, only a few were buying. We had a Jersey, I was young and hated it because it was -30. If it was now, it wouldn't bother me. She was making 4 gallons or so a day, she could have made more. But she wasn't getting as much as she would need to make more. The neighbor, and a few others would buy. I guess she sold out every other day. Now this is 93, and this is without any advertiseing. As long as one could sell out each day, and get a nice fair price. I can't see why not? Of course, state pending.


Prohibiting raw milk sales is as bad as enforcing the seat belt law. Im still trying to figure how it is dangerous for someone else, if your not wearing your seat belt. Here in NY, its money but come on! Same thing goes for raw milk sales, its alllll money. I love how you hear "gotta support buisness", yet they restrict the hell out of buisnesses. Either way, im curious, anyone know if the state takes $$$$ out of what you make? Or is that the same ol' income tax?

petefarms, did you have a decent summer there? Was told that you guys didn't get the rains we got. While we were finishing 1st, some were half way through 2nd up there. I know it was cloudy here some days, and sunny there.


Jeff

Jeff farms, up along the river, we had a very rainy summer, needed to roof the house and wasn't able due to it raining every 2nd or 3rd day. Haying was real tough, I think a little farther south in Jefferson county it wasn't quite as bad. Some guys didn't get their hay up until late August. Anyway just have to figure this will be a better year.

Jeff NY, if you find out anything about NY will you post it, I did see that in NY Raw milk sales are permitted at the farm provided it has a permit. Can't find out what it takes to get a permit yet, I'm looking online, I really don't want to "talk" to anyone yet, I don't want anyone to think I'm selling milk just cos I have it! So if anyone can point me to NY rules and regs I'd appreciate it.

Carol K

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Will do, my mother is going to call the dept of ag in albany to see what the rules are, etc. I am sure the biggest gripe they would have is a sanitary facility, or sanitary way of bottling. The person at the cornell co-op said "let them tell you what has to be done", hinting it is a pain. We'll see what they say.


Jeff

If New York is anything like Utah, You will have your work cut out for you. Here is a few of the requirements I have to comply with:

Samples of milk taken monthly and shipped to the lab.(this also includes a facility inspection by the dairy inspecter) Good thing is the state picks up the tab for all the testing.

Coliform count under 10 per ml (thats the hard one!) 3 out of 5 tests must be under 10, if you get 3 bad samples out of the last 5, they shut you down and step up the testing, like once a week untill you are in compliance.

Standard plate count under 20,000 per ml

Somatic cell count under 350,000 per ml ( even this one is tough with a small herd, if one cow has mastitis, that one cow is a large percent of the milk)

Cows must be tested for bangs and tb yearly. (no test for bangs if they have been vacanated) A bulk tank milk test 4 times a year for bangs, if positive, each animal must be tested immediately and the culprit slaughtered asap!

cows must have a general udder health inspection by the vet every 6 months and a statment made for each cow. Also a CMT mastitis test preformed by the vet. (CMT is easy to do but they want the vet to see it.)

Milk must be chilled to 41 degrees or less within 2 hours after milking and the blend temp. cannot raise the milk up over 50 degrees ( that's adding the next milking to the vat.) If this happens you must discard the whole tank!

Milk can be sold only on the farm to consumers for household use and not for resale. (I guess i'm the milk cop huh?)

Everyone involved with the milk in any way must have a valid medical card or a food handlers permit, also must have a tb test themselves.

Any open sore and you cannot come close to the barn! Any contagious illness and you are baned also.

A hand wash station seperate from the milk room sink with single use towels.

Bottling can be done by hand, like holding the bottle under a spout on the bulk tank but it must be capped mechanicly. (that's where you must get creative. If anyone needs plans, I made one of these that made my dairy inspecter happy, crazy thing is, I have to load the lids one at a time by hand into the capper but I can't snap it on the jug by hand. I use snap lids but the law is the same even if you are screwing a lid on a jar.)

There are also codes on fly control, munure control, wastewater control, calf facilities and basic barn safety etc..

The label must say "raw milk" and the word "raw" must be the same size of font as the word "milk". You must have the physical address of the farm and the proper volume of the container on the label also. Plus the warning label we talked about earlier.

Other than that, it's quite simple

No wonder so many farms gave up on the raw milk!

If I didn't love the milk and love the cows, I would let it all go but it's a good feeling when people tell you how much they enjoy the milk!

Raw milk is the way God intended us to drink it!

Happy Farming,

FINNEY

I'm really shocked. I didn't know there was anywhere that wouldn't even let you give it away. Dosthouhavemilk said the same thing in an earlier post. Most places I've heard about, including here in Florida, don't care at all if you give it away. You just can't sell it.

Most of the regs, aside from the other tests are standard with regular milk. You don't want your milk warming above a certain temp anyways. Somatic Cell Count you want to keep low, especially if being picked up, you can get extra money for that.


But the other tests don't surprise me, im surprised rabies isn't a requirement. When I do this, the filling will take place seperate from the milk house. I don't really want a flood of people in the milk house. I'll see what is allowed for means of moving the milk. Can't see why one can't use a line, same line for milking to transfer it to where you bottle it, for my deal its literally up and over. So the milk would be "handled" seperately. Id likely build a room that would be as clean as a clean bulk tank. Use seperate shoes for milking, and seperate for bottleing. I'm sure they will be #%(#%, but if it's reasonable, as in, nothing ridiculous. I'll pursue it IF I can get enough people to sell,sell,sell. I know of people who want to buy it. I'll price it about the same as the equivalent to a gallon of regular whole milk. Why? Well its 22.00 selling organic milk cwt, it would be about $40.00 CWT selling it direct. Making almost twice as much, before expenses, and still twice as much after expenses.

But if this didn't work, in the sence of finding enough people. I can always ship it, and keep a cow off to the side to sell to those who I personally know. If they bought 20 days out of 30, that is enough to pay the grain bill..


Jeff

Found out some basic info, and basic is key here. My mother called this morning, and talked to a lady at NY's USDA. Well she didn't have all the details, however the basic info (basic part) was that she didn't think you needed a permit if selling off the farm. However if it is being sold to a store, or something it needs a permit. She did say you need a warning label, and a sign stating its deadly and all (deadly = sarcaism intended). However, she pointed my mother in the direction of a state inspector, and we are awaiting his call. The inspector is the SAME guy that inspects any farm, this is traditional, organic or if your selling raw milk. Sounds like a similar thing as shipping the milk, they want the milk house clean.

Either way, I will be curious to see if she was right, because if that is the case. The local apple orchard could sell it, and this would likely mean a huge demand. They sell unpastuerized cider, and IMO whats the difference? You stand as equal of a chance getting sick from cider, as you do from milk. Milk IMO could be cleaner, if your opperation is clean (not out exposed to the air, bugs, bird droppings etc etc).


Jeff

We squeeze our own, raw cider and that is 10x better than boiled cider. I often wonder if the cider sold that is boiled is watered down a little, certainly tastes like it sometimes!

And saliva causes cancer.But only in minute amounts when swallowed over a long period of time.If you are forced to use such an un-scientific statement then put a statement from Weston Price foundation about the good qualities of raw milk.I would.

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When my goats are dry I buy raw milk 2.50 gal from a neighbor that's been liscenced forever.We are in New Castle Pa 50 mi. north of pittsburgh.20-25 mi from Youngstown Ohio.
Slippery Rock collage had someone come in and give a talk on raw milk. Since then the students have been hauling milk back like you wouldn't believe.He's not organic by any means. But better than the alternative!
WE have all been raised on raw milk and enjoy good health Dad is going to retire when he gets around to it.That's if mom will let him under foot in the house :haha: He's 81 and in better health than these kids today I believe we are what we eat!
Chas

Just came across this thread, so I'm a little behind.

We purchase lots of parts from Parts Dept. They were very helpful to us when we ressurected an old Gast pump and converted it to milk our dairy goats. We had old SS DeLaval and McCormick buckets that needed some TLC too.

Hamby Dairy Supply has been helpful too. They have an ebay store in addition to their website.
http://hambydairysupply.com/xcart/home.php

We sell our raw goat milk but often trade things for it. Help with chores, trade for wood shavings, etc.

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Charleen in Western NY www.harperhillfarm.com

A bite of butter greases your track. ~ Gramma Sarah

Here in Ontario, it is illegal to produce, distribute or sell raw milk. The laws are pretty strict. Last week, 4 people were hospitalized with E-coli infections ( 1 child is quite ill) after they purchased raw milk from someone selling it from the trunk of their car.
I've never tried raw milk but I'd like to. I'll have to go find me a few criminals.

This is a little academic for us, now, having been out of dairying for almost two years (seems like longer ... sigh ...)

But as for the taste of store bought milk, I think it has a flat, cooked taste. The milk from our cows tasted sweeter.

(Edited to add) DH wanted to comment about someone earlier mentioned high cell counts ... it might help to get teh cows on test, identify the high cell count cows, and cull or dry treat. Especially in a small herd where one chronic cow can have such an impact. (Been there, done that ... we never milked more than 35)In my house-wifey experience, when our cell count got too high teh milk had very poor shelf life. Most of the time we were able to get our quality bonus and keep the cell count under 150,000 but if it got high the milk got a little funky a little fast. (Even with using the home pasteurizer. DH balked a little at that because he remembered very strange tasting home-pasteurized milk as a kid but we got a brand-new one and I couldn't tell the difference. Anyway ...)

We do miss the cows. But DH's dad was heavily involved and he has arthritis and possibly a form of muscular dystrophy ... so it was just awful hard to keep going.

However ... the kids all seem to have the cow bug and want to show calves in 4-H .. we'll see where we end up!

Good luck with your endeavors
Ann

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