selling milk

mpete · #1 03/19/08, 09:21 AM

how do you sell it out of your home? Do you they sign a disclaimer? How much do you sell it for? Deposit on jars?

Alice In TX/MO · #2 03/19/08, 11:38 AM

You need to research to find out your state's laws on selling milk.

CountryHaven · #3 03/19/08, 03:01 PM

yeah, it was really weird here in Illinois. Back when we did dairy and sold milk, we COULD sell it off farm, but customers had to bring their own containers (and pour it in them themselves which I REALLY thought was stupid)... HOWEVER we could NOT advertise. Apparently that included my farm sign at the street that had the goats on it, and 'purebred dairy goats' under it, along with 'farm fresh milk'. An inspector happened to be driving down the highway one day and stopped and knocked on my door. Said I had to take the sign down. (It was an expensive printed wood sign not a hand worded one, so it was a big deal to me, lol) anyway, I asked why? By law we were allowed to sell it right? He said yes, and quoted me the above about hte containers and pouring etc... and said but you can't advertise. Word of mouth is okay (that's still advertising isn't it? LOL I think they're splitting hairs). I said, okay, I don't 'advertise' as in post flyers, or put ads in papers etc. But that's just a farm sign. He said, yep, gotta go.

----. LOL I'm glad there's no law against selling meat kids (of course I can't sell packaged goat meat off the farm. LOL)

topside1 · #4 03/19/08, 03:20 PM

Pete, sorry to "p" on the parade, but is selling milk really worth it? This is a lawsuit crazy world, not the good old days. Just think you may want to avoid the aggravation, can you imagine a customer claiming your milk gave their daughter e-coli. Darn I miss the good old days when a handshake was all you needed....sorry, it's just my grim way of looking at a possible excellent idea. Like Rose mentioned, do a lot of research before you start filling mason jars..

didaho · #5 03/19/08, 03:24 PM

Been looking for goats milk around here but no luck

Debbie

Otter · #6 03/19/08, 03:58 PM

I don't know about Cal, but most places you can sell "pet milk" off the farm. As long as YOU say it's not for human consumption, you're protected. Who knows what they do with it once they get home. Wink Wink.

topside1 · #7 03/19/08, 04:44 PM

Pete, why not use the extra milk and raise dairy heifers, not a bad return. Plus the demand is extremely high....good luck...

Alice In TX/MO · #8 03/19/08, 05:00 PM

From: http://www.realmilk.com/happening.html#ca

California
Sales of raw milk and raw milk products are legal both in stores and on the farm. In order for raw milk to be sold legally, it must be 'market milk. 'This is milk that meets the standards provided in the Milk and Milk Products Act of 1947.

Under the Act, market milk is graded and designated into three classes:'certified milk,' 'guaranteed milk,' and 'Grade A milk. 'Of the three classes, only Grade A raw milk is available for sale today in California. The standards for guaranteed raw milk to be market milk are more stringent than those for Grade A raw milk. While the Milk and Milk Products Act calls for county milk commissions to set the standards for certified raw milk, not a single county milk commission still exists.

Raw milk dairy farmers need market milk permits in order to produce their product. In addition, any person engaged in an aspect of the milk business that falls under the statutory definition of milk products plant must obtain a milk products plant license. There is an exemption from the license requirement, however, for "any producer whose business consists exclusively of producing and distributing raw market milk produced by such producer."

Raw milk and most raw milk products require warning labels. Municipalities and counties in the state have the power to establish compulsory pasteurization laws but only Humboldt County has done so.