legal help if you sell milk

[Alice In TX/MO]

If you are selling milk, you might consider joining the Farm To Consumer Legal Defense Fund. They are an organization designed to educate the public about real food and to provide legal assistance to farms targeted by the government for selling real food.

A membership looks expensive until you realize what you have to lose if you can't afford a lawyer when the guys in cammo and carrying guns show up at your door.

http://www.farmtoconsumer.org/

[LoneStrChic23]

Sad that there is even the need for such protection

Alice, do you know where to find the legal info on selling craft milk in Texas?? I can't find anything.

I have 2 soap makers who would like to buy milk from me for soap making but I can't find out how to sell it legally and I'm not willing to sell it "under the table" & just hope I don't get caught.....A few gallons of milk sold for the year just isn't worth that risk.... Considered getting an animal feed license & going that route, but they don't want blue milk.

Highly annoying that simple things are overly complicated.

[noeskimo]

[QUOTE=LoneStrChic23;5590273
Considered getting an animal feed license & going that route, but they don't want blue milk.
d.:[/QUOTE]

LSC-Have you been buying that nasty blueberry "Quick" again? Stick with the chocolate. WHAT is "blue" milk?

[Alice In TX/MO]

Some states require that raw milk sold for pet use be died blue. The dye is apparently NOT tasteless.

Looking for the other info now.

[Alice In TX/MO]

I found this source with more info about pet milk, and it has links in it, too.
http://www.sugarplumdairy.com/raw-mi...a-pet-quality/

Interesting that milk is regulated by the same authority that exists over tattooing and piercing.
For Drugs, Medical Devices, Certificate of Authority, Tanning, Tattoo, Body Piercing,
Milk and Dairy, Meat Safety Assurance, and Certified Food Manager:
TELEPHONE: (512) 834-6727
FAX: (512) 834-6741
EMAIL: Drugs and Food Safety Licensing Group

Here's a Texas food freedom group:
http://farmandranchfreedom.org/

Texas pet food rules: (Go get a cup a tea and go to the bathroom while it downloads. It's extremely detailed and a PDF.)
http://otscweb.tamu.edu/Laws/PDF/Pet...LJZ_100107.pdf

I haven't yet found anything specific about milk for soapers. (i.e. craft use) It may fall outside the existing law.

[LoneStrChic23]

Thanks Alice!

Eskimo, no "Quick" here, lol, but if I decided to get my animal feed license, I would be forced to dye the milk blue, and the soapers who want my milk don't want blue milk.

Alice, I was told the blue dye you're required to use leaves a slightly bitter aftertaste

[postroad]

If one sold their milk labeled "not for human or animal consumption" would that nullify any regulations?

What people do with the milk after that would be their business.

[Charleen]

Every state has their own requirements. So what is legal in NY might not be legal in TX, etc. A listing for each state can be found here http:/www.realmilk.com/happening.html There is a link on that page for Canada.

This might be out of date, so it's best to contact the Ag & Markets Dept in your state and request a copy of the requirements. Or perhaps it's available on their website. Good luck!

[Alice In TX/MO]

I can't find *anything* in the milk laws about how to sell it for soap/craft use. It may be a loophole not currently addressed by the law, or it may be that I can't find it.

Link to Texas milk law online:
http://info.sos.state.tx.us/pls/pub/readtac$ext.ViewTAC?tac_view=4&ti=25&pt=1&ch=217

Simply stated, if you do not have a certified Grade A raw milk dairy or a license to sell pet milk in Texas, you can't legally sell raw milk. Not saying it doesn't happen, but if you are selling it for soap/craft use, and the powers that be find out, you can just as likely get visited by inspectors. Practice your wide eyed and innocent look, and keep the Farm to Consumer Legal Defense fund phone number handy.

[Alice In TX/MO]

A third session of digging yielded this info about milk for "manufacturing"...

Every manufacturer of dairy products located in the State of Texas, shall obtain a milk plant permit. Farms producing milk for manufacturing purposes shall obtain a producer dairy farm permit. Only a person who complies with the requirements of these rules shall be entitled to receive and retain a permit.

Raw milk for manufacturing purposes shall be produced from producer dairy farms that hold a valid Grade A permit. Dairies that are permitted to sell Grade A Raw Milk for Pasteurization, but have had their permit temporarily suspended because of violations of Grade A standards for bacterial count, somatic cell count, or added water may be eligible to sell milk for manufacturing purposes for a period not to exceed 14 days, provided that the most recent bacterial count of milk does not exceed 500,000 per milliliter.

[Alice In TX/MO]

Still digging......

Raw milk may be sold by the milk producer directly to the consumer only at the point of production, i.e., at the farm, provided that such producer has been issued a Grade A Raw for Retail Milk Permit in accordance with §217.91 of this title (relating to Permits), and complies with all the sections in this chapter relating to Grade A Raw for Retail Milk.

http://info.sos.state.tx.us/pls/pub/readtac$ext.TacPage?sl=R&app=9&p_dir=&p_rloc=&p_tl oc=&p_ploc=&pg=1&p_tac=&ti=25&pt=1&ch=217&rl=32

[sammyd]

Originally Posted by postroad

If one sold their milk labeled "not for human or animal consumption" would that nullify any regulations?

What people do with the milk after that would be their business.

not in WI. It is illegal to sell raw milk period.......

[LoneStrChic23]

Thanks Alice! You found better info than I did. Sadly, the way the law reads, for our state, there is no LEGAL way to sell milk, for any purpose, without a license or permit of some sort.

Bummer really, but I'll just be thankful I have the goats so I can at least have milk for my family.

[francismilker]

Alice, I used to hear all the time about a huge network of goat milkers in my area collectively selling their product to a mozzerella plant in Dallas. I never realized that Texas was a no-sale state. I'd bet with all the milk that they were trucking down there on a weekly basis and especially with the milk crossing state lines someone would've went to jail over that if they'd gotten caught! lol........

I think they were taking the milk from about 300 goats total once a week down there!!

[Alice In TX/MO]

Goat mozzarella? in Texas? That would be an interesting rumor to chase down.

[francismilker]

Originally Posted by Alice In TX/MO

Goat mozzarella? in Texas? That would be an interesting rumor to chase down.

I feel confident it was the real thing. The major suppliers of milk from my area were Amish.

[Alice In TX/MO]

Suppliers (according to the current state law) *MUST* be licensed.

Have you ever seen goat mozzarella for sale? I want some! Where can I get it?