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MASSACHUSETTS
Two raw milk bills were introduced last year; the legislature is in the second year of a two-year session.
House bill 1995 would allow delivery of raw milk from licensed farmers, “off-site from the farm” directly to the
consumer; under existing law all raw milk sales must be made on the farm. The bill passed out of the Joint Committee
on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture and was referred in February to the House Committee on Ways
and Means.
House Bill 3273 would codify the right of any person with a partial or complete ownership interest in a dairy animal
to use any product derived from that animal without being licensed or inspected by the state. The bill was assigned to
the Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture and a public hearing was held last June along
with other bills.

MINNESOTA
There are companion bills before the Minnesota Senate and House. The bills were introduced last year; the legis-
lature is in the second year of a two-year session. Current statute allows the sale of raw milk and cream “occasionally
secured or purchased for personal use by any consumer at the place or farm where the milk is produced." This is in
conflict with the Minnesota Constitution which provides that one may sell or peddle the products of the farm occupied
and cultivated by that person. The legislation would eliminate the inconsistency. HF 255 (and SF 147) would allow direct
farm-to-consumer sales and delivery of raw milk and raw milk products such as cream, butter, yogurt and cheese on a
regular basis. Delivery can also be made by either the seller’s or buyer’s agent and can take place at farmers’ markets,
farm stands or designated delivery sites among other locations. The bills were referred to the Senate Agriculture and
Rural Economies Committee and the House Agricultural and Rural Development Committee, respectively.

NEW HAMPSHIRE
HB 1402, which would allow the unlicensed sale of raw milk products by small-scale producers, was referred in
February to the House Committee on Commerce and Consumer Affairs and scheduled for a public hearing March 6.
The bill would allow the unlicensed sale of raw yogurt, cream, butter or kefir on the farm, at a farm stand or at a farm-
ers market by those processing less than twenty gallons of raw milk per day into raw milk products. Current law allows
the unlicensed sale of raw milk by those farms producing less than twenty gallons per day. Any products sold under the
exemption provided by HB 1402 shall have a label on the product as well as a sign at the point of sale indicating that
the products were made from raw milk that is exempt from licensing and inspection. HB 1402 combines the provision
on raw milk products with an unrelated section on the sale of homestead food products produced in a home kitchen.

NEW JERSEY
AB 518, a bill that would legalize the on-farm sale of raw milk by licensed producers has passed out of the As-
sembly Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee and is now up before the full Assembly for a vote. In addition to
legalizing the sale of raw milk the bill would allow licensees to sell raw yogurt, kefir, butter, cottage cheese and cheese
as well. AB 518 also has a provision stating that nothing “shall preclude a consumer, for the purpose of obtaining raw
milk, and a farmer from entering into a contract for shared ownership of a cow and contractually prescribing the terms
and condition of milk production.” If the farmer and consumer enter into this type of contract, no raw milk permit is
required.
The same bill was introduced in the prior legislative session but died in a Senate committee after passing in the
Assembly.

WISCONSIN
SB 108, which would allow the on-farm sale of raw milk and raw milk products, was referred last May to the Senate
Committee on Agriculture, Natural Resources and Higher Education. Under the bill either an unlicensed or a Grade A
dairy farm can sell raw milk if the farm registers with the state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protec-
tion (DATCP) and if the prescribed labeling, bottling and testing requirements are followed. The farmer must also post
a sign at the place where milk and milk products are sold stating, “Raw milk products sold here. Raw milk products are
not pasteurized.” No hearing has been scheduled yet for the bill.

For the latest developments on raw milk issues, go to www.thecompletepatient.com. Those who have not joined
the Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund are encouraged to do so. Membership applications are available online at
www.farmtoconsumer.org or by calling (703) 208-FARM (3276); the mailing address is 8116 Arlington Blvd, Suite 263,
Falls Church, VA 22042.
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