Retail Raw Milk a Quick Guide for Producer-Processors
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Retail Raw Milk A Quick Guide for Producer-Processors IN THIS GUIDE: “Retail Raw Milk” is Grade “A” raw milk (unpasteurized milk) legally produced for human consumption within Washington 2 Laws and licenses State. In this guide you’ll find information about key 4 Herd health 6 Facilities and requirements and good practices for producing and selling equipment Retail Raw Milk. Here are some things to keep in mind: 9 Production and processing practices 12 Sales and distribution There is a market for Retail Raw Milk, but there are also potential health 13 Other considerations hazards associated with it. People can get sick or die due to bacteria or 15 Working with WSDA other pathogenic (disease-causing) microorganisms that may be found in raw milk, such as Campylobacter jejuni, Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, and E. coli 0157:H7. It’s possible to contract tuberculosis, undulant fever and Q fever from consuming raw milk. Safe, clean and legal production is a must. It reduces the risk of the milk About being contaminated, reducing the risk to the consumer. It is particularly “Cow Shares” important for protecting children, the elderly, pregnant women and other individuals with weakened immune systems. Some farmers use cow shares or farm share Retail Raw Milk is different from many food products in that it must be agreements as a marketing produced and processed at the same site. When the Retail Raw Milk approach to sell their cows’ leaves the farm, it is raw (unpasteurized) and may go to a wholesale milk. The consumer purchases distributor, but it has already been packaged for the retail consumer. a “share” of a cow (or goat or sheep) and in return receives a portion of the milk Retail Raw Milk includes fluid whole milk, hand-skimmed cream and produced. WSDA considers milk which has been hand-skimmed. This means a plant cannot use a this a sale. separator, homogenizer or any other mechanical device to separate raw cream from raw milk. Retail Raw Milk does not include chocolate or Legal cow shares can exist in flavored milk, or cultured fluid milk (buttermilk). Retail Raw Milk cannot the State of Washington as be used to produce other food products such as yogurt, butter, puddings, long as the producer obtains or ice cream. proper licensing with the Washington State The Washington State Department of Agriculture’s (WSDA’s) interest in Retail Department of Agriculture Raw Milk is to protect consumers and producers in our state by enforcing the (milk producer and milk processing plant licenses). rules and regulations designed for safe food production. The WSDA Food Producers may not use a cow Safety Program carries out this work through inspection, testing and technical share agreement to avoid assistance. (See page 15.) This guide is not a substitute for the laws and rules meeting state requirements. it refers to, but it should give you a good idea of what it takes to be a Retail Raw Milk producer-processor in Washington State. Retail Raw Milk – A Quick Guide for Producer-Processors | WSDA – April 2011 P a g e 1 Laws and Licenses Retail Raw Milk producer-processors need to be familiar with the state laws and rules that regulate the production, processing and sale of Retail Raw Milk: Definitions Laws REVISED CODE OF Chapter 15.36 RCW Milk and milk products MILK PRODUCER WASHINGTON Chapter 15.44 RCW Dairy Products Commission A person or organization that (RCW) Chapter 69.04 RCW Intrastate commerce in food, drugs and cosmetics operates a dairy farm and Rules milks animals. This can WASHINGTON Chapter 16-101 WAC Milk and milk products include cows, goats, sheep ADMINISTRATIVE Chapter 16-101X WAC Degrades, license suspensions and revocations and other milk-producing CODE (WAC) for dairy producers and processors animals Chapter 16-125 WAC Farm milk storage tanks and bulk milk tanker– requirements Chapter 16-139 WAC Penalties Chapter 16-165 WAC Food inspection MILK PROCESSING PLANT Chapter 16-167 WAC Intrastate commerce in foods A place, premises, or establishment where milk or Washington State also has adopted two federal standards: the Pasteurized milk products are collected, handled, processed, stored, Milk Ordinance (PMO) and Good Manufacturing Practices, 21 Code of bottled, pasteurized, Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 110. True, Retail Raw Milk isn’t pasteurized or aseptically processed, or commonly thought of as manufactured, but key parts of these standards still prepared for distribution, apply to Retail Raw Milk. For example, only Grade “A” raw milk can be sold as except an establishment that Retail Raw Milk. So, even though Retail Raw Milk is not pasteurized, as a merely receives the processed producer-processor, you must meet the standards for raw milk set by the milk products and serves Grade “A” Pasteurized Milk Ordinance (United States Public Health them or sells them at retail. Service/Food and Drug Administration). The laws, rules and standards include requirements concerning your herd, See Chapter 15.36 RCW facilities, equipment, production, processing, sales and distribution. Copies of these regulations, along with the Milk Producers Licensing Handbook, can be found in the Milk Producer licensing packet, available from WSDA. Milk-Related State Licenses To sell Retail Raw Milk, you must obtain both a Milk Producer License and a Milk Processing Plant License. Both of these state licenses are required because Retail Raw Milk bottling must occur at the site of milk production. Milk Producer License The Milk Producer License covers the production of milk from your animals. There is no fee for the license, but you must submit a completed application form, water testing results, animal herd health records, and a farm diagram. You can download the application from the WSDA website or request a Milk Producer License application packet from our Food Safety Program office. Retail Raw Milk – A Quick Guide for Producer-Processors | WSDA – April 2011 P a g e 2 Milk Processing Plant License The Milk Processing Plant License covers the processing and packaging of the final product. The licensing fee is $55, and the license must be renewed Are inspections annually. Applications for milk processors include an application form, water required? testing sample results, floor diagrams, labeling information, animal herd health documentation, and processing information. Yes. WSDA will first inspect your setup as part of the licensing process. Later, A licensed Retail Raw Milk processing plant can sell fluid whole milk, hand- periodic inspections will skimmed cream and milk which has been hand-skimmed. This means a plant check that your operation is cannot use a separator, homogenizer or any other mechanical device to complying with the Retail separate raw cream from raw milk. Raw Milk rules and regulations. Retail Raw Milk does not include chocolate or flavored milk, or cultured fluid milk (buttermilk). Retail Raw Milk cannot be used to produce other food products such as yogurt, butter, puddings, or ice cream. Will my employees and I need food If you decide to begin processing products other than Retail Raw Milk, you will handler permits? need to obtain additional licenses and should contact the Food Safety Program to discuss the process and potential hazards. No, but you all will need to have an overall knowledge of Dairy Technician Licenses good employee hygiene and In some instances, a Dairy Technician license may be required in your Retail sanitation practices. You’ll Raw Milk operation. Contact the Food Safety Program for additional need to follow good practices such as washing your hands information. and minimizing bare hand contact during filling and For more dairy license information: bottling. WSDA Food Safety Program Phone 360-902-1876 This will reduce the potential http://agr.wa.gov/FoodAnimal/Dairy for contamination of the finished product, consumer complaints and related illnesses. Other Legal Requirements Other federal, state and local regulations concerning land use, building codes, water supply, manure management and other aspects of farm-based businesses may apply to your Retail Raw Milk operation. Those regulations are not covered here, but compliance with them can be as important to your success as those that target Retail Raw Milk specifically. Check with your local jurisdiction and the appropriate state or federal agencies. For state business and specialty licenses: Department of Licensing - http://www.dol.wa.gov For certification by the WSDA Dairy Nutrient Management Program (re: manure management): Phone 360-902-1982 Note: This guide is not a substitute for the laws and rules it refers to. Retail Raw Milk – A Quick Guide for Producer-Processors | WSDA – April 2011 P a g e 3 Herd Health A successful Retail Raw Milk operation requires healthy animals. All milking cows, goats, and other mammals must meet the animal health requirements. Selling or delivering milk or milk products from diseased animals is illegal. (See Chapter 15.36 RCW) Your animals must test negative for diseases that can be transmitted to people through raw milk. Only an accredited veterinarian can collect and submit official samples for these animal health testing requirements: Your animals must be tested for Brucellosis, Tuberculosis and Q Fever (see chart, next page), as well as for any other diseases as required by Having all the right the state veterinarian. (If new diseases emerge, the state veterinarian may require additional tests.) licenses, equipment and facilities won’t Your animals must be tested before WSDA can issue you a Milk Producer License, and they must be tested annually after that. matter if your animals are sick Additions to the herd must test negative for the diseases within the previous thirty days before they can be introduced into the herd. and the milk they produce can make There are other animal health requirements, too: people sick.