A meeting committee amendment on prohibitions and exemptions was accepted in front of farmers who the North Dakota Legislature has allowed to sell raw milk directly to consumers.
Those provisions are
– Farms may sell raw milk directly to final consumers for personal consumption.
– Farms may not sell raw milk to wholesalers or retailers for bulk consumption under this chapter.
– Seller shall only sell milk within this state.
– Sales may not include interstate commerce.
・Raw milk cannot be provided.
These provisions prompted the North Dakota Legislature to send the sale bill directly to Gov. Doug Burgham’s desk by overwhelming votes of 83-10 in the House and 32-14 in the Senate.
House Bill 1515 allows North Dakota dairy producers to sell raw milk on their own farms while continuing the state’s ban on sales through grocery stores and wholesalers. Sales of raw milk are limited to direct transactions between desired buyers and desired sellers.
North Dakota health and agriculture officials are concerned about pathogens in unpasteurized milk that often cause human disease. It may be the reason why it remains.
Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds also keeps a raw bill on his desk. Iowa Senate File 315 looks similar to North Dakota’s bill, but a little further.
Milk producers will be able to sell unpasteurized raw milk in Iowa if Governor Reynolds signs SF315.
Medical and agricultural groups, including the Iowa Public Health Association, the Iowa Farm Department, and the Iowa Dairy Association, are on record to oppose the bill over public health concerns.
The Iowa House of Representatives amended the bill after it first passed the Senate, but there was a wide margin in final passage between the two houses, 64-35 in the House and 37-13 in the Senate.
The approved version requires milk producers to perform bacteriological tests on their cows. The raw milk itself does not need to be tested for bacteria and viruses that may cause contaminated milk to enter the commercial stream.
Four other states appear to be nearing the end of their current legislative session with no raw milk changes.
Hawaii
The Hawaii Senate Agriculture and Environment Committee and Health and Human Services Committee postponed HB 521 and nothing has happened since.
Some public testimony has asked why Hawaiians consume dangerous raw shellfish but not raw milk, but the state health department is still fully committed to raw milk legalization. I am opposed to
The Hawaii State Legislature will be adjourned on May 4th.
Illinois
SB 0152 permits dairy farms to sell, distribute, or otherwise sell unpasteurized milk or dairy products for human use or consumption without being issued a permit if animals are raised on the farm. licensed to be sold or distributed in any manner.
After being introduced on January 25, 2023, the Illinois raw milk bill was assigned to the Senate Public Health Committee. SB 0152 was sent back to the Allocation Committee and remained there until 10 March 2023.
The Illinois legislature will adjourn on May 19, with the usual bill deadlines until that date.
rhode island
The Rhode Island House Health and Human Services Commission recommended that the bill legalizing raw milk be “held for further study.”
That action was taken by a committee vote on March 10, 2023. Perhaps he means HB 5557’s death during the current legislative session, which doesn’t end until June 30th.
When HB 5557 is enacted, raw milk will have the same status as pasteurized milk.
Minnesota
The Minnesota House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture, Finance, and Policy on February 1, 2023 was tasked with considering HF 1167, but has not held a hearing and has not moved the bill. The draft would allow registered small dairies to sell fluid milk and fluid milk products to consumers under certain circumstances.
The Minnesota Legislature is scheduled to adjourn on May 22nd.
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