UPDATE:

Pete Kennedy, July 2009 

On June 8, 2009, Vermont enacted into law an increase of the daily amount of raw milk which can be sold by dairy farmers.  Under prior law, dairy farmers could sell up to 12.5 gallons of raw milk a day.  The new law allows for sales of up to forty (40) gallons in "any one day."  The new law sets up a two-tier system with additional requirements for those producers selling between 12.6 and 40 gallons a day.  Those meeting the additional requirements can deliver raw milk to their customers.  All other producers are limited to sales of 12.5 a day and are allowed to sell raw milk only on the farm. 

All producers are subject to the new sanitary, recordkeeping, and reporting requirements which include the following:

(1) testing for tuberculosis and brucellosis;

(2) vacinating for rabies;

(3) maintaining customer lists; and

(4) maintaining a list of transactions for at least one year, incuding "customer names, the date of each purchase and the amount of each purchase."

Under prior law, none of these requirements existed for producers. 

Those wanting to sell through delivery and/or sell more than 12.5 gallons a day, additional requirements include:

(1) annual inspections from the Vermont Agriculture Agency (VAA),

(2) testing twice per month for standard plate, coliform, and somatic cell count; producer shall keep test results for one year and "post results on the farm in a prominent place that easily is visible to customers"; and

(3) register with the VAA.

Legislative Bill: H. 125 - Farm-Fresh Millk Restoration Act of 2009 http://www.leg.state.vt.us/docs/2010/bills/Intro/H-125.pdf

Testimony:
April 4, 2009 Vermont Farm Bureau http://www.vtfb.org/vermont-farm-bureau-news.html
April 1, 2009 Amy Shollenberger, Rural Vermont http://www.ruralvermont.org/milk/amytestimony040109.pdf

Watch the Bill's Progress: Vermont Legislative Bill Tracking System http://www.leg.state.vt.us/database/status/summary.cfm?Bill=H%2E0125&Session=2010

Action Alert:
March 30, 2009 Posted by Rural Vermont

**RAW MILK BILL - H.125**
The House Agriculture Committee has been taking testimony on the raw milk bill all week! They have heard from close to 50 witnesses, pretty much evenly divided between those for the bill and those against. This week, the committee is planning to hear from just a few more witnesses on Tuesday, and then to begin discussion on the bill on Wednesday. We are not yet sure of the times of the hearings, but if you would like to come to the statehouse, call the Rural Vermont office for an update: 802-223-7222. The committee seems interested in passing something out of committee - the question is whether we will be able to ensure that any standards in the bill lead to quality milk AND flexibility for the farmer, and whether we will be able to keep the delivery provision in the bill. You can read H125 here: http://www.leg.state.vt.us/docs/2010/bills/Intro/H-125.pdf

ACTION FOR RAW MILK: This week, please WRITE A LETTER TO THE EDITOR in support of H125. Say why you support the bill, and why it is important to you to have the bill pass. Send it to your local paper. You can find contact info for the papers here: http://www.ruralvermont.org/getinvolved.html (scroll halfway down the page). Also, please READ THE BILL so you can help us later as the bill is moving through the statehouse!

Press and Posts:

May 11, 2009 Vermont Legislature Considers Increasing Sales of Raw Milk

May 8, 2009 Raw milk bill moves through Legislature

April 8, 20009  Should Vermont Abolish Sales Limits on Raw Milk?

March 20, 2009 Officials May Nix Limits on Raw Milk Purchases

March 20, 2009 Bill Would Abolish Limits on Raw Milk

History:
July 28, 2008  Raw Milk Picks Up Advocates
August 4, 2005 Chester, Vt., Dairy Farmer Pushes for Better Milk Regulations