# Selling Raw milk



## madrona (Jan 9, 2013)

Hi - I'm sure this has been discussed ad nauseum, so sorry for asking yet again. But I'm in Washington State and want to sell milk, which is legal if you're a licensed dairy. Otherwise my understanding is it's illegal to sell for human consumption. Can I sell it for the purposes of crafts like lotions, soaps, or feeding to livestock?
Thanks!


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## Sylvie (Feb 18, 2013)

Here in CA, it is legal to sell raw milk for animal consumption and craft purposes. 

I know of people who label the jar "not for human consumption", have their customers sign a waiver, and then figure it's not their responsibility if humans end up drinking it.

I've heard of people getting in trouble for doing ^, because they were "mislabeling the milk".

I've heard of people doing milk shares getting in trouble because the customers took the milk off the property the goats were on.

I've heard not to advertise, but only sell to people whom you trust.

Basically, the FDA (did I get the right association?) doesn't want anyone drinking raw goat's milk


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## ptgoats45 (Nov 28, 2011)

Yes, you should be able to sell it for anything other than human consumption. Just make sure when you sell it that you advertise it is not for human consumption. I have seen people who made labels to put on the containers basically saying the milk was sold for animal consumption only and that they were not responsible for any illnesses contracted if the people did drink the milk. Some states require you to put either black or blue food dye in the milk to "label" it as not for human consumption, so you may look into that although it wouldn't be good to do for people wanting to make soap/lotion.


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Try this http://realmilk.com/happening.html


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## TDG-Farms (Jul 12, 2013)

Nope. Washington state doesnt allow for the selling of any milk in any form if you are not certified. Though some people do. The certification for human OR animal are given at the same time as the only difference is you have to add a dye to milk used for animals. You can sell some products from goats milk such as soap but nothing that is ingested.


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## ptgoats45 (Nov 28, 2011)

That's a bummer. I guess you need to start making a lot of soap! lol. I looked on realmilk.com under Washington and there was one update:

"*Update, Spring 2011*: Legislation has been introduced that would exempt from regulation on-farm raw milk sales if the farm has no more than two producing cows, nine producing goats, or nine producing sheep. Current law allows the sale of raw milk only by licensed dairies."

Would this mean if you have less than 9 goats you are exempt from the laws on raw milk and can sell the milk? That's the way I read it anyways...


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## madrona (Jan 9, 2013)

Bummer. I wonder what's happening with that legislation from 2011? That sounds promising. 
Thanks for weighing in everyone!


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## TDG-Farms (Jul 12, 2013)

Just over the boarder Oregon lets you sell it as long as you have 10 or fewer milking does... go figure.


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## OakHollowRanch (Jun 6, 2013)

I live in CA and know quite a few people with co-ops. However, they like to keep it hushed and to a few trusted people, so their farms won't be targeted by a swat team or anything. :roll: Next year we will be getting around 3 gallons of milk per day. I am so tempted to filter, pasteurize, package, and sell it on CL for animal use only.


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## clearwtrbeach (May 10, 2012)

TDG is right, that is ok for Oregon, but to expand on that (I'd have to reread) I believe you are able to sell off farm but NOT advertise it- which I know seems silly. Herd shares/coops are loop holes but too many people seem to be advertising such and it'll only be a matter of time before the government covers that too.


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## Rev144 (Jan 22, 2011)

Why would you want to sell your milk when you could be making some awesome Gouda Cheese? 

I am milking 5 goats right now and I have offers to sell my milk, but I am so greedy, and love my goat cheese that there is no way any of my milk leaves here! 

PS I just ate a bowl of Cherry banana Icecream made from my goat milk.


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

clearwtrbeach said:


> TDG is right, that is ok for Oregon, but to expand on that (I'd have to reread) I believe you are able to sell off farm but NOT advertise it- which I know seems silly.


Not silly, think about it. If you are advertising then the burden of proof that you are not causing milk born illness is yours. If people are actively seeking you out from word of mouth only and coming to your farm to buy, then it is buyer beware because you did not ask them to come buy milk from you.

It protects the seller from being sued.


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## Killer_goat (Jul 11, 2013)

Tennessee is awful, you can only sell raw milk for animal consumption, and you have to have a commercial feed license to do that.


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## clearwtrbeach (May 10, 2012)

Good point goathiker. I have people ask me for it, right now since I'm milking ND and only 2 this year I wouldn't be able to if I wanted to. 
Rev 144, not everyone wants to make cheese (I do) or anything beyond the basic easy mozzarella and chev. I know I ran out of culture this year and didn't have the money to buy more nor the experience to make my own  Next year I'll have everything ready but still only milking a few ND's so we wouldn't have extra.


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