# Goat shares anyone?



## Randi (Apr 22, 2011)

I am considering a new approach to selling goats' milk. Rather than sell the milk I will be be selling goat shares. You buy a share of the herd for $10 a month and get a quart of milk a week. Anyone ever heard of such a thing? I'm wondering if it is legal......onder:


----------



## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

I'm not sure exactly which States but there are a number of goat herd owners who do this, because even if it is illegal to sell raw milk in your state, it's not illegal to consume milk from an animal you "own"


----------



## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Ohio goat and cow breeders are doing this. It has become pretty popular. I don't do it so I don't know much about it though.


----------



## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

It looks like milkshares are illegal in Maryland. http://www.realmilk.com/happening.html#md

*Maryland* 
Raw milk sales are illegal.

*Update, Winter 2009:* On October 13, attorneys for Buckeystown Dairy farmer Kevin Oyarzo filed a petition for a writ of certiorari to the Maryland Court of Appeals asking the court to review an adverse ruling by the State Court of Special Appeals. On August 26, that court had affirmed a lower court ruling that rejected Oyarzo's challenge to the state regulatory ban on herd/cow-share arrangements [Kevin Oyarzo v. Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, et al. (See Wise Traditions Fall 2009 for background on the case.) Despite ruling against Oyarzo, the Court of Special Appeals did acknowledge that cow-share and herd-share arrangments can be valid under the law, stating that "(a) it is not illegal in Maryland for the owner of a dairy cow to drink the raw milk which that cow produces; (b) it is not illegal in Maryland to sell a fractional interest in a herd of dairy cattle; and (c) it is not illegal in Maryland for an agister to provide agistment services by boarding and caring for dairy cows owned by others." 
A major contention of Oyarzo in his petition to the Maryland high court is that, in effect, the Court of Special Ap¬peals made these types of conduct illegal by upholding the regulation banning herdshares. The petition also claims that the Court of Special Appeals has improperly held that MDHMH can regulate any transaction involving the distribution of milk instead of only transactions concerning sales. Unfortunately, Court of Appeals decided not to hear the case. Pro-raw milk legislation will be needed to open Maryland up to raw milk.

This will soon be happening in Oregon too as milkshares are not illegal but, they are not legal either. The people doing it are operating in a loophole of existing raw milk laws. Many lawmakers are looking at the problem now that herdshares are being advertised everywhere..


----------



## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

That is exactly why Ohio breeders are doing the goat/cow shares. It is illegal to sell raw milk in Ohio too.


----------



## Randi (Apr 22, 2011)

I think that soon there will be all kinds of AG wars in Maryland. The state is primarily an AG state but the government is definitely geared anti-agriculture!! I just don't get it. But you can bet I am going to run the bandwagon!! I have many customers that want milk and I wil NOT pasturize it.


----------



## GarrisonFarms (Oct 3, 2012)

I am very new to the goat business I am wondering now after reading the thread if the same laws could go to selling meat goats off your farm....I have not put much money into this adventure as a matter of fact i dont even have the fence up or purchased goats (but am planning on buying 10-20 Kiko doe's in Feb. so if someone near Florida will have 10-20 doelings I will buy them from you) 

I guess I am wondering if I am about to start a business that will be over regulated by the gov. in the next ten or so years as I grow my farm


----------



## milk and honey (Oct 31, 2010)

It's legal in Oregon, and illegal in Washington... just saying..


----------



## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

If you are selling a live goat, then it isn't a problem. Selling packaged meat might be a problem.


----------



## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

milk and honey said:


> It's legal in Oregon, and illegal in Washington... just saying..


 Not quite, it's a loop hole people are using to get away with transporting milk. It's perfectly legal to sell raw milk in Oregon if you follow the laws. People are using herd shares to get away with transporting and advertising. It is not part of the existing laws so, it is not legal by statute. After the E-coli outbreak last summer, I'm sure it will come to a head and either become legal or not.


----------



## Stacykins (Mar 27, 2012)

I am a purchaser of a goat milk share. Technically two shares. Each 'share' results in a quart of milk a week, so I pickup a half gallon a week. Cost is 6$ a month per share. 

I know I am super happy. I know the woman who I buy it from covered as many legal bases as possible, with the contract. And I totally understand that. She also showed me her goats, where she milks, and how she cares for the milk from goat to bottle. If a bit of dirt or a hoof goes into the milk bucket (has happened, hah), then that milk is frozen for use in soap and not consumption. I bring her a sanitized glass milk bottle each week when I pickup the milk. 

The milk is raw. I am OK with that. But I am the only one to drink it. If I am expecting any guests in the house who stay overnight, or who might like milk, I buy some store bought milk.


----------



## Farmgirl675 (Oct 21, 2010)

In Michigan "herd shares" are the only legal way to sell raw milk. I have several customers who I've sold shares to. I would be sure to find out the legal aspects in your state. I have a very detailed contract saying what they get and what they don't and prices. All are welcome to come out to help or "oversee" how my operation works. They supply the sanitized jars/containers for their milk. One gal loves to come out to socialize with "her" gloat


----------



## ASTONs Dairy (Aug 14, 2012)

http://www.realmilk.com check out this site


----------



## kafairch (Oct 8, 2012)

I am new at this and I have two does. I am in Michigan and I am not sure what the law is for milk here. But this sounds like and interesting venture.


----------



## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

*Michigan* 
Raw milk sales are illegal. Michigan was the first state to pass mandatory pasteurization laws-the year was 1948-and has some of the strictest milk laws on the books. Farmers may not even sell raw milk from the farm. In 2002, at hearings on the revision of the Michigan State Dairy Code, the industry attempted to amend the code to make it illegal for dairy farmers, their family members, their farm workers, and even their farm animals to drink the farm's raw milk. This plan was fortunately dropped, due to the efforts of dairy farmer Chuck Oliver and members of the local chapter of the Weston A. Price Foundation.

The state is aware of at least four cow share programs that currently exist. While the state department of agriculture has not approved of any of the cow share programs, they have not tried to shut any of them down.

Like Oregon it's not illegal but, not really legal yet either.


----------



## kafairch (Oct 8, 2012)

Thank you goathiker for the information that is very helpful. It will be a while yet before I am able to milk mine but it is nice to know what is up in the the legal end of this. I certainly plan on using it for my family and since my granddaughter does not do well with cows milk we are going to give this a try and see if she has better luck. She loves milk.


----------



## Goat Song (May 4, 2011)

goathiker said:


> Not quite, it's a loop hole people are using to get away with transporting milk. It's perfectly legal to sell raw milk in Oregon if you follow the laws. People are using herd shares to get away with transporting and advertising. It is not part of the existing laws so, it is not legal by statute. After the E-coli outbreak last summer, I'm sure it will come to a head and either become legal or not.


It's already coming to a head.  I run a herdshare program, and yes, it's my loophole so I can transport and advertise. There are already embers smoldering on this issue though, and Inspectors have begun raiding a few small farmers who are doing it. It's a wonderful way to do this, if it's 100% legal in your state, but since it's not specifically clarified here in OR, it's risky and causes a lot of headaches and fear. Running a raw milk dairy (even a small one) under the OR exempting is too constricting if you want to make a decent wage from it.


----------



## clearwtrbeach (May 10, 2012)

It's a sad and touchy subject. I'm on the WA/ OR border and we have one grade a licensed goat dairy who sells raw milk. I will be drinking and using ours so it's not a problem for us. It seems that the gov. is also trying to crunch a lot of the farmers markets around here as well. I understand the government but as individuals we really should have the option to make our own choice. There are farm shares around here that sell milk, beef, goat, pork, chicken and turkey; I'm sure it's a matter of time before they have legal problems. Again it's sad we can't make our own informed decisions.


----------

