SB24-043: Direct-to-Consumer Sales of Raw Milk

• Authorizes registered raw milk producers to sell unpasteurized cow or goat milk directly to consumers beginning January 1, 2025, if they comply with labeling, storage, handling, and transportation requirements.

• Permits sales only at the production location, consumer's residence, farmers' markets, or roadside markets; prohibits sales through retail food establishments, food delivery services, or community-supported agriculture programs.

• Requires raw milk to be in sterile or single-use containers and sold within five days of packaging, maintained at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below during transport, and labeled with producer name, packaging date, and a warning statement about food-borne illness risks.

• Grants the Department of Agriculture authority to adopt rules for additional storage and handling requirements, inspect producers' operations, and enforce violations through court action or civil penalties up to $1,000 per violation.

• Each container of raw milk sold in violation constitutes a separate violation; producers and any contracted transport agents are jointly and severally liable for compliance breaches.