Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
transport it to the slaughtering facility. The percentage of the animal owned is sometimes re-
ferred to as a share.
Theoretically, a large number of families can own shares in a beef animal, but some states
limit the number of people who can own shares in a single animal on the grounds that if more
than a small number of people own shares, you are just skirting the laws about selling indi-
vidual cuts from an animal that was inspected at a facility with an on-site inspector.
Dairies
You may need permits or licenses to sell milk off your farm or to process milk on your farm.
Check with your state Department of Agriculture to see which rules apply to you.
One of the most hotly debated legal issues for grass-fed dairies is selling raw milk. Though
some dairies prefer to sell pasteurized milk and dairy products, others are passionate about
raw, unpasteurized milk. Most milk sold in the United States is pasteurized — heated up
enough that it will kill bacteria. This practice was started decades ago when unsanitary condi-
tions on farms encouraged the spread of disease such as brucellosis. But supporters of raw
milk sales say sanitary conditions on modern-day family farms have improved greatly, mak-
ing pasteurization unnecessary. They say pasteurization kills beneficial bacteria, enzymes, and
minerals. One organization that advocates for raw milk is the Weston A. Price Foundation
(
www.westonaprice.org
). Many health experts disagree and say drinking raw milk is risky
because there is a chance this milk could carry E. coli bacteria or salmonella.
Because of these health concerns, many states do not allow the sale of raw milk. It is legal to
drink raw milk from your own animals, so in some states, farmers get around these restric-
tions by selling milk shares. Owning a milk share means you actually own a percentage of the
animal. Some farmers who sell shares also charge a housing fee to shareowners. Shareowners
can then come to the farm at prearranged times to pick up milk from their cow. However,
some states specifically outlaw these shares. Again, it is important to check with your state
Department of Agriculture to determine which rules you must follow.
To get an idea of the national picture involving raw milk sells, the Farm-to-Consumer Legal
Defense Fund, a nonprofit group that pools resources to fight for the rights of family farms
and consumers, has an interactive map that provides an overview of raw milk laws around the
country on its website (
www.farmtoconsumer.org
)
. It is legal to sell raw milk in
Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, Idaho, Washington, California, Arizona,
