Louisiana raw milk bill to legalize on-farm sales

Raw milk sales are currently outlawed in Louisiana.

The only option currently on the raw milk map is a farm near Lafayette who provides boarding. You buy the cow, they host and handle the milking. Technically, you own the cow, so it’s not a sale – which would be illegal. That could change this legislative session.

Update 4/25/2024

Hearing for HB467 saw the bill pass committee, stay tuned for updates. Watch a video of the hearing in the Louisiana House archive link:

https://house.louisiana.gov/H_Video/VideoArchivePlayer?v=house/2024/apr/0425_24_AG

Rep Bryant (D-96) offered vocal support and encouragement at the hearing today. Watch the clip on Instagram or Youtube:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C6NIAZ1v-UJ/

Update 4/24/2024:

Hearing is scheduled for 4/25/2024 at 11am CDT. Livestream link: https://house.louisiana.gov/H_Video/HD/HCR3

Statements regarding HB467 can be emailed to the committee at h-agri@legis.la.gov

For those who wish to testify in person, submit a witness card to the House Ag committee administrative assistant Ashley Davillier before the hearing begins. Phone number: 225-342-6153

Update 4/20/2024:

Hearing on the raw milk bill is scheduled for April 25th at 9:30am in Room 3. HB 467 is before the House Agriculture, Forestry, Aquaculture, and Rural Development Committee.

Louisiana House Bill to legalize raw milk sales

Under this proposed bill, the people of Louisiana would be authorized to buy and sell raw milk for human consumption and more. House Bill 467 cover a few products: cow milk, goat milk, and raw milk cheese.

Read the bill text: HB 467 – Provides relative to the sale of raw milk

to authorize incidental sales of raw milk for human consumption; to provide for definitions; to authorize the sale of raw cow milk; to authorize the sale of raw goat milk; to authorize the sale of cheeses made from raw milk; to provide for labeling and inspection; to provide for sanitation, bottling, and packaging standards; to provide for animal health; to provide for chemical and temperature standards; to provide for product recall; and to provide for related matters.

HB467 aims to legalize incidental on-farm raw milk sales for human consumption, from cows and goats, allowing farmers to sell 500 or fewer gallons of raw milk per month.

“Incidental sales of goat milk and whole milk that has not been pasteurized” means those sales where the average monthly number of gallons sold does not exceed five hundred gallons.

The bill proposed also covers the labeling of raw milk. Testing raw milk will also be required, and the farmer will be required to disclose test results to consumers on request.