Colorado Raw Milk Laws & Regulations

Colorado authorizes direct-to-consumer raw milk sales under House Bill 23-1234 (2023), administered by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE). Licensed producers may sell raw milk at the farm and at designated off-farm pickup locations established under the bill's framework. Herd health testing, bacterial testing, sanitation, and labeling requirements apply. The 2023 bill represented a significant expansion from prior Colorado law, which had limited raw milk access to on-farm sales and approved state agricultural fairs. Colorado's framework uses the concept of "owner-shareholder" and "designated pickup locations" to enable off-farm distribution without full retail licensing.

Colorado's raw milk market has developed since the 2023 expansion, with licensed producers serving the Denver-Boulder metropolitan area, Colorado Springs, and the Front Range through both on-farm sales and pickup routes. A 2024 bill to further expand the framework faced delays related to avian flu concerns among state health officials, who cited the H5N1 outbreak in dairy cattle as a reason for caution. The avian flu concern illustrates the health policy environment in which Colorado's raw milk framework operates: Colorado has been willing to expand access through legislative channels but remains attentive to outbreak risk. The state does not currently permit retail store distribution of raw milk.