Kentucky Raw Milk Laws & Regulations

Raw milk sales for human consumption are prohibited in Kentucky under Kentucky Revised Statutes governing milk and dairy products and regulations of the Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA), which require pasteurization for milk sold for human consumption. No licensed farm-direct permit, formally recognized herdshare framework, or retail raw milk authorization has been established under Kentucky state law. The KDA enforces pasteurization requirements through its dairy licensing and inspection program.

Kentucky consumers seeking raw milk typically access neighboring states. Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia offer varying degrees of access, with Virginia's licensed herdshare framework and West Virginia's 2024 farm-direct legalization both within reach of much of the state. Bills to establish a raw milk access pathway in Kentucky have been introduced, with a 2025 proposal seeking to create a farm-direct licensing framework, but no such bill has advanced into law. Kentucky's commercial dairy sector, concentrated in the Bluegrass region, has historically opposed raw milk legalization measures.