Michigan Raw Milk Laws & Regulations

Michigan recognises herdshares by published written policy, which puts its shareholders on firmer ground than in states where the arrangement simply goes untested. Shareholders can also receive raw cream and butter, not only fluid milk, following a court ruling that widened what a share entitles you to.

Is raw milk legal in Michigan?

Yes, through herdshare ownership. MDARD Policy 1.40, adopted in 2013, is the operative document. It sets out the framework under which the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development recognises herdshare agreements: a person holding a written ownership interest in a dairy animal is entitled to receive that animal's milk, and a farm operating on that basis is not treated as selling raw milk for human consumption.

Having an actual published policy matters practically. Farms can point to a document when questioned, shareholders know what a compliant arrangement looks like, and the boundaries are written down rather than inferred. The Michigan Food Law and the Michigan Grade A Milk Law continue to govern conventional commercial dairy, which is a separate track.

What you can buy

Fluid milk, and importantly more than that. A court ruling extended what shareholders may receive to include raw cream and butter, which materially increases the value of holding a share and puts Michigan ahead of several neighbouring states on product range. Many farms also supply yogurt, kefir and soft cheese to shareholders on the same ownership reasoning. Cow shares predominate; goat shares are available and popular in the western and northern Lower Peninsula.

Aged raw milk cheese is legal to buy outright anywhere in the state under the federal 60 day rule, with no share needed.

How to find a herdshare

Herdshare farms operate across the Lower Peninsula, with a strong concentration in the western and northern counties where Michigan's Amish communities maintain traditional dairying, particularly around Clare, Gladwin, Isabella and Montcalm counties. There are also farms in the Thumb and scattered operations in the Upper Peninsula.

Consumer demand is strongest around Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor, Traverse City, Lansing and the Detroit suburbs, and farms in surrounding countryside serve those markets, frequently through drop points rather than requiring every shareholder to drive to the farm. Food cooperatives, buying clubs, farmers market contacts and homesteading networks are the practical routes. Because the policy is public, Michigan farms tend to be more openly findable than in states where advertising is discouraged.

What to expect when you join

You sign a written agreement conveying an ownership interest in a specific animal or herd, then pay an ongoing boarding fee covering feed, care and milking. Collection is at the farm or at an agreed drop point on a regular schedule. A well-run Michigan operation will show you the policy, give you a clear written contract, and be straightforward about herd size, feeding practice and testing.

Crossing state lines

Michigan's land border is with Ohio and Indiana, both of which also rely on herdshares, so there is little advantage in crossing south. Wisconsin, reachable across Lake Michigan or through the Upper Peninsula, permits incidental on-farm sales. Federal law at 21 CFR 1240.61 restricts interstate commerce in raw milk, with the FDA stating it has never taken and does not intend to take action against an individual transporting raw milk across a state line purely for personal consumption.

What is changing

Michigan is closer than most states to adding a licensed farm-direct route. House Bills 5217 to 5219 advanced through House committees in 2026 after testimony from producers and consumers, and would establish a licensed framework alongside the herdshare policy. If enacted, Michigan producers could sell directly rather than relying solely on share agreements, which would open supply to households that find share contracts a barrier. The push follows years of advocacy, including the closure of the Nourish Cooperative after MDARD licensing action against its operating model. For the federal framework, see the United States raw milk laws overview.