Licensed raw milk is available at farms, farm stands, farmers markets, and retail stores in New Hampshire under RSA 184. Producers may sell to retail stores under a producer-distributor license; small producers under 20 gallons per day may sell direct at the farm, farm stand, or farmers market.
New Hampshire law (RSA 184:82-84) authorizes raw milk sales through multiple channels, administered by the New Hampshire Department of Agriculture, Markets and Food. Under the full producer-distributor license, producers may sell raw milk directly to retail stores and to consumers. A separate small producer exemption covers farms producing fewer than 20 gallons per day: these producers may sell raw milk directly to consumers at the farm, at a farm stand, or at a farmers market within New Hampshire without the full producer-distributor license. Both licensed producer-distributors selling to stores and small producers selling direct must meet herd health, sanitation, testing, and labeling requirements. Raw milk must be labeled with the farm name, address, a sell-by date, and a warning statement. Somatic cell count and bacterial plate count standards apply, and herd tuberculosis and brucellosis status must be maintained.
New Hampshire has maintained an accessible raw milk licensing framework for decades, consistent with the state's broader libertarian tradition of minimal interference in direct farm-to-consumer food transactions. The consumer market is concentrated in the southern tier and the Lakes Region, where licensed farms serve health-conscious consumers and families. New Hampshire's accessible framework distinguishes it from neighboring states that restrict raw milk to on-farm sales only, providing consumers with retail access points in addition to farm-direct sources.
Latest developments and news related to raw milk in New Hampshire
A New Hampshire producer who championed the state's raw goat milk ice cream legislation describes how the law was written and what it means for small dairies operating under the RSA 184 framework.
Read Article →Official government documents and legal resources for New Hampshire
New Hampshire statute requiring pasteurization for commercially sold milk, with an explicit exemption for raw milk sold under a valid producer-distributor license or small producer exemption under RSA 184:82-84.
View Official Resource →New Hampshire dairy statute authorizing raw milk sales through retail stores under a producer-distributor license, and direct farm, farm stand, and farmers market sales for small producers under 20 gallons per day.
View Official Resource →Search for raw milk sources near popular locations in New Hampshire
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