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Hearings will be held Wednesday Feb. 12 on SB 300 which would prohibit sales of unpasteurized milk, and on Thursday Feb. 13, on SB 308 which will allow on-farm retail sale of unpasteurized milk as long as certain labeling and advertising requirements are met.
The bills will be before the Senate Agriculture committee which meets at 8:30 a.m. both days in Room 159-S. To get information about testifying, contact Judy Marks, Committee assistant at 785-296-7353.
KRC has been contacted by several small farmers and dairies who
are very concerned that SB 300 will take away a small enterprise on their farms and deprive their customers of a needed/desired product. SB 308 which outlines new labeling requirements for unpasteurized milk is also a concern as it levies what they feel is unnecessary/unfair regulation of a small business. These farmers are well aware of health and safety concerns but are providing a product that people in their communities want and need. They see this as a move of Big Ag and the dairy industry to not just control small operations but to shut them down, or leave them with no choice but to break the law if they continue sales. Such sales are a part of a local food system and prohibiting them could set a precedent for our Big Food System to discourage or shut down other products.
SB 300 would remove from existing law the definition of "On farm retail sales of milk or milk products' and remove the exemption for sales of unpasteurized milk. "The Secretary of the Kansas Department of Agriculture (KDA) is statutorily required to establish a statewide system of milk inspection and regulatory services in order to ensure that all milk and milk products sold in the state, with the exception of on-farm retail sales of milk or milk products, attain the standard of grade A pasteurized. SB 300 would remove the exception and include on-farm retail sales of milk or milk products in the statewide system. Current law also exempts on-farm retail sales of milk or milk products from the prohibition against selling any milk or milk product that has not been designated grade A pasteurized. The bill would remove this exemption. The bill would also clarify existing definitions and make a number of technical corrections." It is apparently supported by the Kansas Dairy Association. It would harm small dairies and anyone selling direct to customers on the farm with small amounts of milk . Click here for SB 300
SB 308 which clarifies and increases labeling requirements was introduced by the Kansas Department of Agriculture concerning milk, cream, dairy products and on-farm retail sale of milk to make on-farm retail sale of milk and milk-products lawful if the label or advertisement for the products contains language specified in the bill.
The bill would exempt milk or milk products produced for on-farm retail sale from the current statutory definition of milk. On-farm retail sales of milk or milk products would be defined as the sale of ungraded raw milk or ungraded raw milk products. The prohibition against the person making these sales promoting the sales in any manner other than a sign posted on the premises of the dairy farm would be removed. It does require some very specific print and language for the labels. Click here for SB 308
If you have concerns about either or both of these bills, contact a member of the Senate Agriculture committee. The bills are still in committee. See list below. You could also contact your legislator.
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