HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 791         FILED ON: 1/15/2013

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 717

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Anne M. Gobi

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
              Court assembled:

              The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the passage of the accompanying:

An Act relative to the distribution of raw milk.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 791        FILED ON: 1/15/2013

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 717

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE
                                HOUSE
                            , NO. 1995 OF 2011-2012.]

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
 

An Act relative to the distribution of raw milk.
 

              Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

              SECTION 1    Section 13 of chapter 94 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting at the end thereof the following new section:

              Section 1A  Licensed raw milk farmers will be allowed to deliver raw milk directly to the consumer, off-site from the farm, provided that the raw milk farmer have a direct, contractual relationship with the consumer.  The raw milk farmer may contract with a third party for delivery provided that the raw milk farmer shall maintain the contractual relationship with the consumer.  The raw milk farmer may deliver raw milk through a community supported agriculture (CSA) delivery system provided that the raw milk farmer shall maintain a contractual relationship with the consumer.  Delivery may be made directly to the consumer’s residence or to a pre-established receiving site; said sites shall not be in a retail setting with the exception of CSA delivery.  In such instances, raw milk shall be kept separated from retail items for sale and will not be accessible to the general public.

              SECTION 2 Raw milk farmers may sell raw milk from their farm stands even if not contiguous to their raw milk dairy and shall comply with section 3 of chapter 40 of the General Laws. 

              SECTION 4 The Commissioner of the Department of Agricultural Resources, in consultation with the Department of Public Health, shall adopt and promulgate reasonable rules and regulations governing the handling, packaging, storage and transportation of raw milk, non-mechanical refrigeration shall be permitted.