SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1175 FILED ON: 2/12/2021
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 540
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The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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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 adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act regarding raw milk.
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PETITION OF:
Name: | District/Address: |
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Anne M. Gobi | Worcester, Hampden, Hampshire and Middlesex |
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Paul A. Schmid, III | 8th Bristol | 2/25/2021 |
Steven S. Howitt | 4th Bristol | 3/1/2021 |
David F. DeCoste | 5th Plymouth | 3/1/2021 |
Susan Williams Gifford | 2nd Plymouth | 3/1/2021 |
Michael O. Moore | Second Worcester | 3/5/2021 |
Kimberly N. Ferguson | 1st Worcester | 3/19/2021 |
Mathew J. Muratore | 1st Plymouth | 3/29/2021 |
Mary S. Keefe | 15th Worcester | 4/8/2021 |
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1175 FILED ON: 2/12/2021
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 540
By Ms. Gobi, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 540) of Anne M. Gobi, Paul A. Schmid, III, Steven S. Howitt, David F. DeCoste and other members of the General Court for legislation relative to raw milk. Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture. |
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 2483 OF 2019-2020.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Second General Court
(2021-2022)
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An Act regarding 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 3. Said chapter 94 of the General Laws, is hereby amended by inserting after section 13 the following section:-
Section 13 A ½. (a) Licensed raw milk farmers shall be allowed to deliver raw milk directly to the consumer, off-site from the farm, provided that the raw milk farmer has 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.
(b) 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.
(c) The department of agricultural resources shall adopt and promulgate reasonable rules and regulations governing the handling, packaging, storage, testing, and transportation of raw milk, provided that non-mechanical refrigeration shall be permitted.