Jen Fan wrote:I remember in Idaho raw milk sales were illegal, but ads were posted regularly by family farms for "animal consumption". So the ads were to the effect of "raw filtered milk, milked fresh every day, $6/gallon, great for bottle babies, etc." Some people sold only frozen fresh milk, others fresh, and this method of advertising allowed people to find customers legally. As long as you're not "selling for human consumption" you're not liable if they drink it.
It is legal to operate a raw milk dairy in Idaho under the small producer rules. You can milk up to 3 cows or 5 sheep/goats and even sell through commercial outlets. You must be licensed by the state and samples of your milk are collected and examined for bacterial count. Herd shares (leasing a part of a cow for a lactation) are also licensed. All dairy animals used under commercial license must be tested annually for TB and Brucellosis - the whole herd must be tested, not just the ones you are milking under license.
Milk here sells for $10 per gallon. Colostrum sells for $25 per gallon to beef farmers who keep a frozen stock in case they lose a cow, or she rejects the calf.
If you like keeping cows, a raw milk dairy is a modest profit maker. By my calculations, raising cow/calf pairs is break even at best.
My farm insurance will not cover the liability of selling raw milk. If anyone finds an insurance company that will accept the risk, please let me know.