Products Regulated:

Manufactured milk products such as infant formula, butter, cheese, frozen desserts, dry milk and milk products including whey.

Federal Regulatory Authority:

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Agriculture Marketing Service

USDA provides support and guidance for each State to oversee its own manufactured milk programs. USDA also provides limited oversight for the farm program to standardize it nationwide. In addition, USDA provides a grading service for butter, milk powder and cheese. To qualify for this grading service, each dairy plant must be inspected and score high enough to be listed as an approved USDA plant.

State Regulatory Authority:

Michigan Department of Agriculture (MDA)
Food and Dairy Division

MDA contracts with USDA to do all of the USDA grading and inspection within the State. The graders and inspectors are trained and licensed by USDA. The grading service is provided "as needed". The dairy plants are inspected at least every six months.

The State has the Manufacturing Milk Law of 2001 to cover this portion of the dairy program. Farm inspections are made a minimum of every twelve months and dairy plant inspections every six months. Raw and finished product sampling and analysis is done in the same manner and time frames as for the Grade "A" program.

Local Regulatory Authority:

None is provided for in state law.

Applicable Laws And Regulations:

• The Manufacturing Milk Law of 2001, 2001 PA 267, MCL 288.561 to 288.740
  
  
• An Overview of the Grade "A" Milk Dairy Program