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An Overview Of The Manufacturing Milk Dairy Program

Products Regulated

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

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 & Rural Development (MDARD)
Food and Dairy Division

MDARD 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