States where Raw Milk is Legal

Milk Human Consumption Laws
Laws for Milk Sales for Human Consumption
AlabamaAlabamaProhibited
AlaskaAlaskaProhibited
ArizonaArizonaPermitted within state regulations
ArkansasArkansasProhibited with exception
CaliforniaCaliforniaPermitted
ColoradoColoradoProhibited
ConnecticutConnecticutPermitted within state regulations
DelawareDelawareProhibited
FloridaFloridaProhibited
GeorgiaGeorgiaProhibited
HawaiiHawaiiProhibited
IdahoIdahoPermitted within state regulations
IllinoisIllinoisPermitted within state regulations
IndianaIndianaProhibited
IowaIowaProhibited
KansasKansasPermitted within state regulations
KentuckyKentuckyProhibited with exception
LouisianaLouisianaProhibited
MaineMainePermitted
MarylandMarylandProhibited
MassachusettsMassachusettsPermitted within state regulations
MichiganMichiganProhibited
MinnesotaMinnesotaPermitted within state regulations
MississippiMississippiPermitted within state regulations
MissouriMissouriPermitted within state regulations
MontanaMontanaProhibited
NebraskaNebraskaPermitted within state regulations
NevadaNevadaPermitted
New HampshireNew HampshirePermitted
New JerseyNew JerseyProhibited
New MexicoNew MexicoPermitted within state regulations
New YorkNew YorkPermitted within state regulations
North CarolinaNorth CarolinaProhibited
North DakotaNorth DakotaProhibited
OhioOhioProhibited
OklahomaOklahomaPermitted within state regulations
OregonOregonPermitted within state regulations
PennsylvaniaPennsylvaniaPermitted
Rhode IslandRhode IslandProhibited with exception
South CarolinaSouth CarolinaPermitted
South DakotaSouth DakotaPermitted within state regulations
TennesseeTennesseeProhibited
TexasTexasPermitted within state regulations
UtahUtahPermitted within state regulations
VermontVermontPermitted within state regulations
VirginiaVirginiaProhibited
WashingtonWashingtonPermitted
West VirginiaWest VirginiaPermitted within state regulations
WisconsinWisconsinProhibited
WyomingWyomingProhibited
Rankings
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Legality

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Introduction

Popular, controversial, and at times difficult to understand, the state-by-state legality of selling raw milk in the United States is a complex tapestry woven by a combination of consumer demand, health concerns, and regulatory oversight. Due to these factors, the laws regulating raw milk sales for human consumption vary widely across the nation, prompting an intriguing analysis of the restrictions and permissions state by state. Key findings are as follows:

  • Of all 50 states, only eight — California, Maine, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Utah, and Washington — allow unrestricted retail sale of raw milk. This is the least regulatory regime, making raw milk readily accessible in these states.
  • An additional thirteen states permit retail sale of raw milk with some level of state regulations. Five of these states — Utah and Oregon, for example — require that the selling retail outlet own the source farm, adding an extra level of oversight.
  • On-farm purchasing forms the backbone of raw milk sales in 29 states. Of these, twelve states allow direct farm sales without requiring a license. The rest, including Missouri, South Dakota, Vermont, and Wyoming, require a license yet also allow delivery directly from the farm to the consumer—a boon for raw milk aficionados who prefer home delivery.
  • Herd share or cow share programs, which involve consumers purchasing a share in an animal's upkeep and thus a share in its milk production, are an alternative method. Though nine states have deemed these programs illegal, the remaining allow for them, presenting an intriguing acquisition method for raw milk.
  • Despite the prevalence of the raw milk community, there are still states where raw milk sales are completely prohibited. These include Alabama, Maryland, Ohio, Virginia, Louisiana, Iowa, and numerous others.

By Region

Alabama

See Less
Alabama

Metric

Value

Rank

Milk Human Consumption Laws

Prohibited

Alaska

See More
Alaska

Metric

Value

Rank

Milk Human Consumption Laws

Prohibited

Arizona

See More
Arizona

Metric

Value

Rank

Milk Human Consumption Laws

Permitted within state regulations

Arkansas

See More
Arkansas

Metric

Value

Rank

Milk Human Consumption Laws

Prohibited with exception

California

See More
California

Metric

Value

Rank

Milk Human Consumption Laws

Permitted

Colorado

See More
Colorado

Metric

Value

Rank

Milk Human Consumption Laws

Prohibited

Connecticut

See More
Connecticut

Metric

Value

Rank

Milk Human Consumption Laws

Permitted within state regulations

Delaware

See More
Delaware

Metric

Value

Rank

Milk Human Consumption Laws

Prohibited

Florida

See More
Florida

Metric

Value

Rank

Milk Human Consumption Laws

Prohibited

Georgia

See More
Georgia

Metric

Value

Rank

Milk Human Consumption Laws

Prohibited

Hawaii

See More
Hawaii

Metric

Value

Rank

Milk Human Consumption Laws

Prohibited

Idaho

See More
Idaho

Metric

Value

Rank

Milk Human Consumption Laws

Permitted within state regulations

Illinois

See More
Illinois

Metric

Value

Rank

Milk Human Consumption Laws

Permitted within state regulations

Indiana

See More
Indiana

Metric

Value

Rank

Milk Human Consumption Laws

Prohibited

Iowa

See More
Iowa

Metric

Value

Rank

Milk Human Consumption Laws

Prohibited

Kansas

See More
Kansas

Metric

Value

Rank

Milk Human Consumption Laws

Permitted within state regulations

Kentucky

See More
Kentucky

Metric

Value

Rank

Milk Human Consumption Laws

Prohibited with exception

Louisiana

See More
Louisiana

Metric

Value

Rank

Milk Human Consumption Laws

Prohibited

Maine

See More
Maine

Metric

Value

Rank

Milk Human Consumption Laws

Permitted

Maryland

See More
Maryland

Metric

Value

Rank

Milk Human Consumption Laws

Prohibited

Massachusetts

See More
Massachusetts

Metric

Value

Rank

Milk Human Consumption Laws

Permitted within state regulations

Michigan

See More
Michigan

Metric

Value

Rank

Milk Human Consumption Laws

Prohibited

Minnesota

See More
Minnesota

Metric

Value

Rank

Milk Human Consumption Laws

Permitted within state regulations

Mississippi

See More
Mississippi

Metric

Value

Rank

Milk Human Consumption Laws

Permitted within state regulations

Missouri

See More
Missouri

Metric

Value

Rank

Milk Human Consumption Laws

Permitted within state regulations

Montana

See More
Montana

Metric

Value

Rank

Milk Human Consumption Laws

Prohibited

Nebraska

See More
Nebraska

Metric

Value

Rank

Milk Human Consumption Laws

Permitted within state regulations

Nevada

See More
Nevada

Metric

Value

Rank

Milk Human Consumption Laws

Permitted

New Hampshire

See More
New Hampshire

Metric

Value

Rank

Milk Human Consumption Laws

Permitted

New Jersey

See More
New Jersey

Metric

Value

Rank

Milk Human Consumption Laws

Prohibited

New Mexico

See More
New Mexico

Metric

Value

Rank

Milk Human Consumption Laws

Permitted within state regulations

New York

See More
New York

Metric

Value

Rank

Milk Human Consumption Laws

Permitted within state regulations

North Carolina

See More
North Carolina

Metric

Value

Rank

Milk Human Consumption Laws

Prohibited

North Dakota

See More
North Dakota

Metric

Value

Rank

Milk Human Consumption Laws

Prohibited

Ohio

See More
Ohio

Metric

Value

Rank

Milk Human Consumption Laws

Prohibited

Oklahoma

See More
Oklahoma

Metric

Value

Rank

Milk Human Consumption Laws

Permitted within state regulations

Oregon

See More
Oregon

Metric

Value

Rank

Milk Human Consumption Laws

Permitted within state regulations

Pennsylvania

See More
Pennsylvania

Metric

Value

Rank

Milk Human Consumption Laws

Permitted

Rhode Island

See More
Rhode Island

Metric

Value

Rank

Milk Human Consumption Laws

Prohibited with exception

South Carolina

See More
South Carolina

Metric

Value

Rank

Milk Human Consumption Laws

Permitted

South Dakota

See More
South Dakota

Metric

Value

Rank

Milk Human Consumption Laws

Permitted within state regulations

Tennessee

See More
Tennessee

Metric

Value

Rank

Milk Human Consumption Laws

Prohibited

Texas

See More
Texas

Metric

Value

Rank

Milk Human Consumption Laws

Permitted within state regulations

Utah

See More
Utah

Metric

Value

Rank

Milk Human Consumption Laws

Permitted within state regulations

Vermont

See More
Vermont

Metric

Value

Rank

Milk Human Consumption Laws

Permitted within state regulations

Virginia

See More
Virginia

Metric

Value

Rank

Milk Human Consumption Laws

Prohibited

Washington

See More
Washington

Metric

Value

Rank

Milk Human Consumption Laws

Permitted

West Virginia

See More
West Virginia

Metric

Value

Rank

Milk Human Consumption Laws

Permitted within state regulations

Wisconsin

See More
Wisconsin

Metric

Value

Rank

Milk Human Consumption Laws

Prohibited

Wyoming

See More
Wyoming

Metric

Value

Rank

Milk Human Consumption Laws

Prohibited

Table

Region ↕Milk Human Consumption Laws ↕
Alabama iconAlabamaProhibited
Alaska iconAlaskaProhibited
Arizona iconArizonaPermitted within state regulations
Arkansas iconArkansasProhibited with exception
California iconCaliforniaPermitted
Colorado iconColoradoProhibited
Connecticut iconConnecticutPermitted within state regulations
Delaware iconDelawareProhibited
Florida iconFloridaProhibited
Georgia iconGeorgiaProhibited
Hawaii iconHawaiiProhibited
Idaho iconIdahoPermitted within state regulations
Illinois iconIllinoisPermitted within state regulations
Indiana iconIndianaProhibited
Iowa iconIowaProhibited
Kansas iconKansasPermitted within state regulations
Kentucky iconKentuckyProhibited with exception
Louisiana iconLouisianaProhibited
Maine iconMainePermitted
Maryland iconMarylandProhibited
Massachusetts iconMassachusettsPermitted within state regulations
Michigan iconMichiganProhibited
Minnesota iconMinnesotaPermitted within state regulations
Mississippi iconMississippiPermitted within state regulations
Missouri iconMissouriPermitted within state regulations
Montana iconMontanaProhibited
Nebraska iconNebraskaPermitted within state regulations
Nevada iconNevadaPermitted
New Hampshire iconNew HampshirePermitted
New Jersey iconNew JerseyProhibited
New Mexico iconNew MexicoPermitted within state regulations
New York iconNew YorkPermitted within state regulations
North Carolina iconNorth CarolinaProhibited
North Dakota iconNorth DakotaProhibited
Ohio iconOhioProhibited
Oklahoma iconOklahomaPermitted within state regulations
Oregon iconOregonPermitted within state regulations
Pennsylvania iconPennsylvaniaPermitted
Rhode Island iconRhode IslandProhibited with exception
South Carolina iconSouth CarolinaPermitted
South Dakota iconSouth DakotaPermitted within state regulations
Tennessee iconTennesseeProhibited
Texas iconTexasPermitted within state regulations
Utah iconUtahPermitted within state regulations
Vermont iconVermontPermitted within state regulations
Virginia iconVirginiaProhibited
Washington iconWashingtonPermitted
West Virginia iconWest VirginiaPermitted within state regulations
Wisconsin iconWisconsinProhibited
Wyoming iconWyomingProhibited
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