Ohio Livestock Standards of Care - affects milking goats

[Kala]

(1) PMO 2009 Item 2r. Milking Barn, Stable or Parlor Construction; and,
(2) 901:11-2-10 of the Administrative Code.


Does anyone know where these regulations can be found? I want to read what they consider to be a milking parlor,

 

[ksalvagno]

http://codes.ohio.gov/oac/901:11-2

 

[Kala]

I might be wrong, but everything I read on there says things about producers (who this would affect) being considered those that produce and then sell the milk or a dairy product. Am I missing something?? Or just interpreting it incorrectly (which is always possible )?

 

[Kala]

Does anyone have any ideas? Like I said before, I'm not sure if I'm just interpreting incorrectly. To me it sounds almost like they're just defining more laws for commercialized goat milk sales. Not sure though. Do families that own a cow and just use it for milk without selling the milk also have to have a commercial grade milking setup? Just wondering.

 

[FarmerJamie]

Hi Kala,
For me, the problem is these things are written so poorly, us common folk don't know what to expect. The regulations could be interpreted so strictly that only big-time producers would have the financial means to abide by the regs.

There was some news lately about how the FDA was looking to regulate milk spills like oil spills, since somebody at the FDA realized there were "oils" in the milk. A small dairy farmer like my grandpappy was could not have afforded to build the type of containment system laid out in the regs.

It's not backyard farmers influencing the writing of the regs, its the mammoth producers. Just my two cents worth.

 

[Kala]

After a little more research...methinks I will be writing a letter. Thanks for the post Ksal

 

[yourbadd]

I read through the Chapter 901:12-13 of the Administrative Code and came across this in the definition section as to what a Dairy Farm is: "(B) Dairy farm and farm mean a place or premise where one or more lactating animals (cows, goats, sheep, water buffalo, or other hooved mammals) are kept for milking purposes and from which a part of all of the milk or milk products are provided, sold, or offered for sale to a manufacturing plant receiving station, or transfer station."

Looks like it would apply only tho those intending on selling milk or milk products. They define dairy products as: "(D) Dairy product means butter, natural cheese, processed cheese, dry whole milk, nonfat dry milk, dry buttermilk, dry whey, evaporated whole milk evaporated skim milk, condensed whole milk and plain condensed skim milk, sweetened condensed skim milk, and such other products, for human consumption, as may be otherwise designated."
*emphasis mine*

Milking for your family's consumption or for feeding your livestock looks exempt. However...selling cheese, kefir, yogurt, would not be. Doesn't look like selling colostrum would be a problem either....yet. Given enough time Big Brother will start sticking his nose in your business.

I did find this revised code from Feb 2011 ...would be nice to have all the codes and revisions in one document...guess they keep it separate to confuse folks. Confused folks are more likely to have made a "mistake" and be subject to their fines and fees. There's a LOT of $$ to be made by the gubberment....
"(F) Penalties for Minor Violations
The department may assess a civil penalty up to five hundred dollars for the first minor
offense and up to one thousand dollars for each subsequent minor offense that is committed within 60 months of the previous minor violation.
(G) Penalties for Major Violations
(1) The department may assess a civil penalty of one thousand dollars up to five thousand dollars for the first major violation. The department may assess a civil penalty of five thousand dollars up to ten thousand dollars for each subsequent major violation that is committed within 60 months of the previous major violation."
*again, emphasis mine*
Now that's a racket!!