Thank
you for your submission on proposals for continuing to legally provide for farm
gate sales of raw drinking milk. The Ministry for Primary Industries
(MPI) received 1685 submissions on the proposals.
After
considering the outcome of consultation, the Minister for Food Safety, the Hon
Kate Wilkinson, decided that farm gate sales of raw milk will continue to be
allowed, and that the amount that can be purchased is likely to increase in the
future. The Minister has also decided that farmers will be exempt from the
current requirement to have a Risk Management Programme for farm gate sales of
raw milk and will instead need to adhere to certain animal health and hygiene
requirements.
The
Minister has also asked MPI to undertake further scientific and policy work to
investigate increasing the limit that consumers can purchase and whether raw
milk can be sold off the farm in a way that balances managing the risks to
public health with consumer choice.
MPI
will also look at how consumers can be provided with information on risks
associated with raw drinking milk at the point of sale so they are able to make
an informed choice when they purchase raw drinking milk.
MPI
will consult on any new regulatory proposals relating to the production and
sale of raw drinking milk, including the animal health and hygiene
requirements, any limits on the quantity that can be purchased and sold and any
proposals for sales of raw milk outside of the farm. Your name has been
added to the mailing list so you will be advised of consultation on this issue.
In
the interim, the current legislation applies, and if people wish to consume raw
milk they can buy up to 5 litres of raw milk from the farm gate for their own
personal use or to provide to their family to consume.
A
summary of the submissions has been posted on the MPI website at:
Information
on safe food practices in relation to raw drinking milk these can also be found
on the MPI website at:
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