Virginia Law

A. No person may produce, provide, manufacture, sell, offer for sale, or store in the Commonwealth, or bring, send, or receive into the Commonwealth, any milk, milk product, or condensed and dry milk product for use in the commercial preparation of grade A pasteurized, ultra-pasteurized, aseptically processed and packaged, or retort processed after packaging milk or milk product unless the person possesses a grade A permit from the state regulatory agency. Nothing in this chapter shall be deemed to require a person who is a broker, agent, or distributor's representative to have a grade A permit if the person buys condensed and dry milk product for, or sells condensed and dry milk product to, a milk plant that has a valid grade A permit from any state.

B. Only a person who complies with the requirements of this chapter shall be entitled to receive and retain a grade A permit. Permits shall not be transferable with respect to persons or locations. Each person whose name appears on a grade A permit shall be at least 18 years of age. Each person requesting a grade A permit shall provide the state regulatory agency with the following information:

1. The name of the person to whom the permit is to be issued;

2. If the person is requesting a permit for a partnership, corporation, firm, trustee, or institution, the person shall provide the articles of incorporation, partnership agreement, trust document, or other document identifying the names, titles, and mailing addresses of all responsible officials for the partnership, corporation, firm, trustee, or institution;

3. The address of the facility being permitted, including the street and number, city, state, and zip code. Addresses containing post office box designations shall not be permitted;

4. The trade name the permit holder will use if the permit holder will not be trading in the name to which the grade A permit is issued;

5. The name, mailing address, and telephone number for one responsible person designated by the grade A permit holder to receive all sample reports and official correspondence from the state regulatory agency;

6. If the permit application is for a grade A dairy farm, the name of the milk marketing organization or milk marketing cooperative to which the permit holder belongs or the buyer of its milk;

7. The names and phones numbers of responsible persons to contact at the grade A dairy farm or plant;

8. If the permit application is for a grade A dairy farm, the name, address, and telephone number of the owner of the dairy farm;

9. The printed name, signature, title, and date signed for each person whose name appears on the permit;

10. The printed name, signature, title, and date signed by the most responsible official for the partnership, corporation, firm, trustee, or institution if the permit is to be issued in the name of a partnership, corporation, company, firm, trustee, or institution; and

11. If the permit application is for a grade A plant permit, the plant code embossed or printed on packages of milk, milk product, condensed milk, condensed milk product, dry milk, or dry milk product packaged by the plant to identify the plant in lieu of printing the plant's name and address on the packages of milk, milk product, condensed milk, condensed milk product, dry milk, or dry milk product, if one has been assigned.

C. Each person who holds a grade A permit and who requests a change in the name on an existing grade A permit shall provide the state regulatory agency with the following information:

1. A written statement requesting that the existing grade A permit be canceled that has been signed by each person whose name appears on the existing grade A permit; except that when a person whose name on an existing grade A permit is deceased, the request for cancellation shall be made in writing by the executor or administrator of the permit holder's estate. A copy of the qualification as executor or administrator shall accompany the request for cancellation along with a statement identifying the name of the deceased and the date of death. Each signature shall be made next to or above the person's printed name and shall be dated with the date on which the written statement was signed by the grade A permit holder;

2. If the existing grade A permit is held in the name of a partnership, corporation, company, firm, trustee, or institution, the written statement requesting the existing grade A permit be canceled shall be signed by a person who is authorized to sign on behalf of the partnership, corporation, company, firm, trustee, or institution. Each signature shall be made next to or above the person's printed name and official title for the partnership, corporation, company, firm, trustee, or institution and shall be dated with the date on which the written statement was signed by the person who is authorized to sign on behalf of the partnership, corporation, company, firm, trustee, or institution.

D. No person may hold a grade A dairy farm permit if any part of his facilities, equipment, storage, or surroundings (except toilet rooms) requiring inspection is accessed through any room used for domestic purposes or part of any room used for domestic purposes. Toilet rooms used for domestic purposes may be approved as complying with the requirements of this chapter only if (i) the toilet room is located within 300 feet of the milkroom and (ii) all labor utilized in the milking parlor, milking barn, and milkroom is provided by members of the permit holder's immediate family.

E. No person who holds a grade A permit shall use or allow anyone else to use his facilities and equipment for any purpose other than that for which the grade A permit was issued.

F. Each person who holds a grade A dairy farm permit shall display his permit in the milkroom on his dairy farm.

G. Each person who holds a grade A dairy plant permit shall display his grade A plant permit in his facilities where it is accessible for inspection.

H. No grade A permit holder may transfer any grade A permit to another person or another location.

I. No permit holder who has had his grade A dairy farm permit or dairy plant permit revoked by the state regulatory agency shall be eligible to hold a grade A dairy farm or dairy plant permit at any time after the permit holder's permit is revoked.

J. If multiple grade A dairy farms with separate herds and bulk holding tanks exist at the same physical mailing address or are under different ownership, each facility must have a separate grade A permit.

K. If a dairy farm owner has more than one grade A dairy farm at more than one separate physical mailing address, each facility must have a separate permit.