Virginia Law

The following words and terms when used in this chapter shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"Contract hauler" or "subcontract hauler" means any person who contracts (i) to transport raw milk from a dairy farm to a milk plant, receiving station, or transfer station or (ii) to transport raw milk or milk products between a milk plant, receiving station, or transfer station and another milk plant, receiving station, or transfer station.

"Dairy plant sampler" means any employee of (i) a milk plant who is responsible for collecting official milk samples in the Commonwealth of Virginia, (ii) the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services who is responsible for collecting raw milk or pasteurized milk product samples at a milk plant, or (iii) the Virginia Department of Health who is responsible for collecting raw milk or pasteurized milk product samples at a milk plant and who holds a permit issued by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services for the collection of official milk samples for regulatory purposes.

"Dairy product" means butter, natural or processed cheese, dry whole milk, nonfat dry milk, dry buttermilk, dry whey, evaporated whole or skim milk, condensed whole milk, and condensed plain or sweetened skim milk.

"Farm bulk cooling or holding tank" means any tank installed on a dairy farm for the purpose of cooling or storing raw milk.

"Official milk sample" means each sample of milk, milk product, or dairy product that is collected for compliance with requirements of this chapter by a person who holds a permit to collect milk, milk product, or dairy product samples issued by the state regulatory agency.

"Pay purpose laboratory" means a laboratory that conducts tests for the purpose of determining the composition of milk, milk product, cream, or dairy product as a basis for payment in buying or selling any milk, milk product, cream, or dairy product.

"State regulatory agency" means the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the agency having jurisdiction and control over the matters embraced within this chapter.

"Summarily suspend" means the immediate suspension of a permit issued by the state regulatory agency without the permit holder being granted the opportunity to contest the action prior to the effective date and time of the suspension.

"3-A Sanitary Standards" means the standards for dairy equipment and accepted practices formulated by the 3-A Sanitary Standards Committees representing the International Association for Food Protection, the U.S. Public Health Service, and the Dairy Industry Committee and published by the International Association for Food Protection.