Virginia Law

No person may produce, provide, manufacture, sell, offer for sale, store in the Commonwealth of Virginia or bring, send, or receive into the Commonwealth of Virginia any milk for manufacturing purposes unless the person complies with the following requirements:

1. Milk for manufacturing purposes shall be from animals that are maintained in a healthy condition and which are properly fed and kept;

2. Cow, goat, bison, and water buffalo milk for manufacturing purposes and all cows, goats, bison, or water buffalo added to each herd the milk from which is intended to be used for manufacturing purposes shall be from a herd that complies with the Uniform Methods and Rules; Bovine Tuberculosis Eradication-effective January 1, 2005, and each herd shall be located in a Modified Accredited Tuberculosis Area or an Area Accredited Free of Bovine Tuberculosis as defined in Uniform Methods and Rules; Tuberculosis Eradication-effective January 1, 2005, and certified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture or shall have passed an annual tuberculosis test;

3. Sheep milk and the milk from other mammals for manufacturing purposes shall be from a flock or group of animals that have all been individually tested and have passed an annual tuberculosis test;

4. Cow, bison, and water buffalo milk for manufacturing purposes and each cow, bison, or water buffalo added to each herd the milk from which is intended to be used for manufacturing purposes shall be from a herd that complies with Uniform Methods and Rules; Brucellosis Eradication-effective October 1, 2003; and the following:

a. Each herd shall be located in a Certified Brucellosis-Free Area or a Modified Certified Brucellosis Area as defined in Uniform Methods and Rules; Brucellosis Eradication-effective October 1, 2003, and certified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and enrolled in a testing program for the Certified Brucellosis-Free Area or the Modified Certified Brucellosis Area;

b. Each herd shall meet the requirements for an individually certified herd as defined in Uniform Methods and Rules; Brucellosis Eradication-effective October 1, 2003;

c. Each herd shall participate in a milk ring testing program meeting the requirements specified in Uniform Methods and Rules; Brucellosis Eradication-effective October 1, 2003, in a state that conducts a milk ring testing program at least twice per year at approximately equal intervals, and any herd with a positive milk ring test result shall be blood tested within 30 days after the date of the positive milk ring test; or

d. Each cow, bison, and water buffalo in the herd shall be individually tested by an "official" blood test as defined in Uniform Methods and Rules; Brucellosis Eradication for the detection of brucellosis annually;

5. Goat's milk, sheep's milk, and the milk from other mammals for manufacturing purposes shall:

a. Be from a herd or flock which has passed an annual whole-herd or whole-flock brucellosis test; or

b. Be from a herd or flock that participates in a milk ring testing program meeting the requirements specified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for goats, sheep, or the milk from other mammals in a state that conducts a milk ring testing program at least two times per year at approximately equal intervals, and any herd or flock with a positive milk ring test result shall be blood tested within 30 days after the date of the positive milk ring tests; and

6. For diseases of cows, sheep, goats, bison, water buffalo, or other mammals which might affect human health, other than brucellosis and tuberculosis, the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services may require physical, chemical, or bacteriological examinations or other tests as may be deemed necessary by a licensed veterinarian or a veterinarian employed by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to diagnose the disease. Each permit holder shall dispose of any diseased animals disclosed by testing in a manner which prevents the spread of the disease to other animals or humans.