HB609 would create a limited legal pathway for the retail sale of raw, unpasteurized milk and certain raw milk products in North Carolina. The bill amends existing law that generally restricts direct consumer sales to Grade A pasteurized milk by adding a new section authorizing the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to issue one-year raw milk licenses to eligible farms that meet specified health, testing, sanitation, and labeling requirements. It also allows raw milk sales at the farm of origin and at a farm stand owned or operated by the farm owner within 100 miles of the farm of origin, while excluding restaurants and similar prepared-food establishments.
The bill sets detailed conditions for licensure, including annual veterinary exams, disease-free herd confirmations, water testing, regular milk sampling, temperature controls, and testing for bacteria, coliform, somatic cell count, and certain pathogens. It also requires prominent warning labels stating that raw milk is not pasteurized and may contain harmful organisms. The Board of Agriculture would be directed to adopt permanent rules, with authority to adopt temporary rules, and the act would take effect January 1, 2026.
HB609 would modify G.S. 106-266.35 and add a new G.S. 106-266.35A to create an exception to North Carolina’s general prohibition on direct-to-consumer sales of raw milk. It would shift some regulatory authority to the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the Board of Agriculture, which would oversee licensing, inspections, testing, and rulemaking for raw milk sales. The bill would affect dairy farmers, raw milk consumers, and retailers operating farm stands, while preserving existing restrictions on broader commercial distribution and on sales outside the bill’s defined framework.
No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no direct evidence of debate or formal support/opposition in the available record. Based on the bill text alone, the measure appears designed as a regulated expansion of consumer choice rather than a wholesale deregulation, suggesting an intent to balance access with food-safety safeguards. The absence of recorded votes or discussion prevents a reliable assessment of the overall political sentiment beyond the bill’s introduction and referral.
The likely points of contention are food safety, consumer warning requirements, and the scope of where raw milk may be sold. Supporters would likely emphasize farm freedom, consumer choice, and the ability of small dairy producers to sell value-added products directly to customers. Opponents would likely focus on the health risks of unpasteurized milk, the adequacy of testing and labeling, and whether allowing retail sales of raw milk could increase the risk of foodborne illness. The bill’s detailed licensing and testing standards suggest an effort to address those concerns, but the underlying safety debate remains the central issue.