Avian flu stopped the legalization of uncooked milk in Colorado this 12 months.
Or no less than that’s why direct gross sales of unpasteurized milk fall in need of getting wherever, with solely per week left within the legislative session, with massive subjects like property taxes more likely to take up all of the remaining time.
The invoice formally died Thursday when it was laid over to the day after the present legislative session ends.
Avian flu leaped from poultry to cattle earlier this 12 months, making headlines in March. This was when USDA officers detected the presence of the extremely pathogenic avian flu in uncooked milk.
This introduced the industrial pasteurization course of — which uncooked milk doesn’t bear — underneath scrutiny for killing dangerous micro organism and viruses, together with the avian flu.
The Colorado invoice, SB24-043, noticed just one listening to in January and picked up hardly any testimony. There was no motion of the dime for the invoice permitting the sale of uncooked milk on to customers from registered dairy farmers who comply with sure new guidelines round labeling, storage, and transportation.
Colorado, the place the Legislature is within the fingers of Democrats, is a special take a look at for uncooked milk advocates.
SB24-043 is sponsored by Democrat Sen. Dylan Roberts, elected from the eighth District in 2022. Additionally on the invoice are the Democratic Home Speaker Julie McCluskie and Republican Sen. Byron Felton of the first District. Prospects for SB24-043 appeared good when the session started
And it was broadly anticipated that Colorado Gov. Jared Polis would enthusiastically signal SB24-043. Polis was a Meals Freedom caucus member throughout 5 phrases within the U.S. Home.
However that’s all fallen aside.
It leaves Colorado with among the nation’s hardest laws towards uncooked milk. In order for you unpasteurized milk in Colorado, you must purchase cow or goat shares.
The sponsors would have the general public imagine that concern about avian flu spreading to uncooked milk was why their invoice was allowed to die.
Nevertheless, SB24-043 was lifeless lengthy earlier than the newest spherical of considerations concerning the unfold of avian flu.
It was lifeless by April 4 when SB24-026 was “Engrossed and ReEngrossed” right into a Water Assets and Agriculture Overview. Measure.
Sen. Roberts plans some interim examine and bringing the uncooked milk invoice again subsequent 12 months,
The invoice was handed out of the Senate Agriculture and Pure Assets Committee with a 7-0 vote, however that was in January. A uncooked milk inspection would have run $125,000.
Throughout transport, uncooked milk must be stored at or under 40 levels and violations could be $500 every. And labels could be required to name out elevated dangers of foodborne sicknesses.
Roberts says the timing for a “meals freedom” invoice simply wasn’t proper this 12 months
The Colorado Legislature will adjourn by Could 8.
(To join a free subscription to Meals Security Information, click on right here.)
