Yes, raw milk sales are permitted in Virginia but under stringent conditions enforced by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS). The state allows direct-to-consumer sales from farms and licensed retail stores, provided producers comply with sanitation, labeling, and inspection mandates. A 2024 VDACS directive tightened testing protocols, requiring monthly bacterial counts and quarterly somatic cell counts for licensed raw milk producers. Violations trigger immediate suspension under Virginia’s Food and Drug Regulations (2VAC5-585-10 et seq.).
Key Regulations for Raw Milk in Virginia
- Licensing Requirement: Only licensed dairy farms may sell raw milk, with applications processed by VDACS. Unlicensed sales constitute a Class 1 misdemeanor under § 3.2-513 of the Code of Virginia.
- Testing Mandates: Producers must submit samples to VDACS-approved labs, including monthly E. coli and Salmonella tests, and annual Listeria monocytogenes screenings. Failure to meet thresholds results in immediate revocation.
- Labeling Obligations: Containers must display a VDACS-approved warning: “This product has not been pasteurized and may contain harmful bacteria.” Font size must meet FDA-equivalent readability standards per 2VAC5-585-300.
Local health departments may impose additional restrictions during outbreaks, as seen in the 2023 Prince William County advisory suspending raw milk sales from two farms post-Campylobacter cluster. Producers must also adhere to federal Grade “A” Pasteurized Milk Ordinance (PMO) standards for equipment sanitation, despite raw milk’s exemption from pasteurization. Non-compliance risks fines up to $2,500 per violation under § 3.2-514.