“no person shall cause to be delivered into interstate commerce or shall sell, otherwise distribute, or hold for sale or other distribution after shipment in interstate commerce any milk or milk product in final package form for direct human consumption unless the product has been pasteurized.”
Federal law both bans the transportation of raw milk across state lines and extends authority to the national government to ban unpasteurized milk within the borders of a state.
The dual jurisdiction over raw milk is somewhat similar to the legal treatment of marijuana, where state and federal governments have differing approaches. The Georgia law encouraging raw milk imports, however, could set up a confrontation.
The raw milk bill was assigned to the Georgia House Agriculture Committee for initial review and consideration.
The current session began Jan. 10 with adjournment scheduled for March 13. Republicans control both houses of the legislature and the governor’s office.
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