Arkansas committee approves bill to allow on‑farm unpasteurized milk sales to be offered at farmers markets and by delivery

Little Rock — The House Agriculture, Forestry & Economic Development Committee on Thursday voted to pass legislation that would let Arkansas producers sell unpasteurized (raw) milk at farmers markets and deliver it to customers, in addition to continuing on‑farm sales.

Representative Cameron Cooper, R‑District 57, told the committee he introduced an amendment to add cosponsors and to clarify that the bill’s intent is to permit sales at the farm where the milk is produced, at farmers markets, and by delivery from the producing farm. “That just clarifies that I want to be able to sell unpasteurized milk at the farm where the milk is produced, at a farmer’s market, or via delivery from the farm where the milk is produced,” Cooper said.

Cooper said unpasteurized milk has been legal in Arkansas since 1995 under restrictions that initially limited sales to goat milk and capped producer sales at 100 gallons per month; a 2013 change expanded…