Farm Milk Quality & Licencing in BC

Quality Checks On Every B.C. Dairy Farm:

• The Milk Industry Act (RS Chapter 258) is what currently sets the requirements and standards for the industry. Based on the Act, the Milk Industry standards Regulation (B.C. Reg 464/81) provides the working details for all regulatory activities.

• Every dairy farm is inspected and licenced before it can produce milk. To insure approval, the farm must achieve an adequate inspection score and have adequate manure storage, housing and milk storage capacity for the number of milking cows on the operation.

• The certified farm must meet the provincial standard of quality milk production and premises. This includes: all milking equipment, milking procedures, milking parlour and barn - everywhere the cows go must be kept clean and well maintained.

• All milk is stored and transported in stainless steel or glass which is carefully cleaned and sanitized after every use. Once milk leaves the cow it is kept cold at all times.

• Milk is transported to the dairy in stainless steel tanker trucks - these too are certified before they can carry milk and are inspected regularly.

• Every sample of milk taken at the farm is tested by a certified laboratory.

• Before the milk can be unloaded it is tested for antibiotic residues. If residues are found the entire shipment of milk is destroyed and the farmer who contaminated the load is held responsible for the entire load.

• The milk is also tested for temperature, acidity and flavour, before it is accepted. Bacteria, water contamination and somatic cell counts are tests that are done regularly. The presence of somatic cells is an indicator or animal health and milk quality. Other tests are carried out from time to time to ensure purity of product. Any infractions will result in penalties being applied on the monthly milk payment from the dairy processor. The money collected by this penalty program goes into the Dairy Products Promotion Fund.

• Milk is natural - nothing is added except Vitamins A and D, which is required by law.

• Milk is packaged within days, usually within 24 hours, of arriving at a dairy plant. Enzymatic spoilage would be noticed by the consumer if the milk was not fresh. All milk sold in Canada must be pasteurized. This is the law and is necessary to kill any harmful bacteria that may find its way into milk. Pasteurization also destroys spoilage organisms.

For more farm quality information, the BCMAL resource staff are:

• Dr. Merv Wetzstein, Manager,  Livestock Health Management & Regulation Unit (604) 556-3013
• Roger Pannett, Dairy Technologist  (604) 556-3017

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