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[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 119 (Tuesday, June 21, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36078-36079]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-15447]

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[Document No. DA-10-03; AMS-DA-09-0053]

Milk for Manufacturing Purposes and Its Production and 
Processing; Requirements Recommended for Adoption by State Regulatory 
Agencies

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This document amends the recommended manufacturing milk 
requirements (Recommended Requirements) by raising the maximum 
allowable somatic cell count in producer herd goat milk from 1,000,000 
cells per milliliter to 1,500,000 cells per milliliter. This action was 
initiated at the request of the National Association of Dairy 
Regulatory Officials (NADRO) and was developed in cooperation with 
NADRO, dairy trade associations, and producer groups. This will ensure 
that goat milk can continue to be shipped and recognizes that goats 
have a need for different regulatory limits for somatic cells than 
cows.

DATES: Effective Date: July 21, 2011.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Susan Sausville, Chief, 
Standardization Branch, Dairy Programs, AMS, USDA, telephone (202) 720-
7473 or e-mail Susan.Sausville@ams.usda.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the authority of the Agricultural 
Marketing Act of 1946, as amended (7 U.S.C. 1621-1627), the United 
States Department of Agriculture maintains a set of model regulations 
relating to quality and sanitation requirements for the production and 
processing of manufacturing grade milk. These Recommended Requirements 
are developed by AMS and recommended for adoption and enforcement by 
the various States that regulate manufacturing grade milk. The purpose 
of the model requirements is to promote

[[Page 36079]]

uniformity in State dairy laws and regulations relating to 
manufacturing grade milk.
    In consultation with representatives from NADRO, State regulatory 
agencies, FDA, and dairy industry trade associations, the Department 
prepared the Recommended Requirements to promote uniformity in State 
dairy laws and regulations for manufacturing grade milk. To accommodate 
changes that have occurred in the dairy industry, NADRO and various 
State officials have from time to time requested USDA to update the 
Recommended Requirements.
    During its July 2009 annual meeting, NADRO passed a resolution 
requesting USDA to raise the maximum allowable somatic cell count for 
producer herd goat from 1,000,000 cells per milliliter to 1,500,000 
cells per milliliter to provide consistency with the current 
requirements in place for Grade A producer herd goat milk. Due to 
inherent differences between cows and goats, goat milk with a somatic 
cell count of 1,500,000 million cells per milliliter can be produced 
from a healthy, non-mastitic udder and therefore, is quality milk. The 
need for a separate standard for goat milk was recognized by the 
National Conference on Interstate Milk Shipments (NCIMS) and was raised 
to 1,500,000 million cells per milliliter at their 2009 conference. 
This change will align the Recommended Requirements with the Grade A 
requirements for goat's milk. AMS reviewed this resolution and 
developed a draft that identified the changes associated with this 
request. This draft was provided to State regulatory officials and 
dairy trade association representatives for informal discussion prior 
to publication in the Federal Register.
    The requirements of Executive Order 13132, Federalism, were 
considered in developing this notice, and it has been determined that 
this action does not have substantial effects on the States (the 
relationship between the National Government and the States or on the 
distribution of power and responsibilities among the various levels of 
government).

Public Comment

    A Notice of Proposal to Change the document, ``Milk for 
Manufacturing Purposes and Its Production and Processing; Recommended 
Requirements for Adoption by State Regulatory Agencies,'' was published 
in the Federal Register on October 5, 2010 (75 FR 61418). The Notice of 
Proposal to Change the document provided for a 60-day comment period 
that ended December 5, 2010. Two comments were received. One from the 
membership of the Other Species Milk Committee of the National 
Conference on Interstate Milk Shipments (NCIMS) in support of the 
proposed amendment and one from an anonymous source in opposition of 
the amendment which provided no scientific justification to support 
their opposition.
    Accordingly, the changes proposed in the Milk for Manufacturing 
Purposes and its Production and Processing; Recommended Requirements 
for Adoption by State Regulatory Agencies are incorporated in the 
revised Recommended Requirements.
    The Recommended Requirements are available either from the above 
address or by accessing the information on the Internet at the 
following address: http://www.ams.usda.gov/dairy/manufmlk.pdf.

    Dated: June 15, 2011.
Ellen King,
Acting Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-15447 Filed 6-20-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P
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