Code of Maine Rules › 01 - DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, CONSERVATION AND FORESTRY › 001 - AGRICULTURE - GENERAL › Chapter 329 - RULES GOVERNING MAINE MILK AND MILK PRODUCTS › Section 001-329-XIV - DRUG RESIDUE TESTING AND FARM SURVEILLANCE

Current through 2024-29, July 17, 2024
This Section is established to reference safe levels and/or
				  establish tolerances and to assure that milk supplies are in compliance with
				  these safe levels or established tolerances for drug residues in milk.
				  Additional requirements and guidelines for determining compliance with these
				  requirements may be found in the PMO.
A. INDUSTRY RESPONSIBILITIES
1. monitoring and surveil Lance - Industry
				must screen all bulk milk pickup tankers, regardless of final use, for beta
				lactam drug residues. Specific requirements for establishing a drug residue
				testing program can be found in Appendix N of the PMO. Additionally, other drug
				residues must be screened for by employing a random sampling program on bulk
				milk pickup tankers when the Commissioner of the Maine Department of
				Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry or the Commissioner of the FDA
				determines that a potential problem exists as cited in Section 6 of the PMO.
				The random bulk milk pickup tanker sampling program must represent and include,
				during any consecutive six (6) months, at least four (4) samples collected in
				at least four (4) separate months, except when three (3) months show a month
				containing two sampling dates separated by at least twenty (20) days. Samples
				collected under this random sampling program must be analyzed as specified by
				FDA. (Refer to section 6 of the PMO)
The bulk milk pickup tanker must be sampled after the last
				  producer has been picked up and before any additional commingling. These bulk
				  milk pickup tanker samples may be collected from an approved aseptic sampler.
				  The sample must be representative. Bulk milk pickup tanker testing must be
				  completed prior to processing the milk. Industry samplers must be evaluated
				  according to the requirements specified in Section
				  XIII, THE EXAMINATION OF MILK AND
				  MILK PRODUCTS of this Rule and at the frequency addressed in Section
				  IV,
				  I NSPECTION OF DAIRY FARMS AND MILK
				  PLANTS of this Rule. Bulk milk pickup tanker samples found to be confirmed
				  positive for drug residues must be retained as determined necessary by the
				  Department. All presumptive positive test results for drug residues from
				  analysis done on commingled raw milk tanks, bulk milk pickup tankers, farm raw
				  milk tanks (only milk offered for sale) or finished milk or milk product
				  samples must be reported to the Department.
2. REPORTING AND FARM TRACEBACK - When a bulk
				milk pickup tanker is found to be positive for drug residues, the Department
				must be immediately notified of the results and the ultimate disposition of the
				raw milk.
The producer samples from the bulk milk pickup tanker, found
				  to be positive for drug residues, must be individually tested to determine the
				  farm of origin. The samples must be tested as directed by the
				  Department.
The producer must be notified by telephone and in writing by
				  the milk plant.
Further pickups of the violative individual producer must be
				  immediately discontinued, until such time, that subsequent tests are no longer
				  positive for drug residues.
3. RECORD REQUIREMENTS
Records of all sample results must be maintained for a
				  minimum of six (6) months by the milk plant at the location where the tests
				  were run, and/or another location as directed by the Department. Such records
				  shall be made available to the Department for inspection and copying, upon
				  request and at all reasonable times.
Results of all testing may be recorded in any format
				  acceptable to the Department and must include at least the following
				  information:
1. Identity of the person
				doing the test;
2. Identity of the
				bulk milk pickup tanker being tested*;
3. Date/time the test was performed (Time,
				Day, Month and Year);
4. Identity
				of the test performed/lot #/any and all controls (+/-);
5. Results of the test;
6. Follow-up testing if initial test was
				positive/any and all controls (+/-);
7. Site where test was performed
				and
8. Prior test documentation
				must be provided for a presumptive positive load.
*Include the BTU number(s) of the farms present on the bulk
				  milk pickup tanker with the above information.