# Anyone selling raw milk Cheese?



## thestartupman (Jul 25, 2010)

Is there anyone on here that is selling raw milk cheese? If so, do you sell it only at the farm, or do you sell it to stores? I am really interested in hearing about this from anyone that might be in Missouri. I have tried researching it, but have not had much luck finding out any good info. Thanks for any info you can give me.


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## CJBegins (Nov 20, 2009)

I believe that here in Missouri you need a licensed dairy and kitchen in order to sell milk in the altered form. You can sell raw milk and cream but it is my understanding that anything made from those products comes under licensing rules.


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## Raymond James (Apr 15, 2013)

Did you call your local Health Department and the state Milk board. You can make your own and sell to just a few without getting noticed but if you want to have a business you need to contact them and find out what the rules are before you start. 

For instance are you on a public water system or a well. If a well do you have it tested for bacterial contamination? Is your waste water system in compliance is it big enough to also handle the waste from the cheese making or are you planning on making it bigger or a separate system just for the cheese making. 

What kind of cooler / aging room are you thinking about. Many including some in Missouri have had trouble with the aging room. They find listeria on the shelves , walls or ceiling though the owners insist that it was not there before the Health and Ag inspectors arrived. 

Regardless of how it got there it is a major problem for them.


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## thestartupman (Jul 25, 2010)

No, I haven't called anyone yet. I was hoping to pick the brains of others that may already be doing it, or have done research already. It is helpful to hear about what agencies that I might need to start with. I am on a private well, and septic. Its kind of funny that there are no rules or regulations on wells or septics in the county I am in, but might have to have them tested if I want to make cheese to sell. Keep the info coming though, everything helps.


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## thestartupman (Jul 25, 2010)

Raymond, do you make and sell cheese?


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## Pony (Jan 6, 2003)

Step gently with the milk board. Depending on where you are, they can be cosmically biased against raw milk cheeses. As Raymond James notes, things can become, well... Strange things can happen.


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## Kaotic Acres (Oct 1, 2012)

I plan to sell the raw milk and offer a simple cheese recipe... Won't have to worry about making and selling the cheese... Another way would be to hold cheesemaking classes (value added) and the students could make the cheese with the milk they buy.


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## Two Tracks (Jul 13, 2013)

Kaotic Acres, I was thinking the same thing...making up "cheese kits," classes too. How would you go about this? CSA, Farmshares or ? I want to be legal (I know raw milk is frowned upon by government) Thanks ~Chris


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## thestartupman (Jul 25, 2010)

Does anyone know if there are different rules if you just plan on selling the cheese from the farm? It seems weird that you can sell raw milk from a farm without much red tape, but that it would be more difficult to sell cheese.


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## ShannonR (Nov 28, 2012)

if you're planning to make hard cheeses, it shouldn't be a problem (according to the usda). some of the softer cheeses may be a problem. from what i understand some of the hard cheeses have to be made with raw milk, because of the enzymes. iirc they require cheeses to be aged 90 days or more if raw. i dont know about your state regulations, however.


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## thestartupman (Jul 25, 2010)

Thanks for the info ShannonR. I am surprised there are not more people on here from MO making cheese with first hand information.


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## madness (Dec 6, 2006)

ShannonR said:


> iirc they require cheeses to be aged 90 days or more if raw.


The USDA says 60 days.



> i dont know about your state regulations, however.


Here's the kicker! 

I'm sure your state will require you to have a dairy license - you don't have to have a license to sell drinkable raw milk (of course, some states don't even have that). Texas calls ours a "producer dairy" license. 

Then you have to have the proper license to process and age the milk. Texas used to require a simple commercial kitchen license. Now you have to have another specific dairy license for cheese (more expensive, more inspections, etc).

From what the milk board told me, the majority of states are now requiring the two dairy licenses instead of just the dairy and kitchen.

It was super easy to call up the milk board here. The head of the whole state spent an hour on the phone with me explaining every single detail I needed to know...and even giving me a heads up on some of the way people get around the laws and why the enforcement agencies look the other way in some cases.

Our regional milk inspector then spent quite a bit of time reviewing our barn and cheese kitchen schematics that I sent him and telling me what would need to be upgraded before we even bothered with an inspection.

They were extremely helpful. I would give them a call and just find out from the horse's mouth.


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## Two Tracks (Jul 13, 2013)

Madness, I checked out your blog~ Wow you do a lot... and The eatin' in Texas looks real good! ~Chris


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## Pony (Jan 6, 2003)

thestartupman said:


> Thanks for the info ShannonR. I am surprised there are not more people on here from MO making cheese with first hand information.


People in MO are a little cautious after what Koster and the mooks at the milk board pulled.


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