# For people that sell their cheese...



## goto10

How much do you charge? I have a local restaurant that may be interested in my cheese. I would probably be selling them a 2lb wheels of some sort of mesophilic cheddar type goat cheese. A 2 lb romano goat cheese and chevre. I have no idea how to price it since it's only been for personal use. 

I tried to break down how much I spend on my goats each week to maybe get a starting expense point but I can only calculate how much I spend on my herd each week; however, the entire herd does not produce milk, only a few does and then some ewes in the spring.


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## linn

I would look up the price of gourmet cheese on the internet and undercut that price a little bit, unless of course it was really outrageous. Yes, you will have to figure your time in as well to make a profit.


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## suzyhomemaker09

Do local laws allow you to sell chevre?
It's illegal here to sell cheese that hasn't been aged...think 60 days?
I'd say $10 a lb for the cheddar and perhaps as much as $20 per lb for the Romano.
Parms and Romanos are around $15 per lb in most markets....
Standard cheddar is running around $8 a lb..and this is just the run of the mill stuff.


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## Mountain Mick

Hi we some times buy farm fresh cheese and we pay $42 per Kg = 2.2lb for the cheddar and as much as $70 per Kg = 2.2lb for the Romano. very nice cheese. MM


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## bantams

Please don't be tempted to sell your cheese if you aren't licensed and legal. It's a huge liability...


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## steff bugielski

I can bet the restaurant will want you to be licensed.
But that said i sell my goat cheeses for $24 lb for raw aged like cheddar and such and $16 lb for the pasteurized fresh Feta and Chevre.


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## goto10

Thanks for the estimates everyone. I am not licensed and after I posted this I looked into getting a permit. Apparently it's impossible. I live in PA and from what I understand, you need a license to sell raw milk in order to sell cheese made from raw milk. Getting the permit to sell raw milk requires more space, money and equipment than I have. I emailed the ag dept that deals with this to get more info but no response. I can't figure out how things work if you buy raw milk from a licensed place and make cheese from that. 

Also according to PA law, when it comes to raw milk, producers need a permit to sell to retailers but retailers do not need a permit to sell to consumers. I'm not sure if cheese is the same way because, as I have stated, details on cheese are lacking. There is a law that cheese from raw milk needs to be aged 60 days but when it comes to soft cheese that may come from pasteurized sources, the laws only seem to describe huge dairy operations and not those making cheese at home from pasteurized milk. I've seen locally produced chevre in a local restaurant. I'm sure that place has all the permits they need to sell it to restaurants though. 

The restaurant I spoke with is just starting out. They don't seem to be aware of the laws so I am the one having to tell them all this stuff. They know about the health board and laws within the restaurant biz but don't seem to know much about food and ag laws. The chef came from a denser area and really wants to promote teh self-sufficiency locally-grown thing. This all started because I applied for a part-time job there and the chef found out I make my own cheese. So he was very interested in it. When I told him I don't make much because I don't have a lot of milk, he said if you don't have enough milk, we will buy it for you and let you make it in our kitchen. He even talked about setting up a cheese cave in the 'basement'. That might work better for them and me but they would still have to get a permit, I think. Nothing is set in stone either. 

I know of other small scale farmers who do cheese shares, just like milk shares, in my same state and that seems to work for them but I am not sure i could sell to a restaurant that way. 

Does anyone in PA have details about making and selling cheese? People mention having a separated permitted kitchen but I can't find that anywhere on PA's ag site or as I already mentioned, using pasteurized milk or milk from raw milk suppliers who already have permits.


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## bantams

Milk laws (ex. raw milk sales) go by state.
Cheese laws are federal. You'll need to search the FDA website.

If you want to produce and sell raw milk in PA, you need to be licensed as a Grade A raw dairy.
If you want to make and sell raw milk cheese, you need raw milk from a licensed source, and the cheese needs to be aged 60+ days. Your facility needs to be licensed as a commercial kitchen and you'll need a license to produce raw milk cheese.

Raw Milk Guidelines, PA


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## steff bugielski

If you really want to do this call the Dept of Agri and ask that an inspector come out to view your farm. They will be able to instruct you on just what is needed. Here In NY you need a raw milk license. That was very easy to get. Most things we do already, common sense. Sanitize, separate and keep cool.
The cheese license required a separate building. I sell both raw aged and fresh. The fresh is pasteurized. I have a vat from here www.microdairy.com this was the most cost effective way to go and believe me I search everywhere for something cheaper. I found lots cheaper but to get them up to code the work involved far out weighed the savings. I am very happy with mine.
It was not cheap though. All together I spent around $15,000.00 that includes all my equipment and the rebuilding of an existing room.


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## PamB

Love your cheese 'room'. Pam


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## goto10

So it looks like really all I need to do is find a commercial kitchen or talk my mom into putting one in her basement or something like that. The restaurant said I could use theirs but if that doesn't happen or I don't want to rely on them, I just have to find another one. I have no desire to sell my raw milk and I can buy raw cow milk from a licensed farm in my town. It's actually cheaper than the store-bought cow milk...for now anyway. But how does the FDA or state check that I got my milk from a licensed place and also used a licensed commercial kitchen? 

steff, that's an amazing set-up. I don't have the money or space for that sort of thing or for a raw milk facility either. I am only on an acre with an 1100 sq ft house. 

can I ask how you press your cheese? If you have a vat, I'm assuming you make a lot at once. It takes me at least 24 hours to make one wheel with my homemade press. I assume you have some commercial pressing system?


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## steff bugielski

No fancy press I usually doe 2-3 at a time. I can do up to 22 gallons at once.

I am not sure about Pa but here in NY a basement would not cut it unless it had the proper floor drain.
Call them and have them explain to you what you need.
Using the restaurant kitchen is probably the best.


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