HB 228: Georgia Farmstead Relief Act; enact

Georgia currently regulates dairy manufacturing under one general licensing system. This bill, called the Georgia Farmstead Relief Act, adds a new set of rules specifically for farmsteads, small operations where farmers milk their own cows, goats, or sheep and process that milk on-site into products like cheese, butter, and ice cream. Farmstead manufacturing plants must hold a dairy manufacturer's license from the Department of Agriculture, but the farmstead itself (the land and animals) needs no separate license or permit. All farmstead milk must be pasteurized, raw milk is not allowed, and products must be packaged and labeled where they are made, following federal food labeling law. Farmsteads get some testing exemptions, including relief from brucellosis and tuberculosis testing in disease-free regions and from most mandatory milk testing except for appearance, odor, and antibiotic residue checks. The Commissioner of Agriculture enforces the rules, can inspect, suspend or revoke licenses, and seek injunctions, and violations are misdemeanors.

• Creates a new legal category called 'farmstead' for small farms that milk their own animals and process the milk on-site into dairy products for sale.
• Requires farmstead manufacturing plants to hold a dairy manufacturer's license from the Department of Agriculture, while exempting the farmstead itself from any license or permit.
• Requires all farmstead milk to be pasteurized and bars use of raw milk in farmstead products.
• Exempts farmsteads in disease-free regions from brucellosis and tuberculosis testing, and exempts farmsteads generally from most milk testing except appearance, odor, and antibiotic residue checks.
• Gives the Commissioner of Agriculture authority to inspect farmstead plants, set rules, suspend or revoke licenses, seek injunctions, and makes violations a misdemeanor.

Small dairy farmers and dairy product producers who milk their own cows, goats, or sheep and make cheese, butter, or ice cream on-site; the Department of Agriculture and the Commissioner of Agriculture, who license and enforce the new rules; and consumers who buy farmstead dairy products.

Small farms that want to make and sell dairy products on-site would face a separate, apparently lighter set of licensing and testing rules than standard dairy manufacturers, potentially making it easier to start or run such operations while still requiring pasteurization and state oversight.

• Section 1 gives the Act its short title, the 'Georgia Farmstead Relief Act.'
• New Code section 26-2-500 defines key terms including 'farmstead,' 'farmstead manufacturing plant,' 'farmstead milk,' and 'farmstead products,' limiting products to class II-IV dairy products under federal milk order rules.
• New Code section 26-2-502 requires farmstead manufacturing plants to hold a dairy manufacturer's license, while section 26-2-503 exempts the farmstead itself from needing a license or permit.
• New Code section 26-2-509 requires pasteurization of all farmstead milk and bans raw milk from use in farmstead products.
• New Code sections 26-2-510 and 26-2-511 exempt qualifying farmsteads from brucellosis, tuberculosis, and most other milk testing requirements, keeping only appearance, odor, and antibiotic residue tests.
• New Code section 26-2-506 lets the Commissioner deny, suspend, or revoke licenses after notice and a hearing under the Georgia Administrative Procedure Act.
• New Code section 26-2-514 authorizes the Commissioner to seek injunctions against violators, and section 26-2-515 makes violations of the article a misdemeanor.
• Section 3 repeals conflicting laws.

1. 2025-02-06House Second Readers (House)
2. 2025-02-05House First Readers (House)
3. 2025-02-04House Hopper (House)

• Mitchell Horner (R, HD-003)Primary sponsor
• Jason Ridley (R, HD-006)
• Charles Cannon (R, HD-172)
• Jordan Ridley (R, HD-022)
• Brent Cox (R, HD-028)
• Trey Kelley (R, HD-016)

• dairy farming
• food safety regulation
• farm policy
• small business licensing
• raw milk and pasteurization