Milk Safety:
Milk from animals treated with antibiotics is discarded and not used. This is pursuant to both State and Federal law. That animal’s milk is not allowed to be used for human consumption for 21-45 full days after administering the final dose.
All milk is cooled to 35-40 degrees within 20-30 minutes of leaving the cow. Milk above 45 degrees for more than 2 hours must be discarded.
Medicine and antibiotics are not used unless it is absolutely necessary. By overusing medicine and antibiotics, they become ineffective. Hormones are banned by federal law for use in beef and dairy.
Our milk is required to be tested monthly by the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. These monthly tests look at the Somatic Cell Count (SCC) and the Standard Platelet Count (SPC). The SCC looks at the bacteria levels in the milk. This level, in Maryland, is required to be under 750,000. The SPC looks at the general cleanliness of the milk, also by looking for bacteria. SPC can tell if temperatures are off or use of dirty equipment. This is required by the Federal Pasteurized Milk Ordinance to be under 100,000.
Water samples from the farm are taken every 2-3 years.
The entire farm is inspected by the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene every 6 months. All refrigerators and freezers are inspected as well with thermometers being calibrated to ensure accurate temperature readings.
Before and after each milking, our pipe system and milking equipment is sanitized with water above 180 degrees mixed with cleaning acid and bleach. Every 48-72 hours our milk tank is emptied and cleaned as well. All raw milk in Maryland is required to be processed with 48-72 hours.
Before any milk is transported to the plant, the driver must test the milk for temperature and other things. These tests are performed again at the processor before any product is made.
Beef Safety:
Meat from animals treated with antibiotics is discarded and not used. This is pursuant to both State and Federal law. Just like milk, that animal’s meat is not allowed to be used for human consumption for 21-45 full days after administering the final dose.
Medicine and antibiotics are not used unless it is absolutely necessary. By overusing medicine and antibiotics, they become ineffective.
Before processing, the animal must meet the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) federal inspector’s quality standards. The animal is rejected from being processed if it fails to meet these standards. No animals may be processed without the federal inspector being on the premises.
All beef must be frozen at zero degrees or below. If the beef product(s) thaws, it must be discarded. It cannot be refrozen.
